Sunday, January 31, 2010

Some thoughts about ebooks, and my e-schedule for 2010

I’ve been published in ebooks since 2005, when ALONG FOR THE RIDE first came out. Actually, it should have been over a year earlier, but I have one of those doomed epublishing stories in my history. (One where my book was signed by a major epub who sat on the author's rights for a year, and then decided not to go ahead with that line—less said about that disaster the better. ;-) But anyway, epublished since 2005.

As a reader I’m a big fan of the whole green ethos of ebooks as well as the portability, the price, and the ease of purchase. On a very personal note I find an ereader a whole lot easier than a print book to hold in my wonky hands. I read ebooks on my laptop as well as a palm and my DS, and the latter also holds my brain training, music and audio books--> a whole world in my hand.

The opportunities that epublishing provides a writer are manifiold. Things move faster. There’s more variety in sub genres and lengths. This offers the opportunity to experiment while also working with an editor within procedures that differ only from print procedure in the much faster turn around–what's not to love? I also like the monthly payments I get from my main epublisher. No matter what the amount, it feels so much more like a regular job when there is a statement and payment at the end of each month. Because of the amazing opportunities in epublishing, I have stories of all lengths and sub genres out there, and I've even been able to put together a collection of my short stories that were previously published elsewhere.

One thing I've especially noticed is how my ebook readership has grown in leaps and bounds the more titles I have out. This would, of course, be exactly the same for print books. The more books an author has on the shelf, the better it is for the reader who likes your work. The longer the gaps between print titles appearing on the shelves, the more likely readers will forget your work. With ebooks, your backlist is always available. No worries about how many weeks it will be before the bookseller remainders your beloved creation. Availability works well for both reader and for the author.

Over the last year the number of ebooks I’ve sold has grown immensely. More people are reading ebooks, that's a big part of it, but I honestly believe backlist is the key. I’ve now got a substantial backlist for ebook readers to peruse, and if a new-to-me reader likes one book, they can quickly check out the rest there and then. A reader in a bricks and mortar store might not have that opportunity. I’m also happy because my print publishers are *all* now making ebook versions available as a matter of course, and many of my ebooks are available as print on demand books. Total win!

This is what I've got coming up for ereaders in 2010.

• March – NAUGHTY BITS 2, anthology of Spice Briefs, includes CAUGHT IN THE ACT (print and ebook)

• March – YIELD TO ME, a free online read, erotic paranormal historical

• April – RAMPANT, an erotic paranormal romance novel (e-book and print)

• June – SORCERESS, an exotic erotic historical fantasy novel (re-release)

• July – SWEET-TALKING THE OPPOSITION in SECRETS VOLUME 29, a contemporary erotic romance novella (print book first, then e-book)

• August – UNASHAMED, a collection of contemporary erotica short stories

• October – EROGENOUS ZONES: MONICA’S SECRET, a contemporary paranormal erotic romance novel, ménage a trois, first of a series

• November – (tbc) MASTERING MAGGIE, a contemporary erotic romance Lust Bite

• November – AGAINST THE GRAIN, a futuristic erotic romance novella (re-release)

There are also several short stories in anthologies, but I’ll post about them as they crop up. Now, having said all that, I'd better get back to work...some of these stories aren't finished yet! ;-)