Read an E-Book Week officially started yesterday and runs through the end of the week, so I thought it might be a good time to highlight the event and spread the word.
Started by Rita Toews in 2004, the event is designed to “educate and inform the public about the pleasures and advantages of reading electronically. Authors, publishers, vendors, the media and readers world-wide are welcome to join in the effort and are encouraged to promote electronic reading with events of their own. These could include: public readings, library displays, reading challenges, school visits, newspaper and blog articles, chat show appearances, internet radio interviews, e-book give-ways, and website banners.”
One cool aspect of Read an E-Book Week is the fact that a number of online retailers and authors have joined the party and are offering free or deeply discounted titles during the event. A full list of them can be found in the Ebook Store on the event’s website.
I’ve decided to participate myself and will be making my entire Templar Chronicles trilogy available in digital format throughout the week at a 25% discount. I’ve even had new cover art done up to go along with the offer (see below).
What’s disappointing to me is that there are no major NY publishers taking part in this event even after its been in operation for six years. Offering a free or discounted ebook from the hundreds of authors you publish sounds like an easy way to get customers to start taking advantage of your ebook offerings and the absence of the bigger houses is unfortunate.
If you enjoy ebooks, or even if you’re just coming to them for the first time, drop by the event website and check it out.
(And don’t forget to check out the Templar Chronicles trilogy! Book one, The Heretic, is available now and books two and three will be available later this week.)
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