Wednesday News: Amazon, YA Da Vinci Code, Goodreads Deals, & love gone bad
Amazon to expand Prime benefits, open more brick-and-mortar stores – So it looks like that February story about Amazon opening more physical stores was premature but accurate, as Bezos now confirms that the company plans to expand its presence in malls across the U.S. (okay, the malls thing was my interpretation). Although Bezos didn’t give a number, it looks like more stores and kiosks are being planned, and a store in San Diego, CA is already underway.
According to the report, Bezos also has plans to add more features to Amazon’s $99-per-year Prime membership. We don’t know exactly what those new features could be, but Bezos wants Prime to include enough benefits that people feel they are “being irresponsible” if they aren’t subscribers. The most recent addition to Prime memberships is access to Amazon’s forthcoming private-label food brands, which it announced earlier this week. Still, Bezos’ statement is a bold one, so we’ll likely see numerous additional Prime membership perks rolling out soon. – Ars Technica
YA Edition of Dan Brown’s ‘Da Vinci Code’ Announced for Fall – I don’t know about you, but I’ve been having a great time watching to see what publishers are coming up with during this time of change in the literary marketplace. And behold the latest innovation: a YA version of the Da Vinci Code! Because of course! And coincidentally, it will release right before the new movie in October!!
A YA edition of the novel is a project that Brown has wanted to do for sometime. Brown, whose parents were teachers and who believes he himself would have been an educator had he not become an author, said his goal with the YA edition is to inspire younger readers about the joys of history. “It is my sincere hope that this adaptation of The Da Vinci Code sparks in young adults the same thrill of discovery that I feel while exploring hidden history and the mysteries of the world we live in.” The changes planned for the new edition will be aimed at making The Da Vinci Code more appropriate for readers in their early teens. – Publishers Weekly
Goodreads US launches e-book deals – Remember when people thought that Goodreads was a platform for readers? Yeah, the good old days. Now that the veil has been lifted, pulled away, and thrown down like a gauntlet, meet Goodreads, the author-publisher sales platform:
The deals feature is described by Goodreads as “unique” for helping to attract both existing fans and prospective buyers. It will appeal to readers who have specifically selected books as ‘want to read’ but will also be marketed to those who have selected an option to receive daily emails about prefered genres, thereby acting as a discovery tool.
Goodreads c.e.o. Otis Chandler said: “This program is also a powerful new marketing tool for authors and publishers; being able to reach the size of audience we have with personalised price promotions is a great new opportunity for them. – Goodreads
Most dramatic bombshells from ‘Bachelorette’ Andi Dorfman’s book ‘It’s Not Okay’ – Bachelorette Andi Dorfman has written a book about the lovely gentlemen producers set her up with on reality television. And by “lovely gentlemen,” I mean creeps who make you wonder if that show does any vetting of its contestants. – USA Today
Re the Bachelorette, wow. I’m sure they vet them…. on things like jobs and looks. I’m surprised if the show did not make Dorfman sign a non-disclosure agreement, though.
I already got a Goodreads offer yesterday. Since I already owned the book, it was kind of pointless. In fact, almost everything on my to-read list is something I own.
Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be a mass edit option for marking things as “I own this” and I tend to forget when adding them in the first place.
Wow. If Brown really is serious about getting young people “excited about history”, I hope the new edition corrects the many, many historical howlers dumped into the book — starting with the title!
I used to keep a file folder marked DA VINCI DUH at the Reference Desk, filled with corrected information, citations, and articles to hand all the folks who came to ask, “Is it really true that…?” No. No, it isn’t.
By the end of its days on the bestseller list, that file was nearly two inches thick.
I read The Da Vinci Code when I was a YA and enjoyed it. I don’t really understand why it needs to be adapted. In fact I haven’t enjoyed any Dan Brown after reaching my 20s. Why is the book industry so obsessed with the YA market? (Rhetorical question. I know the answer is moolah.) Why can’t we just focus on publishing good books instead of gimmick after gimmick?
I am not a prime subscriber and have no desire to become one. Yes, Amazon hiking up the free shipping to $49 is a pain. But it simply means I buy less often from Amazon. If I have enough stuff I want to order to get to the $49 free shipping threshold I’ll get it at Amazon otherwise other online stores or b&m ones will do, So I’ll just “be irresponsible” (I really need an eye rolling smilie to go here)
@library addict: The free shipping threshold is lower if you have $25 worth of books in your order.
@Lostshadows: Yes, but I don’t read that much in print anymore. I’ve used that option once I think since the price hike.
I would love if Amazon would stop with “add-on” or prime pantry items. If they are prime items they should ship free for prime subscribers
“making The Da Vinci Code more appropriate for readers in their early teens.”
I am guessing this means: “We’ll take out a couple lines from the remembered orgy, erase those times we refer to other books, force a love triangle by mentioning former love interest more than once and make it even more derivative so we don’t get sued for copyright infringement.”
I enjoyed the book, but I can’t stand Brown’s public persona. Yeah, sure, you do research. That’s why you quote 198 to 2 as a “close vote”.
I’m always looking for a tailored recommendation engine for books. Marketing from authors and publishers is not that. What I really want is a way to weed out the books I won’t like from the mass of books in a genre. When other readers who’ve liked books I’ve liked and — very important — not liked books I didn’t like, then I’m interested.
Years ago, Amazon did this. Now, it doesn’t. I think the reason is they make more money by finding more eyeballs to see their product placements, rather than by helping me find something to buy.