Friday 31 August 2012

To Kindle or not to Kindle, that is the question.




Dear Reader, I need your help to answer this question.

I am in a quandary. For a year or so now I have wanted to bring out Dernier Publishing books and booklets in digital format – to join the e-book revolution. Not because I love e-books, but because we are here to serve our customers and they want them.

Our aim is to encourage and inspire young people in their faith and show non-church kids what they are missing – anything we can do to reach more young people has got to be good, hasn't it?

Or has it . . . ?

Certainly going digital is essential. If kids are reading digital books, we must provide them. So that's not the issue; it's the format of the books which is giving me a headache. Hence the title of the post . . . to Kindle or not to Kindle.

Because it seems to me that there are two choices:
E-pub format, or Kindle format.

There are pros and cons of both (unless I have got this completely wrong, and do please tell me if I have).

The big plus of e-pub format e-books:
They can be sold anywhere, from any website. We have control over where they are sold, which can include bookshop websites – we are dedicated to supporting 'bricks and mortar' bookshops where we can, although we must of course first and foremost supply as many books as we can to as many children as we can because this our reason for existence.

The big plus of Kindle format:
It is relatively easy to do – I can do it myself. I could start this weekend and have a booklet up and for sale by Monday. And if I make a mistake, the file can be edited at any point . . . plus Amazon do all the sales. Simple!

Well, kind of simple. Because there are cons with the Kindle model too.

Here are the two major problems as I see it:
  1. We sincerely want to help high street bookshops in their struggle to survive (Kindle books are sold solely through Amazon)
  2. I don't like Amazon's monopoly on the market. I am also uncomfortable with their aggressive business philosophy of taking over the world, no matter how many shops (real people and livelihoods) they walk over in the process.

If we had the money and the resources and the expertise, there's no doubt about it, we would go down the e-pub route, where the e-books can be sold even by bookshops.

But, sigh, I'm increasingly veering towards thinking just going for the Kindle right now, and work towards making enough money to pay for resources and expertise to do e-pub books in the future. Because we just don't have the money, time or expertise to do e-pub books right now. Which is why we still don't have any e-books right now . . . and also means that we just won't have e-books in the near future.

So, to Kindle or not to Kindle . . . what do you think?

Please do feel free to leave feedback, I would be most gratefu.

With many thanks for your support,

 Janet

Friday 24 August 2012

10 Reasons to buy Christian fiction for children

10 good reasons to buy excellent, relevant,fun Christian fiction for children


1. Children make sense of their world through stories - and most of them love reading a good book!

2. Stories with Christian characters can encourage and inspire children in their own faith

3. We remember stories better than straight information - Jesus told stories!

4. It's great to encourage children to read books with Christian values

 

5. A novel is a non-threatening gift for children from non-church families

6. Kids who know all the Bible stories see faith being outworked in up-to-date situations

7. Children can lend books to their friends (for no extra cost!)

8. Like to have spiritual input but can't due to distance? A Christian novel is the perfect gift!

9. Like more family time? Read a Christian novel together, then discuss the issues

10. Words are powerful – a book may sow seeds that will bear fruit in years to come



Buy one today:

From £4.99 Free p+p to U.K. addresses.
Or visit your local bookstore