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Kathryn Sullivan's fantasy novel is available electronically with just a mouse click or two at your computer.
The Winona State University librarian's novel is one of five e-books nominated in the fantasy category for an EPPIE, an award presented by the Electronically Published Internet Connection.
"I was just so pleased," Sullivan said. "There's an awful lot of authors out there."
EPIC is a group of published authors who are championing the promotion of electronic publishing. The EPPIE winners will be announced at an EPIC conference in March in Seattle where authors will also get tips on this new marketplace.
E-books represent a growing trend in the publishing world, enabling people to download books for a fee to their computer or by buying a computer disk or CD directly from an e-publisher. Compact e-book readers enable people to take their books with them. Sullivan has a reader that's a couple of years old that can hold about 10 books and comes complete with a dictionary feature. "Instead of packing 10 books, I can just bring this," Sullivan said.
Newer models can store up to 20 books and also have added features like word processing and color monitors. Prices begin at around $150 and go up to $400 for ones with all the bells and whistles. Books can also be downloaded to a portable Palm Pilot or may be downloaded to a floppy disk.
"I spend so much time at a computer, it didn't take long to get used to," Sullivan said.
Sullivan has been writing since she was just 14, concentrating mostly on science fiction and fantasy stories.
"My dad was a big science fiction reader. I moved from my sister's Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden books to science fiction," she said. "I liked the idea of other worlds. I guess it's more the idea of something out of the ordinary where ordinary people can excel just by trying very hard."
"The Crystal Throne" pairs two 12-year-olds, one a skeptic of magic, the other a believer. The young duo are given the task of saving the world by defeating witches and unraveling a curse that has enslaved an entire land. "They have to learn to work as a team," Sullivan said.
Sullivan has had short stories published in both print and online magazines. Getting a novel published was a more difficult task. After being rejected by several New York publishers, she thought she'd try getting it published electronically. Now, not only is her book available for download, a print edition is also being released. Books will be available at the WSU Bookstore.
Publishers can afford to take more chances with new authors, foregoing the cost of printing thousands of books without knowing what the demand will be. Many e-books are available in print on demand, meaning after a customer has placed an order for it.
While Sullivan's book is available for $4.95 electronically, many big publishing companies charge as much as they do for a hard cover version. Independent publishers usually charge less, in part because their authors aren't as well known.
In March of 2000, Stephen King brought national attention to e-books with the release of, "Riding the Bullet," a 66-page downloadable book. It sold 400,000 copies in its first day, outpacing first day sales of all his other books.
While e-books and science fiction fans might seem like a perfect match, Sullivan says they've been slower to warm up to the idea. "It really depends on the genre as to who likes them," Sullivan said. "Romance seems to be leading the way."
While she's a fan of e-books, she assures there's no worry about books ever being completely replaced. "I still love books," she said. "There's something about the feel of a book."
TO ORDER
-- "The Crystal Throne" is available at www.rfiwest.com. To read the first chapter for free, go to www.Sample-books.com.
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