Is an E-Book Really So Different?

  I was giving the issue some thought this morning.  As the owner and operator of Romance in the Backseat - Naughty in the Backseat and assorted other blogs I am in the business of promoting authors and books.  I understand that E-Piracy is a BIG issue.  But what makes actions we all might take with a print book and when those same actions are taken with an Electronic Book they are condemned?  Are E-books really so different?


  So this morning I was getting ready to post Sexy Sunday and its giveaway, and it occurred to me, if I had purchased the the e-book with the express intention of giving it away one time on the site is that then okay?  The author got paid, the winner got a book, just like with any print book.  Does the format change the action from acceptable to criminal?

  If I pay for an e-book and share it with a friend, or two, or ten, at what number does it become wrong?  If it was a print book I could trade it in for another book, take it to a second hand store, or sell it on my front lawn.  I can not resell an e-book.  I know this is something that has been discussed before and will be again, and again, and likely a few more times.  So what do we readers, writers, reviewers, and Publishers think?    I asked Lori Perkins, editor for Ravenous Romance and Literary Agent. 

    Lori:   I really don't see this as that different from print books.  If you bought a book and passed it one to a friend, fine.  If she passed it on to another friend fine. It's when one person is sending out 10 copies that the author loses money.  However, one would hope that the reader loved the book and the author so much, that she would then want to buy the next book new. (Read tomorrows discussion on E-Book Pricing with Lori Perkins and others)
      
    As a review site I have also been approached online and asked about the security of the PDF files sent to my site for review.  How do I answer that?  I have reviewers, I love them, they are fabulous, but I do not have control over the files once they leave my hands.  My reviewers sign an agreement that they will not share PDF files sent for review, but what is the agreement on print books?  No book can be shared before its release date, but what about after?  If they do not want to line their book shelf with this book can they donate it to the library?  Give it away to a friend?  

  Yes e-books can be shared far more easily then print.  Yes this is a huge issue for Publishers and Authors.  Does the leaking of books before they are released reflect badly on Bloggers and sites?  I went in search of some opinions.  And talked with Renee Rocco from Lyrical Press.

    TK:  So how big an issue has the leaking of books to pirating sites before their release been for lyrical press?

    Renee:  Thankfully, not as bad as other houses. Our erotica books get pirated the most and we're gorillla in getting sites/posters to remove them.

   TK:  Does this force you to look more closely at blogs and review sites you send arcs to?

Until it was mentioned to me I had not realized books were getting posted before their release, though if it can happen to Stephanie Meyers...

    Renee:  Actually, we've been lucky in that reviewers and blog have been extremely respectful of our release dates. It hasn't been a problem in the least. Sites such as Astatalk.com is biggest issue. They have no regard for the work authors put into their books. They allow their members to post pirated books and then are very arrogant about having them removed. But like I wrote, we're gorilla in that we're just as relentless (but polite) when it comes to forcing these site to take down our pirated books.

  TK:  It does seem sad that you consider yourself lucky that reviewers have been respectful of your, well for lack of a better word property, that this has become such a concern.

  Renee:  I think, to some degree, people still fail to consider ebooks are "real" books. So, they treat them as "files" rather than books. But yes, we have been lucky. The reviewers we deal with work with ebooks daily, so they respect the fact that they are, in fact, very much "real" books.  http://www.lyricalpress.com

Are E-books so different? Who are the e-book Police?  Who makes the decisions about what is right and what is wrong?

What have your experiences been?  Let us know here in your comments.

 Thanks and check back tomorrow for more with Lori Perkins and others on E-books and E-book pricing.
Terry Kate