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[BookishDreamer]

Originally Posted by Elsi

I've been writing to authors where I can find an e-mail address, thanking them for agreeing to let TOR give their book away and pointing out that I would love to purchase the sequel, but I'm only going to purchase electronic books.

That's a great idea, Elsi!

Dreamer

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Elsi

I've been writing to authors where I can find an e-mail address, thanking them for agreeing to let TOR give their book away and pointing out that I would love to purchase the sequel, but I'm only going to purchase electronic books.

What sort of replies have you gotten when you have gotten any?

[Elsi]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What sort of replies have you gotten when you have gotten any?

No replies yet from TOR authors. But I also wrote to Julia Spencer-Fleming about her books that I discovered after St. Martin's/MacMillan gave them away free. Of the 6 books in the series, 1-4 and 6 are available as Kindle editions. I pointed out that even though I was thoroughly enjoying the series, I would not be buying #6 if I couldn't get #5 first.

She replied:

Unfortunately, as with audio and large-print version, I have no say--and often no knowledge until they show up on Amazon!--of how, when and where electronic versions of my books are published. ... an author's voice is far less important than a readers' (because every author wants every one of her books to appear in every form humanly imaginable!) I encourage you to email St. Martin's Minotaur and tell them what you've told me.

I was so surprised to receive a reply two days after I sent my e-mail, and I appreciated her perspective.

I'm continuing to write to authors because I didn't get any reply when writing to a generic address at the publisher. I'm hoping they will reply with the e-mail address of a *person* who at the publisher as did Julia Spencer-Fleming.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Elsi

No replies yet from TOR authors. But I also wrote to Julia Spencer-Fleming about her books that I discovered after St. Martin's/MacMillan gave them away free. Of the 6 books in the series, 1-4 and 6 are available as Kindle editions. I pointed out that even though I was thoroughly enjoying the series, I would not be buying #6 if I couldn't get #5 first.

She replied:
I was so surprised to receive a reply two days after I sent my e-mail, and I appreciated her perspective.

I'm continuing to write to authors because I didn't get any reply when writing to a generic address at the publisher. I'm hoping they will reply with the e-mail address of a *person* who at the publisher as did Julia Spencer-Fleming.

I was interested in Julia's books. But I took a look and found that they are not available except for I think 2 or three of them as eBooks outside Amazon. Which means I'll just have to bypass her work.

I think it was a good idea to e-mail the authors. I may do the same as well sometime next week. But it really is a shame that some publishers think Amazon is the only place to release eBooks. The problem with that is they ignore a large population of eBook readers especially now that eReader and soon Mobipocket will be available for the iPhone/iPod Touch. And then there are the Astak and the Netronix readers to be released. It's basically going to alienate readers if a publisher goes with one platform and ignores the rest.

[nekokami]

As I understand it, Steven Brust is currently looking into releasing ebooks. He's been writing long enough that he probably owns the electronic rights to his earliest titles, even though he's a TOR author. I've suggested that he check Fictionwise, as they seem to be willing to consider authors independently of publishers and I've heard their terms are reasonable. He'll probably have to have his agent involved, though.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by nekokami

As I understand it, Steven Brust is currently looking into releasing ebooks. He's been writing long enough that he probably owns the electronic rights to his earliest titles, even though he's a TOR author.

Likely. Earlier works were published by Ace.

I've suggested that he check Fictionwise, as they seem to be willing to consider authors independently of publishers and I've heard their terms are reasonable. He'll probably have to have his agent involved, though.

Fictionwise also handles short stories. I know one author who was doing a random vanity Google and saw references to a book of his he wasn't aware of. He had an assortment of short fiction available through Fictionwise, and there was enough that they collected it into an electronic book and offered it as a collection. His contract with them permitted them to do that, and he's been happy with the relationship, so he had no objections, but geez, you'd think they would tell him...
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Dennis

[nekokami]

Then again, they might have sent him an email that got lost in the spam bucket....

[IceHand]

The Tor.com website is online and you can find all the free e-books and wallpapers here (expires Sunday, July 27): http://tor.com/index.php?option=com_...ew=blog&id=577

There's even a new free e-book on the site: Three Shadows by Cyril Pedrosa.
EDIT: Oh, it's a comic not a book.

[astra]

Any idea what is a purpose of tor.com website?

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by astra

Any idea what is a purpose of tor.com website?

To promote Tor Books, and create a community around them interested in SF.
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Dennis

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by IceHand

The Tor.com website is online and you can find all the free e-books and wallpapers here (expires Sunday, July 27): http://tor.com/index.php?option=com_...ew=blog&id=577

There's even a new free e-book on the site: Three Shadows by Cyril Pedrosa.
EDIT: Oh, it's a comic not a book.

Available in PDF and epub. Have to feed the epub file to Mobi Creator and see what happens...
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Dennis

[DMcCunney]

Incidentally, I posted a note in response to Patrick Nielsen Hayden's blog entry giving the repost of the collected freebies on the Tor.com site, mentioning the folks who wanted to buy ebooks from Tor, like other volumes in the Scalzi and Wright series. I got the following reply:

Dennis: no, actually, Tor parent company Macmillan is actively converting all titles to which we have digital rights. It really is just a matter of time before the majority of our library is available in e-book form.

The brief flap over the Baen deal seems to have convinced several years' worth of fannish commentators that there's some kind of dire drama going on behind the scenes where Tor and e-books are concerned. There really isn't. There are issues of workflow and rights, just as there are everywhere else. I think you'll see lots more e-books in lots more formats in the next few months.

The original thread is here.

Patrick is Senior Editor and Editorial Director at Tor, and this can be taken as authoritative. So patience, all...
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Dennis

[Elsi]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I think it was a good idea to e-mail the authors. I may do the same as well sometime next week. But it really is a shame that some publishers think Amazon is the only place to release eBooks. The problem with that is they ignore a large population of eBook readers especially now that eReader and soon Mobipocket will be available for the iPhone/iPod Touch. And then there are the Astak and the Netronix readers to be released. It's basically going to alienate readers if a publisher goes with one platform and ignores the rest.

I just saw -- on John Scalzi's blog that he's tired of getting e-mail from readers about eBook non-availability. It's worth reading his point of view.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Elsi

I just saw -- on John Scalzi's blog that he's tired of getting e-mail from readers about eBook non-availability. It's worth reading his point of view.

And he's right to be cranky. Emailing the author is all very well, but it's the publisher who holds the cards. The contract with the publisher likely includes electronic rights, and even if it doesn't, few authors will risk their pbook publisher's ire by releasing electronic versions the publisher might see as competing with the pbook. They want to stay under contract for pbooks.

With Scalzi, pushing ebooks is preaching to the choir in any case.
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Dennis

[nekokami]

Thanks for sharing the info from PNH! That sounds like good news.

(Here's hoping they won't go with narrow format locking....)