CSI creator writing ebooks?
I found this truly fascinating article on tvguide.com over the weekend:
CSI Creator Developing ‘Digital Novels’
For a short recap, the CSI guy is planning to start a series of eBooks based of off the CSI franchise. The books will be tied into online video. The plan is to release several chapters at once…so not a whole book. And to have some kind of MySpace/Facebook interaction with the readers.
As a writer with eBooks to my name, I like to read about power players who see the value in electronic books. Any attention this guy can bring to eBooks and ePublishers would be fabulous.
I’ve seen the debate on many blogs about ‘real’ books vs. eBooks. And I wonder: Do we really need to decide which is better? I don’t think so. They are both books, aren’t they? With stories and characters and all that good stuff.
I like eBooks for several reasons, but my main one is this: accessibility to different books. We all know that the print publishing world is ruled by the tastes of a very few. Some great books will never see the light of day, because print publishers don’t want to take a risk on something that is too different or not genre-specific.
But ePublishers *will* take that risk. And thank goodness they do. ePublishers have given us readers access to some great, original storytelling. Also, we can read books with the “hot” factor we are looking for. Not until the success of Ellora’s Cave and the like, did New York take notice and start their own erotic romance lines.
I don’t think print and electronic publishing are in competition for readers. I really don’t. I think readers choose books from both types of publishers and will continue to do so. Readers are looking for a good book. That’s it. And if they happen to find the book they like online…they’ll buy it.
So, I look forward to this CSI development. If he can bring attention to the uniqueness of eBooks and their power to draw an audience, that will mean good things for other ePublishers and their writers.