An Ebook Revolution?

With all the bad news circulating in the publishing industry these days (think HarperCollins and declining book sales), I was happy to see the article "E-book Revolution Favors the Agile" on the Christian Science Monitor website. As a longtime reader, I admit my preference for the traditional book, I am also intrigued by the potential of ebooks. Can the ebook revolution revitalize the publishing industry? I think the interviewees in the article are leaning toward 'yes.' Interestingly, when I raised this idea in a literature class I'm teaching, my students expressed their preference for traditional books. However, I wonder if 10 years from now, when I enter a classroom I'll see rows of students with digital readers rather than textbooks.

Of course, I'm biased in favor of the digital revolution since I'm published with an online publisher, the Wild Rose Press. Given the recent financial turmoil in the publishing world, I'm hopeful that the digital revolution will push readers and writers in a new direction.

Romance Novels & New Covers

Last year, when I was standing in line at Walgreens, I was happy to see Julia Quinn's new novel on the book stand but was surprised at the new design of the cover, which features a different type of artwork for the models. I visited Quinn's website to find out more, and she had posted information about one of the models who graced the cover of The Lost Duke of Wyndham. The face of the model had looked familiar, so it all clicked into place when I found she's an actress on a soap opera. Although I don't watch this particular show, the actress has appeared on the cover of other magazines, and I wonder if this is a new trend in the romance cover industry. Having actresses as the models could stimulate some interest in the genre. I know I wouldn't mind seeing my favorite actors, such as the stars of Supernatural, appearing as models. :)

If you're curious about romance covers, the Times-Reporter has an article out this week on how covers for romance novels are arranged, and you can find out about the process of locating models and arranging the backgrounds.