The Future of Books?

I don't know where I got this, it originated on some other blog I think. If you identify it, please let me know. Nine authors were asked "In three words, what is the future of books?"

Old-fashioned souvenir editions ~ Seth Godin
EBOOKS ~ J.A. Konrath
Authors in control ~ Mark Coken
The Reader is ~ Barry Eisler
Story not Format ~ Dan Blank
More Diversity, Faster ~ Guy L. Gonzalez
Beyond the Page ~ Jane Friedman
Refuge from Social ~ Porter Anderson
Reader commissioned stories ~ Matt Gartland

Obsidian Winners!

Wow, there were so many comments, and everyone had intriguing thoughts on the covers. So we ended up selecting six - sorta randomly, but also to be fair to all the covers.

Bobbie
J.J. Silver
Alicia White
Eranodonnal
Monique
Casey Pattison

Ladies, please email redlinesdeadlines@gmail.com . Tell us your email address and what format you want the ebook in (ePub, pdf, html or prc). Oh, and a choice of ebook. I know we'd said Obsidian, but we don't have a release date for that yet. You can wait for that, or you can choose to have Tiger, and it will be emailed to you on April 9.

Gotta See That Cover! Obsidian by Laurann Dohner

Okay, all you New Species fans! We can't reveal a release date yet for Obsidian, the next book in Laurann Dohner's mega-popular series, but we do have a cover! Many thanks to the Ellora's Cave Art Department.

So we're running a little contest here. Tell us which New Species cover is your favorite and WHY. Post your remarks in the comments here.  We'll pick our favorite comment or two, and email you the Obsidian ebook at 5:00pm (U.S. Eastern time) the day before the official release. Whoo, hoo, be the first amongst your friends to read it!

And remember that ebook 7, Tiger, releases April 10 at Barnes&Noble and Kindle (it's available now for pre-order in both those places) and April 11 on the EC webstore and all other vendors.

Oh, and stay tuned... We might just be able to pry another upcoming New Species cover from the Art Department supersecret storage vault soon.

Fifty Shades of BDSM

As the premier publisher of erotic romance in its many colors and flavors, EC editors know quite a bit about the shades of BDSM. We've been contributing to the discussions about the Fifty Shades trilogy going on at the USA Today Happy Ever After blog.

The HEA article "Fifty Shades of Grey: Who knew women like erotica?!?!?" (yes, she's being sarcastic) includes an interview by blog host Joyce Lamb with EC Publisher Raelene Gorlinsky. Joyce's inquiring mind wanted to know what makes erotica, erotica. According to Raelene, "Erotica is designed to make the reader pleasurably sexually turned on. Of course, what is "pleasurable" can be different for every person. But the current use of erotica to describe a category of fiction is intended to have a positive connotation — it's not porn, it's not skanky, it doesn't make you feel "dirty". So much current erotica is aimed at women readers, to give them not just excitement, but a positive and empowering view of sex."

And if you liked Fifty Shades and want to try some more BDSM erotica, check out our recommendations of some great books:
Beyond 'Fifty Shades of Grey': Recs by Ellora's Cave editors

So tell us--have you read Fifty Shades of Grey? And the second and third (Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades Freed)? Are you in agreement that these are erotica, but not erotic *romance*? Did you like the stories, did you consider them well-written?

We're Baaack

Yes, the Ellora's Cave editorial staff behind Redlines and Deadlines sometimes gets so swamped with--gasp!--editing, that we have to let a few other things slide. But we're back to our blog with some great upcoming posts. BDSM, cover reveals, bottles of booze, contests and commentary...stick with us, starting Monday, March 26.

Winner - Best Reads of the Year

Thank you to everyone who posted their lists of best books they read in 2011. It's given the rest of us lots of new books and authors to consider.

So, random selection of winners!
Sidney Bristol
Joanne (e.balinski@att.net)
Aerinah

Please email redlinesdeadlines@gmail.com to claim your prize.

We Made the Lists!

A huge thrill for Ellora's Cave and for our author Laurann Dohner -- Laurann's new book, Brawn, has hit both the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists! This is our first book on the lists, although we anticipate many more in future.

It was such a major step forward for epublishing when these two lists began tracking ebook sales! NYT has separate print and ebook bestseller lists, and a combined list. USA Today has a combined list.

The New York Times Book Review, January 15, 2012
E-Book Best Sellers (Fiction)
35  BRAWN, by Laurann Dohner. (Ellora’s Cave Publishing.)

Purging the Paper

by Raelene Gorlinsky

Last weekend my son helped me take 8 large boxes and 18 bags of books to the library, to donate to the semi-annual book sale fundraiser. Well over 700 books! And I've already got another three large bags filled, and will have more in the next few weeks.

Yes, I am purging my personal book collection. There are 8 bookcases in the den, 14 bookcases in my bedroom. And many boxes of books in the storage room. (And this is only the fiction, not counting the nonfiction and reference books.) I'm a book "keeper"--you never know when you might want to reread a book or even just a favorite scene in a book. Unless I disliked or was totally bored by a book, when I finish it I stick it on my shelves. Which is why there is no more space for books or for more bookcases.

So periodically I force myself to go through the shelves and cull books that I haven't looked at in several years. It's excrutiating to give them up, and I am never as firm with myself as necessary. But this time... Well, I'm having the flooring in part of the house replaced (my landlords love me, I spend more on the house than an owner would), which means having to empty and move all those bookcases, and then later put all the furniture back and reorganize all the books onto the shelves. So that's a strong impetous to have fewer books to deal with.

Also, my mind is finally making the subconscious adjustment to a digital future. I no longer have to fear that if I get rid of a book, I may later want it again and be unable to find it. No more haunting used bookstores--there's a good chance I can find most books in future as ebooks.

Not that I won't always want print books. I would never feel comfortable in a building without lots of books to look at and fondle. And I do have a few rare collectibles. But I can cut back a bit, I guess. Of course, I should probably mention that my office here at EC houses the official company library of one copy of each of our print books. Ah, lots of bookcases and books in my office to make me feel cozy...

So what about you? Are you an obsessive keeper of books, or one of those people who gives every book away once you've finished it?

Best Reads of the Year?

by Raelene Gorlinsky

Okay, everyone’s doing it – making “Best of the Year” lists about everything in the world, including books. Hey, at least we waited until the year was over, to include that book you were reading on New Year’s Eve!

So tell us your top reads of 2011—the books that moved, intrigued or fascinated you; made you rush to buy other books by that author.

Yes, there will be prizes! Probably random drawing amongst the people who post their lists in Comments. Ebooks, t-shirts, hmm, maybe other good stuff.

To kick it off, here are my best reads of 2011 (not necessarily books published that year), in no particular sequence. These represent books that were “different” in my opinion, that had a unique take on a standard theme or a special twist. [Caveat: I have not listed any Ellora’s Cave books, although there were many I loved. Hey, I have to deal with 450+ authors, I’m not going to show preference.  ;-) ]

Death Comes to Pemberley – P.D. James (mystery)
Dragon Bound – Thea Harrison
Steam & Sorcery – Cindy Spencer Pape
No Proper Lady – Isabel Cooper
Touched by an Alien – Gini Koch
Archangel’s Consort – Nalini Singh
Never Again – Michele Bardsley
A Discovery of Witches – Deborah Harkness (despite how incredibly frustrating I found the cliffhanger ending)

Your turn!

Publishing Predictions for 2012

Digital Book World has published a list of ten predictions for change in the publishing industry for 2012. None of them are surprising.

http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2011/ten-bold-predictions-for-book-publishing-in-2012/?et_mid=531908&rid=2646413

1. We will see more self-published best-sellers next year with an exponential rise in the number of million-selling authors.

2. Large publishing companies will go through major restructurings, creating new positions and redundancies of all shapes and sizes.

3. Amazon will come out with a larger tablet with an 8.9-inch screen and it will be priced at $299 or lower.

4. Apple will come out with a smaller iPad at a reduced price.

5. Sony will get a second life in the e-reader game when Pottermore launches in the Spring.

6. Literary agencies will engage in a campaign to communicate the value of their services to the book industry.

7. Authors will become disenchanted with the rights they sign away to publishers. Shorter and more flexible copyright terms will become more attractive to authors.

8. The standard e-book royalty from major publishing houses will rise next year and will escalate with increased sales.

9. Standards of what an app and what a book is will change and apps will eventually be sold in the iBookstore.

10. More publishing companies will form in-house transmedia groups.