News: Angry Robot launching Short Story Store

I just received the following press release via e-mail from Angry Robot.  It's an announcement that the publisher will be launching what it calls "Nano Editions," an online store for short stories. And may I just say, it's about (#@%^*) time someone did something along these lines. For years, I've been wondering why genre publications don't augment their subscriptions by selling short stories ala cart online. Shelling out thirty bucks to have banged up paper editions of my favorite magazines (that I don't have the shelf space to store) via snail mail each month is getting a bit old. Let's hope other publishers take note of Angry Robot's good idea. Read the full press release below:

ANGRY ROBOT ANNOUNCES DIGITAL SHORT STORY STORE

On December 1st 2010, Angry Robot will be launching “Nano Editions”. Exclusive to the publisher’s own webstore at angryrobotstore.com, Nanos are digital short stories by Angry Robot novelists, sold at sensible prices in ePub format, ready to load onto the world’s most popular eBook readers. Most Nanos will be in the 5,000 – 15,000 word range. Shorter works than that will be automatically bundled with another story to ensure value for money.

Talking of which – stories will cost just 59p each (approximately US $0.95). Readers can bundle a collection of any 10 by any combination of authors, for only £3.49 (US$5.59). The files will be DRM-free and available worldwide. If demand for the stories takes off, AR plan to also sell them via eBook retailers.

Angry Robot Editor Lee Harris said, “Publishing is changing, but our role as publishers remains the same – to find cool stories and bring them to readers. This is another step in Angry Robot’s ongoing plan to embrace the new opportunities digital formats provide – and an excellent way for readers to sample unfamiliar authors, without breaking the bank.”

Authors included in the Nanos series include multi-million-selling novelist Dan Abnett and award-winning short fiction authors Kaaron Warren and Aliette de Bodard, along with many others. We will have at least 30 Nanos available for the December 1st launch, with more added at regular intervals.