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May 23, 2009 6:41 pm US/Central
Kindle Changing How People Read, Publish Books
(WCCO)
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A man holds the Amazon Kindle 2 at an unveiling event at the Morgan Library & Museum February 9, 2009 in New York City. The updated electronic reading device is slimmer with new syncing technology and longer battery life.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Kindle, a popular electronic book reader, is changing much more than the way people read books.
Tony Morse is never without his Kindle. The electronic book reader from Amazon.com allows him to carry dozens of titles with him all the time.
"I probably read three times as much now," he said.
Morse also reads more of a variety of books from novels to trade journals.
The sleek Kindle 2 came out early this year. The device lets readers to buy and download books instantly.
"There's just no way I could live without it now," added Morse.
The Kindle has also opened up a new world for authors.
Former Pioneer Press reporter
Judy Borger struggled to find a publisher for her mystery novel "Where's Billie," but then a friend suggested putting it on Kindle.
"It took about a minute and a half to upload the entire book, cost me nothing," said Borger.
By self-publishing electronically, Borger doesn't have to share the percentage she gets from sales and she has control over the product. The book's track record with Kindle helped Borger get a contract with a regional publisher.
Marly Cornell with the National Writers Union is pleased to hear of Borger's success and what it may mean for other authors.
"I think that's fabulous," said Cornell.
Cornell says electronic self publishing is expected to boom in the next 10 years.
"That's the kind of potential any person who has a quality product and goes about it in that creative kind of way to get the word out, get the right person to see it," added Cornell.
Borger says she didn't intend to get a book deal through Kindle, but there's a lot of things in today's world she never imagined. She acknowledges there's no easy ticket to publishing success.
"If someone out there wants to do this, go for it and do it because it's fun," said Borger.
Paper copies of "Where's Billie" will be available in August. She will make less per copy of the paper book than the electronic one, since she is not the publisher.
Later this year, she also plans on publishing the sequel on Kindle.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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