Stephen King e-book delayed
An Associated Press story says today that the “latest weapon in the publishing price wars” is Stephen King. King himself had already hinted that e-books may be the spark for the recent online discounts.
The book will not be released to e-book readers until Dec. 24, AP says:
Scribner announced Wednesday that the digital edition of King’s “Under the Dome,” a 1,000-plus page novel, would not be released until Dec. 24, virtually the end of the holiday season and a month after the hardcover.
E-books have already been delayed for Sen. Edward Kennedy’s “True Compass” and Sarah Palin’s “Going Rogue” as publishers try to prevent the cheaper digital editions from taking sales from hardcovers, which, until recently, cost more.
“Given the current state of the marketplace and trends in digital book pricing, we believe that this is the most appropriate publishing sequence for this particular 1088 page work of fiction,” said spokesman Adam Rothberg of Scribner’s parent company, Simon & Schuster.
Thanks to an online price war among Target.com, Amazon and Walmart.com, the hardcover for “Under the Dome,” “Going Rogue” and other popular November releases can be pre-ordered for $9 or less, a strong source of concern among publishers and independent booksellers, who cannot afford to charge so little.
“Under the Dome” will have the same list price as the hardcover, $35. Amazon.com and other online retailers have been offering best-selling e-editions for $9.99, which publishers worry is unrealistically low.
King, ironically, is a pioneer and champion of e-books. In 2000, his e-novella “Riding the Bullet” was initially offered for free and became an online sensation, downloaded so many times that Internet sites offering the book were overwhelmed.
In February 2009, when Amazon.com announced a new edition of its Kindle e-reader, King’s novella “Ur” was offered exclusively through the device and incorporated the Kindle into the narrative.
Mr. Rothberg, devotee of the “dead tree” model of publishing, is digging his own grave. He assumes that by delaying the digital edition, he’ll force readers to purchase the book in hardcover. But time isn’t of the essence when it comes to reading fiction. Mr. King’s novel will be just as entertaining in late December.
In the meanwhile, many of those who prefer an e-book may borrow a friend’s copy, or check it out of the library. This brings to mind a fact that the publishers’ lament over cheap e-books omits: While a paper book can easily be read by many readers, and can be sold when the owner is finished with it, an e-book can’t be borrowed or sold. Is it better for the author and publisher that I purchase the book for $20, then lend it to three friends when I finish it, rather than purchasing the e-book for $10?