Welcome to this week’s news post! In this edition we have news on more on the Agency DOJ trial with Penguin and Apple in the US, Avon starting up a site where authors can share their romance books to readers for feedback and more news in the world of publishing!

First up, I reported a few weeks ago that Penguin would probably settle in the EU over Agency pricing however in the US – Judge Coates has denied the right of a jury trial which may affect Penguin in dropping their case and settling instead. And like the other publishers Penguin will have to offer compensation to customers who were caught up in buying their agency priced books. It is not clear if Apple will relent as well but the trial will start on June the 3rd.

Avon Romance has created a site called Share Your Book which allows readers to read excerpts and give feedback to romance authors. The site also will also have editors and staff from Avon posting in the linked forums which will offer advice and information about submitting manuscripts and editorial advice. This is interesting move but not unique because similar sites have cropped up in the past but with the recent successes of original fiction writers like S.C Stephenswho post their work on sites for fan feedback – this is a new a way to gage interest and grow an audience.

I have to be a bit amused by this news item – Fleshbot which is a blog that focuses on sex and porn news have launched a new  publishing ebook imprint called Fleshbot Fiction. They state  that they will offer short stories which will range from 99 to 2.99 cents and will cover straight/MM/FF and different kink stories. I do find it a bit like Penthouse letters but I think this is a sign that erotica is definitely a growing trend and the online medium is a perfect way to distribute stories.

News in Brief.

Amazon is cracking down on Kindle shorts that are under 2500 words, I think this is a good idea because I’ve seen prices range up to 3 dollars for one very short story and it is a ripoff. And more news from Amazon, they’ve also announced the most read cities in the US which you can check out the list here if your city is listed. But I am wary about this because Amazon isn’t the only largest distributor of books in the country.

Apparently women are not reading enough speculative fiction and it is affecting sales of female authors – I can also recall a kerffuffle a while back about certain male authors lamenting that female speculative authors were taking over.

A television production company are looking for people to join on a show they are creating which is described as ‘Tolkien Meets The Amazing Race’ – As long as there is no dragons, orcs or the eye of Sauron gunning for the contestants this could be a cool show.

Books to watch out for!

Lauren Dane’s latest Brown Sibling book has a lush cover! Drawn Together is slated for an October release.

 

 

Beauty is more than skin-deep…

Tattoo artist Raven Smith is blunt and hard, broken and jaded, dark and beautiful. While she doesn’t hide her painful past, she does keep a wall around her heart. She’s free sexually—but no one gets to the real Raven beneath the prickly exterior.

With a voice like smoke, Jonah Warner is a smooth-talking, highly successful attorney, with a body that should never be hidden by a suit. He’s the kind of man who never takes no for an answer and always gets what he wants. And what he wants is Raven. She’s a survivor, and he finds that incredibly alluring.

Jonah gets under her skin in a way Raven has never experienced. He makes her break all her rules—including her no-monogamy rule.

But when a figure from Raven’s past shows up at the tattoo parlor and drops a bomb into her life, their relationship will face the ultimate challenge…

 

 

I really like  the look of Pamela Clare’s latest book, Striking Distance.

 

Her past is a secret—even to her.
Discovering it will be the most dangerous move of her life.

TV reporter Laura Nilsson, known as the “Baghdad Babe,” spent eighteen months in an Al Qaeda compound after being kidnapped live on the air. Two years later, she’s still wondering why.

No rescue mission in Javier Corbray’s fourteen years as a Navy SEAL affected him the way Laura’s rescue did. No woman has stirred his protective instincts the way she has. And he wants her more than he’s ever wanted anyone.

As Laura and Javier’s passion ignites, so does Laura’s need to discover the mystery of her past. Especially when she learns that her abduction was not random—and that she’s still a target for a killer with an impenetrable motive. Now Javier will have to rely on his skills to keep the woman he loves from being struck down before she dares uncover the truth.

 

 

And finally we have Dragonwitch by Anne Elisabeth Stengl – I haven’t heard of this series but the cover had me at hello and the premise looks great!

 

 

Submissive to her father’s will, Lady Leta of Aiven travels far to meet a prospective husband she neither knows nor loves–Lord Alistair, future king of the North Country.
But within the walls of Gaheris Castle, all is not right. Vicious night terrors plague Lord Alistair to the brink of insanity. Whispers rise from the family crypt. The reclusive castle Chronicler, Leta’s tutor and friend, possesses a secret so dangerous it could cost his life and topple the North Country into civil war.
And far away in a hidden kingdom, a fire burns atop the Temple of the Sacred Flame. Acolytes and priestesses serve their goddess to the limits of their lives and deaths. No one is safe while the Dragonwitch searches for the sword that slew her twice…and for the one person who can wield it.

 

So do you agree with Amazon’s cracking down on very short stories on Kindle? Have you bought a Kindle short and was dissatisfied with the length and quality? Also what do you think of the Tolkien type reality show? What other shows based on fantasy and SF books would you like to see happen? 

About Has

Has is a bookaholic and feeds her addiction whenever she can. She usually can be found lost in a Romance or an Urban Fantasy novel. Her favourite sub genres are Paranormal, Fantasy and some Scifi. Her most treasured authors are, Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, Ann Aguirre, Lisa Kleypas and Tamora Pierce. She loves that discovery of finding a brand new author and falling in love with their books. Has also blogs a The Book Pushers - Book chatter and reviews

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