The tech news website Gizmodo thinks that Boyd Morrison may be the first writer to self-publish on the Kindle and secure a book deal.
Morrison scored a book deal with Simon and Schuster’s Touchstone imprint for “The Ark”–the imprint acquired “hardcover, paperback, audio, and electronic rights in the US and Canada.” It is the second book in the author’s Tyler Locke adventure series, and is scheduled for a summer 2010 release. Another book is planned for 2011.
Here’s more from the post: “This happens to musicians all the time; they blow up on MySpace, sell music on iTunes and finally some suit at a record company takes notice and signs them. This is the first such example we’re hearing about from a digital author … It adds legitimacy to the Kindle’s self-publishing tools and it’s a sign of recognition that electronic reading, in some form or another, is a valid format.” (Via TeleRead)