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- MediaGuardian,
- Friday January 12 2001
Veteran crime writer Elmore Leonard has become the second high-profile writer to be seduced by the internet, with plans to release his next thriller on the web.
His forthcoming book, Fire in the Hole, will be available from download specialists Contentville from January 17.
Mr Leonard, who does not own a computer, said he was unperturbed by the prospect of writing for a new medium.
"I don't feel that writing an e-book is at all different than writing a story for publication, apart from the fact that I won't be able to read it," he said.
While the e-book market remains minute, some publishers fear that the new, instant technology will encourage writers to bypass traditional outlets for releasing their work.
But success stories remain thin on the ground. The most notable attempt was by Stephen King, who last year serialised his novel The Plant through his own website.
He suspended the book halfway through after declining sales, but called the experiment 'worthwhile' and intends to try again in the future.
