Buffets for Readers? Coming Right Up!

 By Nancy Jill Thames

Conjecture about where Amazon is headed with book distribution is always in the back of my publishing brain. Subscription services? What's that all about?

Think "NetFlix" for books. 

It turns out that the next wave of book distribution is already making headway with ravenous readers in the form of "book buffets" as a recent article on Jane Friedman's blog put it.

Now, I'm one who not only reads magazines back to front, I also read the fine print. Here's what I think -- on the positive side, book subscription services, which charge roughly between $8.99 and $9.95 a month for all the books you can read will enable voracious readers to download all they want. For readers who read a book or more a week that's a good deal!

If you don't have time to read, and pay for a subscription every month -- that's a disadvantage. But that's the way a subscription service works.

Personally, we have NetFlix for movies, Pandora for music (upgraded for no commercial interruptions), a home warranty plan with First American and Ameriplan for dental. Why not books?

How do authors make money? I'm glad you asked. Whenever readers download a portion of our books or the entire file, we are paid a percentage accordingly. I say, great! Book subscription services are simply other platforms to get people to read.

The Jillian Bradley Mystery Series can be read from the two following subscription services:
SCRIBD BOOK SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE

OYSTER BOOK SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE

Just a hint - both services offer a 30-day trial subscription for FREE! Are you hungry yet?

What do you think of this idea? Do you have a subscription? Inquiring authors at Cozy Mystery Magazine would like to know.

See you in my books.

~Nancy Jill 

NANCY JILL THAMES

Nancy Jill Thames is the author of seven books in the Jillian Bradley series. She is an award-winning blogger and  listed frequently on the Author Watch Bestseller’s List. In addition, she won first place in her church's 4th of July Celebration for her chocolate cream pie.

When she isn’t plotting her next book, she spends time with her six grandchildren in two states, tags along with her husband on business trips, and plays classical piano for her own personal enjoyment. She is an active member of the Leander Writers' Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW CenTex-Chapter), Central Texas Authors, and supports the Central Texas SPCA with a portion of her book sales. She resides with her husband in Leander, Texas.

To learn more about the author and check out her books, please visit her blog at  

Cozy Mystery Author, Nancy Jill Thames.