In a move to build community and learn more about its customers, mid-sized publisher Sourcebooks is launching a romance e-book club that gives members e-books, discounts and access to online parties and live events for $9.99 per month for six months.
The club, Discover a New Love, lets members choose one DRM-free e-book from a selection of four each month. (Right now, a 6-month prepaid membership is available for $9.99.) Those who want to buy additional e-books can do so at a discount. Jane Litte at romance blog Dear Author notes authors are paid their regular e-book royalty each time a member chooses one of their books.
The initiative also aims to build community: Sourcebooks will hold parties for members at the major romance conferences, and is also offering
- Member-only blog chats with our authors, editors, cover artists and more.
- Special “Romance Insider” events for you to help events shape the future of romance publishing including focus groups, panel discussions, surveys and more.
- A forum for discussing your favorite authors, books, heroes, heroines, and sex scenes with other members of the community
- Member-only content from about our authors and upcoming titles.
- Access to member-only special offers, contests, and give-aways
Sourcebooks CEO Dominique Raccah tells the WSJ “she will make the site available to other publishers, [but] it is unclear whether other houses would allow their titles to be sold without [DRM].”
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that a membership is $9.99 per month for six months. The cost is $9.99 total for six months. I apologize for the error.

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