Announcement Part One

I can't really make the full announcement yet because the part that depends on someone else doing something hasn't come about, but here's a start.

You know how they usually come out with a cheaper paperback edition of a book after it's been out for about a year? That isn't really about the fact that the physical object costs less to produce. It's about the perceived value of the content. A book is put out in hardcover because the publisher thinks that people are willing to pay that price for the content and they might even want to keep it. The paperback comes out when they think they've tapped out that market and can reach new people who weren't willing to pay that price.

That's why all this "I won't pay more than $XX for an e-book because it's only an e-book" stuff is rather silly, since it's the content that holds the value. If you really want something NOW, you'll pay more for it. I'm not a fan of hardcover books, but I bought the last few Harry Potter books that way because I wanted them on release day. I'd have paid the same price even if they'd been paperback because it was about the time, not the form.

So, following that model, since it's been nearly a year since books 5 and 6 have been released, we've dropped the prices, essentially doing the "paperback" release. Much Ado About Magic and No Quest for the Wicked are now $5.99 for the e-book at most booksellers. The hard-copy price has dropped, as well, with a list price of $11.99 (though Amazon is selling for slightly less).

There's another part of this that I'll wait to announce when it actually happens. It was one of those "I won't hold my breath, but it would be nice" things to begin with.

I imagine if you're bothering to read my blog, you've already got these books. But if you or someone you know was holding off, then maybe this will tip the scales.