First, correcting some misconceptions about e-books.
1. You DO NOT need a special e-book reader like a Kindle to read my novella. You just need a computer. The book is in PDF format, readable by virtually any computer. You can even read it on an iPhone.
2. You DO NOT have to read it at your computer. You can print it out. It’s only 60 pages. If you want to be really fancy, you can probably set your printer for double-sided, making it only 30 pages. To be even fancier, you can set your printer to print 2 pages to a side AND double-sided, reducing the actual pages printed to a mere 15.
3. You SHOULD NOT wait until it comes out in paperback to buy it, though I’m sure this will happen eventually. But if you buy the e-book, that gets me one step closer to having it printed in paperback, and then you can buy it again!
Okay, now some fun suggestions for what you can do with your e-book once you buy it.
1. Make your own cover: Print it out, as above, and then take an additional sheet of paper to draw a cover. Perhaps wait until after you’ve read the book to design your cover, or design a cover resembling what you expect the book to be like and see how it holds up after you’ve read it. Or design something abstract that has nothing to do with the book.
2. A variation on (1) for those of you with graphic design abilities and a pro version of Adobe Acrobat: Make a cover in your favorite graphic design program (Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand, whatever) and then import it right into the PDF. This is especially nice if you have access to a color printer in your office.
3. Mail it to your friends. With an e-book, people can borrow a book from you while you’re still reading it! (then ask them to send me $5).
M. David Hornbuckle 