I’ve got a question? But before that some background …

Ruth’s birthday today and I found her a hardback copy of “Heat Wave” the novel written by fictitious mystery writer Richard Castle, played by Nathan Fillion in the ABC TV show. It’s really well put together, even the sleeve notes maintain the illusion and are written in Ric Castle’s own self-effacing style. No mention of who actually penned it btw.

Out of idle interest I read the dust jacket notes and right at the bottom of the inside back cover is the innocuous statement “also available in Hyperion eBook”, seems fair enough but – and here’s the question – it got me to thinking about what happens at the good old book signing tour if eBooks have ousted the paper copy? How will publishers and their stable of authors present their work and themselves to the public in future? Couldn’t this also kill the trade in signed copies of books?

I for one treasure my Alan Lee illustrated Hardback edition of Lord of the Rings signed by the four actors that played hobbits in the movie. I can just imagine the autograph queue of the future. Celebrities used to only have to worry about which colour pen – gold, silver or black – to sign with but perhaps they’ll now have to worry about whether their bar code reading software is compatible with the fans’ ePoster before they swipe it … Do you want any cash back 🙂