In a couple of weeks, Joyland by Stephen King will hit bookstore shelves, but it won’t be coming to an e-reader near you. That’s right, King has decided to publish this book exclusively on paper. (Read the article here.)
I’m pleased with King’s decision. I’ve been on a paperback kick lately. Amazon’s kindle has started to make me tired for some reason. I know it’s got some distinct advantages, but paperbacks have some distinct advantages too.
Though I’m pleased that King is going retro (even the cover is retro), I figure he’s doing it as a publicity stunt. King has tried all kinds of ways to deliver a story. He’s serialized. He’s released exclusively as an e-book. And now he’s exclusively on paper. I’m certain that this new book will sell thousands more copies because it’s only in paperback. The extra publicity from his new-found quirkiness will help push sales upward.
The whole retro feel of the book is almost enough to tempt me.
Will you be making a trip to the bookstore to pick up a paperback copy?