Comparing the Price of an Ebook

There has been a lot of talk among authors and readers regarding the price of ebooks. Some readers are griping about the "high" cost of ebooks, and a few are even demanding that authors give them away, or at least drop the prices to 99 cents or less.

On one hand, as a reader, I can see some of what others are saying. Ebook prices from the NY houses are astonishingly high. Some authors’ ebooks may be as costly as their print editions. But it’s the publisher who sets those prices, not the authors. On the other hand, independent authors are able to set their prices substantially lower because they don’t have big salaries or giant overhead costs to cover. But neither NY nor indie authors can afford to keep giving away or cheapening our product.

I won’t go into how, as an author, I need the money from my book sales to help pay my bills. (I’m a retired school teacher.) I can’t drop my prices any further. However, I’d like to make a few comparisons you may not have thought about.

An average-sized ebook (around 40K words or more) runs around $3.99. For that you get several hours of enjoyment and entertainment. And on top of that, you can go back and re-read it indefinitely! So let’s compare that with the following at a similar cost:

A cup of coffee from your favorite bistro:
Cost = $4.99 and up

Length of time to enjoy it = 30 minutes average
Repeat? Only if you purchase another one.

An online/cable movie rental:

Cost = $4.99 and up

Length of time to enjoy it = 90 to 120 minutes average
Repeatable? Most rentals allow a short time span to watch again, but it's not indefinite. If you want to watch it again in the future, you either have to re-rent or purchase the movie.

Hamburger with fries and a drink (or a typical lunch at a fast food restaurant):

Cost = $5.00 and up

Length of time to enjoy it = 30 to 45 minutes average
Repeat? Only if you purchase another one.

All of the above bring you both enjoyment and entertainment, but at a higher price than an ebook. So imagine how much you could help an author if you opted for water instead of coffee just once and bought an ebook instead. Or if you waited for that action thriller movie to show up on cable, and purchased a nice romantic suspense ebook in its place? Or if you packed a quick P&B lunch (with fruit), and spent your lunchtime with an ebook?

You and the author would definitely come out ahead.

*photo above taken by yours truly

Coming April 25th!

ORRORA
Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance
Word Count: 40K
$2.99 e

Deep in the heart of New York City, a killer is stalking a select group of individuals. A killer whose M.O. matches a series of murders that have been going on for more than eighty years.

Orrora Dalca is brought in by the U.S. Government to identify and find this murderer...but there's a problem. Orrora is hiding a dark secret. And although she's met with the task of finding this killer, she must also hide that person's identity from ever becoming known.

Joel Powers produces independent horror films, and he gets many of his ideas by tailing the police when he gets wind of an unusual homicide. When he encounters Orrora at one of the crime scenes, there is something about her that draws him inexorably to her. Determined to see her again, he does everything he can to learn all about her, not realizing there will be a price to pay for his curiosity.

Warning! Contains raw meat, a gold button, discombobulation, ancient history, untruths, a rare medical condition, and the possibility that a decades-old longing for love may finally be over.

Excerpt