Interesting news from Sourcebooks this AM: they're launching an online reading club, “Discover a New Love” for romance fans. For $9.99 per montg for six months (my apologies for the misinformation), members get exclusive discounts off ebooks (up to 40% according to the site), and the books they buy are DRM-free on a trial basis. Plus, each month's membership yields one free ebook from a selection of four.
The inaugural books featured are Mairana by Susanna Kearsley, Enraptured by Elisabeth Naughton, Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal by Grace Burrowes, and One Hot Cowboy Wedding by Carolyn Brown. There are four additional titles in the Discover store, priced from $4.19 to $14.00. Membership is not required to shop in the bookstore, though the free titles and exclusive opportunities are for members only. And, while she hasn't started writing yet, the blog at Discover a New Love will be hosted by Barbara Vey of Beyond her Book. Which is totally awesome in every possible way (Go, Barbara!).
The online book club will include “online parties and chats with authors, and exclusive early releases to members,” and, according to the press release, “many of the featured ebooks will be available on a worldwide basis.” So no DRM and possibly geographic restriction-free? That is worth a bit of celebrating. CEO Dominique Raccah also threw down the virtual gauntlet to other publishers, saying in the press release and accompanying Wall Street Journal article that “she will make the site available to other publishers, [but] it is unclear whether other houses would allow their titles to be sold without restrictions on book sharing.”
Sourcebooks, who published Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels, is offering one 6-month subscription for me to giveaway. Woo!
Standard disclaimers apply: I'm not being compensated for this giveaway. Void where prohibited. Open to anyone worldwide 18 years of age or older, and wearing SCUBA gear. Astronauts in the space station are eligible, but sorry, Mars Rovers are not. Hold all questions until the end. For external use only. Do not use while sleeping or bathing.
So have at it: what Sourcebook romance novel would you like to read as part of the club? I'll select one comment at random on Friday 13 April (sorry, forgot the deadline!), and the winner will receive six months free access to the Discover a New Love online book community.
