Amazon Publishing Great 4 Writers?

Forbe's Sramana Mitra has some very interesting perspectives on Amazon.com's potential to help authors in the long run.

Mitra points out such things as:

Currently, book at $24.95, author receives around $1 -1.50 per book. If Amazon is acting as retailer, marketer, publisher and agent, taking 65% of the book, then author would get 35%.

Same book at $24.95: author gets $8.73 per book.

Lots of discussion of Amazon looking at vertical integration, pointing to BookSurge (see post over at Writer/Lawyer for more on that deal) ...

...best news from her article (emphasis added):

"Over the next few years, Amazon likely will use its power to build direct relationships with authors and gradually phase out publishers and agents. It will first go after the independent print-on-demand self-publishers and get the best authors from that world. Amazon will then take on the large publishers."


Makes that Amazon self-publishing company even more interesting to ponder ....

Edgar Allen Poe Awards - 2008

The Mystery Writers of America announced the 2008 winners of their Edgar awards -- here's the list of nominees with the winner appearing first, in boldface type.

Best Mystery Novel

* Down River by John Hart
• Christine Falls by Benjamin Black
• Priest by Ken Bruen
• The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon
• Soul Patch by Reed Farrel Coleman

Best First Novel by an American Author

* In the Woods by Tana French
• Missing Witness by Gordon Campbell
• Snitch Jacket by Christopher Goffard
• Head Games by Craig McDonald
• Pyres by Derek Nikitas

Best Paperback Original

* Queenpin by Megan Abbott
• Blood of Paradise by David Corbett
• Cruel Poetry by Vicki Hendricks
• Robbie’s Wife by Russell Hill
• Who Is Conrad Hirst? by Kevin Wignall

Best Fact Crime

* Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy by Vincent Bugliosi
• The Birthday Party by Stanley Alpert
• Chasing Justice: My Story of Freeing Myself After Two Decades on Death Row for a Crime I Didn't Commit by Kerry Max Cook
• Relentless Pursuit: A True Story of Family, Murder and the Prosecutor Who Wouldn't Quit by Kevin Flynn
• Sacco & Vanzetti: The Men, The Murders, and the Judgment of Mankind by Bruce Watson