Random House Announces New Digital Imprint

The Random House Publishing Group is excited to launch three new digital imprints, alongside the existing digital imprint LOVESWEPT, that will feed today's savvy readers by bringing the best, the boldest, and the newest voices directly to them.
To the already-existing LOVESWEPT imprint for romance and women's fiction, RHPG will add the following digital-only imprints: ALIBI, for mystery/suspense readers; HYDRA, for sci-fi/fantasy enthusiasts; and FLIRT, for the rapidly-growing college-age New Adult audiences. In addition, this digital-only program will seek out the best and brightest names in the next generation of authors, enabling us to cultivate a team of writers in the publishing world's most prolific and lively genres. The format will allow us to publish more quickly and to nimbly embrace what's new in each genre, delivering exciting, fresh, and varied new works every month directly to the digital devices of today's most eager readers. Dedicated to affordable, accessible, and accomplished genre fiction, these four imprints will have unprecedented potential, both in terms of breadth and scope.
What's in it for authors? The RHPG digital publishing program speaks directly to those questing, devoted readers that talented new writers most want to reach. Breaking past conventional boundaries, it will give new authors the opportunity to showcase the best of what these genres have to offer: works that are challenging, breathtaking, provocative, inspiring, funny, heartwarming, suspenseful, and hot! For the first time in history, authors will be able to forge wide-reaching and long-lasting relationships with their audiences, and we at Random House can't wait to explore and create new opportunities in the digital space. The possibilities are endless, and we're excited to offer authors the best opportunities to take advantage of this growing marketplace.
As for readers, they will find here just what they're most hungry for: the cutting edge of fantastic fiction and the discovery of new authors who push the envelope creatively. We are committed to building a varied, bold, and rich group of authors who are poised to be rising stars in the marketplace.We're looking to the future, and our digital authors are it!
Under this program, authors will have a complete and unique publishing package. Every book will be assigned to an accomplished Random House editor and a dedicated publicist. They will also have the invaluable support of Random House's experienced marketing and digital sales teams, who know how to reach out to and expand each book's dedicated readership. Not only will authors benefit from working with the finest cover designers to ensure irresistibly eye-catching books, but they will also be offered the unique advantage of social media tools and training that will allow them to connect directly with their readers. To reach the widest possible readership, every title will be available for purchase at major e-retailers and will be compatible with all reading devices.
In short, with the launch of ALIBI, HYDRA, FLIRT and the continued success of LOVESWEPT, we'll have the books, the authors, and the marketing, publicity, and sales platforms to support an innovative, creative, and totally committed digital publishing program that every author seeks. And, just as importantly, we will use our expertise, our enthusiasm for the new possibilities offered by the digital medium, and, of course, the unsurpassed talent of our authors to deliver the freshest and most exciting fiction that every reader craves.

Celebrate the international Week of the eBook

This week (6-12 March) is officially Read an eBook Week. Our own local eBook Divas are celebrating the week by giving away a selection of 11 free Mills & Boon eBooks. Why not spread the joy of eBooks and encourage your friends to give it a try?

To download these very fabulous free eBooks,
1) Visit www.ebookdiva.com and register/login
2) Go to www.ebookdiva.com/ebookweek
3) Enter the voucher code "ebookweek”
4) Select and download your eBooks
*** Remember this voucher will only be valid until midnight on 12 March, so make sure you use it before then.

To find out more about Read an eBook week, visit http://ebookweek.com/

eBook Diva

If you haven't already, check out eBook Diva, South Africa's first dedicated romance eBook website. You can purchase and download a wide range of Harlequin books, including crime novels from Black Star, main stream books from Mira, the full range of category novels, and also shorter reads for under R20.

Spice Briefs and Historical Undones are not available in book stores, and they're short enough to read in your lunch break, so they're a great way to start if you're new to eBooks.

You can also add reviews and visit the community for aspiring writers, Tales of the Diva.

(And sssshh! Don't tell anyone else, but there are also free books available for download here.)

SA Launches Romance eBook Store!

We've had a few posts here in the past couple of weeks about the pro's and con's of self-publishing as well as general discussions on ebooks. These all seem to have lead quite deliciously to the launch of a new romance ebook shop on our local shores.

eBook Diva - a romantic fiction readers' community have just launched their site. It's a gorgeous pink collaboration between New Holland Publishing and Booksite Digital (Afrika) where they offer the romance reading community ebooks at South African Rand rates! So if you'd like to start reading some of those Harlequin Romance books you've seen advertised online and never got around to buying them in US Dollars - delay no more you have your very own site!

The other aspect to the site is the free writer's community where you are able to build and share your own work. Your readers can also provide comments on your work which in turn will help you develop as an author. (Whether it's a thick skin or something more insightful will remain to be seen!) There are plenty of success stories out there of authors who have offered their initial work for free, in order to build up a following, and have subsequently gone on to sell their other books!

Click here to go check it out for yourself and then come back and let us know what you think!