Amazon take direct approach to e-books

In a bid to build up extensive e-book rights for the Kindle, Amazon has been approaching authors and agents directly.

Ardent competition has been predicted between Amazon’s Kindle and Apple’s iPad, which is set for release in the UK late April. Apple are also rumoured to be launching an iBooks store in the UK this summer.

E-book availability on the Kindle device is still limited and remains hindered by disputes over royalty agreements, wherein terms are still obscure and authors are unsure of their digital rights. Amazon’s proactive approach in seeking out authors who haven’t sold digital book rights has been seen as overly assertive by some agents.

Other companies such as Rosetta Books, a US e-book firm, have also been approaching UK authors and agents to buy “backlist” e-book rights.

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