Several years ago, Canadian author Rita Toews did an extraordinary thing: she had a new form of literature officially recognized with a week of its own.
February 6, 2005 (Press Release) --
According to Chase’s Calendar of Events, this March 6 to 12 is Read an eBook Week.
There's a resurgence of interest in ebooks and it promises major impacts on what we read and the way we read it.
Said reader Peggy Loyer: “I love to travel and I do it frequently. I used to take an extra suitcase on vacation just to hold all the books I was planning to read. Now, I take only two paper books with me because I've got at least another ten in my palm pilot.”
“Teens regularly download and pay online,” said e-novelist M.D. Benoit. “They find reading the latest novel on their PDA or laptop as normal as breathing."
In the last year, e-publishing has prompted a renewed interest in the short story. Indie publishers like Echelon Press and ShortStuff Books began publishing single novellas and collections of three or four short stories. eBook distributors like Fictionwise have begun selling individual short stories alongside novels. Said reader Brad Parks: “Can you imagine going into a bookstore and buying a single short story, bound as a print book? Maybe in Dickens’ time.”
According to some, the greatest potential in ebooks is the creation of a whole world of new voices. According to Deron Douglas of Double Dragon Publishing: “The discovery of the ebook by the reading public has created a vast new industry that’s given voice to a very large group of talented writers that would otherwise not have been heard due to the inherent inequities and practices of the established publishing industry.”
Others go still further. “I see the democratic potential inherent in this publishing form,” said political essayist Glenn Brigaldino. “eBooks can offer views, enable independent debate, and present uncensored political critique from a multitude of political perspectives from around the globe.”
Much to the joy of both e-publishers and e-authors, sales of ebooks have been increasing steadily. “Double Dragon has seen an increase in ebook revenues between 25 and 30 percent in the last three years. “We’ll continue to concentrate on this emerging technology,” said Mr. Douglas.
It was Canadian author Rita Toews who approached Chases several years ago to have the second week of March declared Read an eBook Week. “They accepted it,” she said. “The response in the first year wasn’t great, but it was much better the second year.”
“The idea is for ebook publishers and authors to hold special events during the week,” said Ms. Toews. “By uniting in a mass promotion beginning March 6th, I am confident
we can bring ebooks to the attention of the media and the public.”
In honor of the week, members of the ebook industry are encouraged approach local libraries, reading clubs, and the media to plan special events and bring them to the attention of the media.
“I think anybody who owns a PDA should download a free book from Memoware.com and try an ebook during Read an eBook Week,” said reader John Heinstein.
Canadian eAuthors has created a series of free banners and buttons that can be downloaded at http://www.biffmitchell.com/eBook_Week/ebook_week.html to promote the event. The page also contains a schedule of events submitted by organizers.
There's a resurgence of interest in ebooks and it promises major impacts on what we read and the way we read it.
Said reader Peggy Loyer: “I love to travel and I do it frequently. I used to take an extra suitcase on vacation just to hold all the books I was planning to read. Now, I take only two paper books with me because I've got at least another ten in my palm pilot.”
“Teens regularly download and pay online,” said e-novelist M.D. Benoit. “They find reading the latest novel on their PDA or laptop as normal as breathing."
In the last year, e-publishing has prompted a renewed interest in the short story. Indie publishers like Echelon Press and ShortStuff Books began publishing single novellas and collections of three or four short stories. eBook distributors like Fictionwise have begun selling individual short stories alongside novels. Said reader Brad Parks: “Can you imagine going into a bookstore and buying a single short story, bound as a print book? Maybe in Dickens’ time.”
According to some, the greatest potential in ebooks is the creation of a whole world of new voices. According to Deron Douglas of Double Dragon Publishing: “The discovery of the ebook by the reading public has created a vast new industry that’s given voice to a very large group of talented writers that would otherwise not have been heard due to the inherent inequities and practices of the established publishing industry.”
Others go still further. “I see the democratic potential inherent in this publishing form,” said political essayist Glenn Brigaldino. “eBooks can offer views, enable independent debate, and present uncensored political critique from a multitude of political perspectives from around the globe.”
Much to the joy of both e-publishers and e-authors, sales of ebooks have been increasing steadily. “Double Dragon has seen an increase in ebook revenues between 25 and 30 percent in the last three years. “We’ll continue to concentrate on this emerging technology,” said Mr. Douglas.
It was Canadian author Rita Toews who approached Chases several years ago to have the second week of March declared Read an eBook Week. “They accepted it,” she said. “The response in the first year wasn’t great, but it was much better the second year.”
“The idea is for ebook publishers and authors to hold special events during the week,” said Ms. Toews. “By uniting in a mass promotion beginning March 6th, I am confident
we can bring ebooks to the attention of the media and the public.”
In honor of the week, members of the ebook industry are encouraged approach local libraries, reading clubs, and the media to plan special events and bring them to the attention of the media.
“I think anybody who owns a PDA should download a free book from Memoware.com and try an ebook during Read an eBook Week,” said reader John Heinstein.
Canadian eAuthors has created a series of free banners and buttons that can be downloaded at http://www.biffmitchell.com/eBook_Week/ebook_week.html to promote the event. The page also contains a schedule of events submitted by organizers.
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