on Self-Publishing Advice:
In this week’s Self-Publishing News, ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway fills us in on the latest with Microsoft ebooks disappearing, Amazon losing a landmark appeal, and a great opportunity for indies to see their work on the screen.
Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog 
Thanks for sharing this, Chris. I am (both as an author and reader) concerned to read that Microsoft has withdrawn access to ebooks purchased (despite it having provided a full refund). I do believe that I should own those electronic books (for which I have paid), as should readers of my own work. Having said that, I am concerned to read the suggestion on the original post that Digital Rights Management (DRM) be abandoned. Even with the presence of DRM (all of my books use it), I have still found pirated copies of my work available online. Ending DRM would, surely cause an increase in pirated copies of books thereby impacting negatively upon their creators. I wonder whether a way forward would be for all providers of ebooks to be put under an obligation to allow continuing access to ebooks (even where they have, as in the case of Microsoft) ceased to offer electronic books. If a company goes out of business there could be an insurance scheme which would continue to pay for continuing access to books already purchased (although not for new purchases to take place). Given the huge sums made by distributors of ebooks, surely the amounts entailed in such a scheme of insurance would be minimal, although I have no expertise in this area. Best – Kevin
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Chris, this is a great post and Dan Holloway said what was necessary and true. Great post. Scary.
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