Monday, September 12, 2011

The Return of the Matadors




Ahem: 

Can I get a drum roll here? 

Good, good, bring it up louder ... hold for the dramatic timing ... and ...

The Matadors are back.


Hit the ride cymbal.


Yes. Finally. 


I got the rights reverted from Ace. Dan and Amy and I think even a son or two worked really hard and a bunch to get the manuscripts cleaned up, and the artwork done. We've put together our deal, and here we go. 


Khadaji, Dirishi, Bork, Sleel, Geneva, Red, Sister Clamp, Pen, and all the rest now blossom into electronic life.


This will be the first time the entire series will be offered in ebook format. Initially, the original trilogy, with The Man Who Never Missed; Matadora; and The Machiavelli Interface. Over the next couple of months, the other titles will come on line.

I love these covers. Simple, clean, classy, and readable. The artist, Angel Greenwood, did Dan Moran's latest ebook covers. 


Note: For those of you who would rather something with dynamite action/adventure cover art, do this: Take one of the images above and shrink it enough so you can mostly cover it with with your outstretched thumb. 

Okay. Now, move your thumb out of the way ... 

Notice that you can still read the title and author's name. In the world of ebookery, that's what matters the most. Any fine details go away once you get to postage-stamp-size, and that's what most people will see first, the itty-bitty image. Yeah, they can blow it up, but if the title isn't enough to grab a reader, chances are the artwork won't do it, either. 

Traditional publishing has started to take note of this, and you can already see cover layouts shifting because of electronic editions. 

But: The Matadors.

These will be available exclusively at FS& (aka Fat Sam, or FSand–sometimes Blogger doesn't let that ampersand get by, but prints it out and adds a semicolon. Whatever. If you want 'em, that's where to go. Also a link over in the list, and the images in the sidebar.

Dan has all the popular formats available, so whatever your reader, he should be able to supply a file that will work with it: Kindle, Nook, iPad, iPhone, laptop, whatever. There is a version suitable for print-on-demand.

Go. Buy copies. Tell your friends. Tell them to tell their friends. Help it go viral. Blab all over Facebook and Twitter. Somebody call Stephen Colbert ...


The author will appreciate it. 

6 comments:

Lance Hoddinott said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lance Hoddinott said...

The first comment had a few issues so I thought I re post it.

Anyway, I just bought the set and have them up on my iPad via kindle and they look great!

I loved the series and I'm so happy to see them again. Especially as my hard copies are on on their last legs.

Please accept the thanks of a grateful fan for taking the time and effort to get them out again.

My regards and respects,

Lance+

Joe said...

Now I'll have to buy a Kindle. (sigh)

steve-vh said...

Just a thought, go with a different color (than blue) for each book, keep the green (it compliments your name so nicely).
As small thumbnails, the differing colors will make it easier to see them.

Steve Perry said...

Nah, you don't have to buy a Kindle -- you can read 'em on a computer or your smart phone or an iPad. I think Dan is offering a zip file with a whole bunch of formats.

The colors of the covers come in threes -- the next batch will feature reds and yellows; the third batch will shade through the rainbow in the orange/yellow/green/blue spectrum.

We want a general look to all the books, but a little variation.

Most of the folks who buy these, I expect, are apt to be fans who had the paper versions and lost, lent, or wore them out. New fans will probably be word-of-mouth buyers. Not apt to hit the bestseller lists, nor make me and Dan rich, but that wasn't the point -- we just wanted them to be available for the hardcore fans.

wraith808 said...

Congratulations! Done, and thanks!