Here is an interesting article from The Guardian having quoted Andrew Keen as saying: “I don’t think bloggers read”. I’m not sure about you guys, but I certainly hope y’all read 
Interestingly enough he’s written a book on the subject called “The Cult of the Amateur”. While I don’t recommend buying the book, I do think it’s fascinating that one of the first people to go bust as part of the Internet Bubble Burst would turn to traditional media in order to make a buck.
Finally, a central place where authors and audiences can get together. If you need to stay on top of various book tours (to get signings for those first editions 
), or just want to stay on top of the industry, this is the site for you.
Here is the official launch press release:
BookTour.com, a free online service connecting authors and audiences, announced its public launch today. In private beta since June 1, BookTour.com has been showcased at Book Expo America 2007 and the first O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference, where company chairman Chris Anderson (Editor in Chief of Wired Magazine and author of The Long Tail) was a featured presenter.
“BookTour.com uses what’s best about the Internet—decentralization, low barrier to entry and universal access—to create a one-stop tool for book promotion,” said Anderson. “For authors, BookTour makes locating speaking venues totally painless. For the community at large, there’s now a single site for information on when a favorite author is coming to town.”
To take a look at the site, and start marking your calendar, click here.
Warner Bros. has been reported to shut down and/or drastically alter book launch parties for the final installment of Harry Potter. From the Boston Globe:
“Midnight launch parties at bookstores have become a tradition with Harry Potter novels. But with the approach of next Saturday’s publication of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” the last book in the series, many of those throwing parties are being forced to revise their plans, including some intended to benefit charities.
The reason: Warner Bros. — which controls the movies, merchandise, and all nonbook aspects of the Harry Potter brand — is clamping down on the fun.”
Click here to read the full article
How absolutely ridiculous, sometimes I wonder if it’s Warners’ top management in that water-tower.
