First, Amazon introduced its new "Pad" this morning. It's called the Kindle Fire, and it appears to be v. Amazon-centric. You can download books, movies, shows, music, and other apps. The price tag? $199. The device starts shipping November 15.
I'm not a "Pad" kind of person (mostly because I can't justify the expense), but I've got my eye on this one.
Also, Trident Media Group announced earlier this week that they have launched an ebook division.
Lisa Desrochers weighed in here, and Dean Wesley Smith has a similar (if not more candid) opinion.
I tend to agree with them. I still can't see how "agents acting as publishers" isn't a serious conflict of interest. Smith goes as far as to recommend not signing with ANY agent for the next two years, or until this mess is sorted out.
Remember that, before I epubbed Cross My Heart, I was rejected by 75 agents. Maybe they were right, and CMH wasn't worth publishing (some reviewers have told me so!). But then . . . what if I would have signed with someone whose agency introduced an ebook division? Would that agent have pushed my ms hard to editors knowing that there was a "back-up plan"? How many editors would have seen the ms? Would they have pushed for revisions/changes (as most do)?
The fact is, at this moment, a lit agent with an ebook division can't do ANYTHING for me that I'm not already doing myself. The only way a lit agency could help me now is by securing print rights. Right now, I'm not sure I would be willing to give up 15% of my ebook royalties (forever!) to an agent to upload my book for me when I can do it myself, or pay a flat fee for someone else to do it.
Finally, I thought this article (written by David Gaughran) was worth a look. He talks about the losses in sales indies have suffered, and how he feels the changes Amazon is making will better benefit authors (and readers!) in the future. Definitely gives this gal some hope.
If you missed it, I talked about some of the changes he mentioned in this post.
So . . . inquiring minds want to know: what do YOU think of the new Kindle Fire?
KK
