Acrimony in Ebook World

In earlier blogs, I’ve mentioned the growing nastiness between some traditionally published and self-published authors. The topic has created so much bad blood between the two groups that a number of the closely moderated forums forbid the topic. Mind you, only a small minority of authors involve themselves in these spats, although they create a big fuss. Plenty of authors see the value in both.

This week, I stumbled across another topic that has raised the ire of readers and writers. As you know, ebooks can be borrowed, not only through one of Amazon’s programs, but in libraries as well. It’s more common all the time, and this is a good thing. But this week, a number of authors were up in arms over what they believed was a book piracy site. The site, Lendlink, which has a page on Facebook, is actually a legitimate book lending site, according to a piece I read in Techdirt.com. Lendlink allows Kindle and Nook owners to exchange books, however, a group of uninformed authors decided to attack the site via Twitter, among other things, and demand the site be taken down, which it was. When the Techdirt.piece was posted on August 8^th, the site had not been restored as of Friday, the 3^rd.

Here’s the bizarre thing. Below the article are comments from authors, some of whom believed Lendlink was a piracy site. Those authors have now received threats. If you click on the link, you’ll see a caveat about this, warning others not to threaten anybody.

Oh my gosh. What can I say about the importance of restraining emotion and presumption when making a public statement on the Net? I don’t know if Lendlink it back up and, truthfully, I’d never heard of the site until a newsletter I subscribe to raised the topic. You can find the post at http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120807/21080519958/legit-ebook-lending-site-taken-down-angry-twitmob-writers.shtml

P.S. today is a free Kindle day for my first Alex Bellamy mystery, Taxed to Death. If you like whodunnits with a little humor and romance, then meet Alex, the auditor who doesn’t have a clue, when it comes to murder. If you miss it, free days are also scheduled for Sept. 2^nd and 3^rd at

http://www.amazon.com/Taxed-Death-Bellamy-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B001RIZEJG/ref=

Thanks!