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Sci-fi collective goes direct via Kindle
A group of US authors, including Ursula K Le Guin, is bypassing the traditional publishing process by publishing direct on Amazon's Kindle and Sony's e-reader. Book View Press was founded earlier this year by members of Book View Cafe, a co-operative of 27 "award-winning and bestselling authors".
Book View Press's first project is an anthology of science fiction titles, Rocket Boy and the Geek Girls, which includes stores by science fiction author Vonda N McIntyre, Katharine Kerr, and others. The Kindle edition is now selling on Amazon.com at $4.99.
"The e-publishing infrastructure is now firmly in place," said project manager Sarah Zettel. "BVC authors have both content and the experience to take full advantage of it."
Book View Press titles will be created and edited by the BVC's members, and made available through the Kindle and Sony eReader stores, as well as at bookviewcafe.com. No outside publishing house will be involved and the profits go directly to the authors. Members of the collective include Le Guin, McIntyre, Sarah Smith and Laura Anne Gilman, and new authors such Seanan McGuire--many of whom remain under contract with traditional publishers.
The next project is an "entirely original" anthology of linked short stories titled The Shadow Conspiracy, with a release date of 15th December 2009. "Ebooks give us a fantastic opportunity to bring our best work straight to the readers," said Zettel. "It's truly an exciting time to be an author."
