Digital or Fine Binding?

[Steve]

"Probability" and "Jumble Tales" will soon be available as Kindle downloads via Amazon.

On Friday I had to order some bookcases to be custom made for the barn where I live, to tidy up books beginning to fill every gap. Just think of the room we could have if every book was digital. And the bonfire?

So this is the obviously the way forward.
I was very impressed with a Kindle device demonstrated to me the other day.

Give me a Moroccan calf leather stitched volume with gilt tooling any day!

Any views?

[Nicolle]

I cannot stand kindles.

[Steve]

Same here in many ways. There is something so very tactile about a real book. You can literally feel and weigh the volume of knowledge inside. I was always bought up to "respect" books and to treat them as valuables. Indeed they are.

Like them or not Kinldes have arrived. I remember the first computers to arrive in classrooms and the negative reception many of us gave them.

[Steve]

Available as Kindle downloads as of today on Amazon.co.uk
and Amazon.com

Incidentally I bought a fine leather bound edition of "The Ingoldsby Legends" yesterday. I'm looking forward to enjoying that.

[Robert]

I don't own a Kindle, and really haven't ever seen one in person. But as an author, I sell a lot more books to Kindle owners than I do paperback books. I think it's probably because of the price difference. I can make the Kindle downloads a much smaller price and still make money. Here's an example:

My book Frigate: November is as cheap as I can make it for a paperback, and it's $14 USC. Because of it's length I guess, I wasn't able to go any lower.

On the Kindle, I have the same book for sale at $3.50 USC. And I make around the same amount for each sale.

[Steve]

Yes, I've noticed how well "Frigate: November" and the Vegas books do as Kindle books. How are you promoting them as Kindle books?

[Robert]

Believe it, or not, I haven't really promoted either title at all. I think people are just coming across them. And it's really funny when I look at the American and British amazon sales. The British really like Frigate, and the Americans like the casino books.

[Nicolle]

That is funny!
I'm not sure if it was me being ignorant but I only found out it is illegal to gamble in America (except Nirvada). I didn't know that I assumed it was legal everywhere. This must be why they go crazy when they go to Las Vegas in movies!

[Steve]

I think that Robert has cornered a market writing about his experiences in casino security. I don't think anyone else has done that. Reading his books, his experiences with the punters can be quite bizarre! I don't envy his job.

But I think his military stuff is best. Perhaps it is word of mouth selling the Kindle download?