Eleven Demons is published in both ebook and print formats. But many people are uncertain about what is an ebook.

What is an "ebook"?

Over the last several years, ebooks - or electronic books - have revolutionized the publishing industry. Ebooks can be read on dedicated ereaders, like Amazon's Kindle, Barnes & Noble's Nook, and dozens of other devices now on the market, on the new tablet computers like Apple's iPad, or even on standard laptop or desktop computers.

What are dedicated ebook readers?

The advantage of dedicated ebook readers like Kindle and Nook is that they use "epaper" or electronic ink rather than an LED screen for the reading surface. Epaper looks much like ordinary paper and can be read clearly even in bright sunlight. Further, epaper only uses power to change the page; once the black and white page is formed on the screen, no further power is consumed, so a single battery charge can last for tens of thousands of page turnings. And a single ebook reader can hold thousands of books in a lightweight and easy to read device. For people who like to read, ebooks have become wildly popular, especially considering that the cost of buying a book in ebook format is usually much lower than the cost of a print book.

Ebooks can also be read on ordinary computers

But ebooks can also be read easily on tablet and laptop computers or even iPhones. Free software like Kindle for PC and similar apps can turn any electronic device into a convenient ereader.

Rapid growth in ebook sales

The Association of American Publishers announced in February 2011 that sales of ebooks have overtaken sales of paperback books. Suddenly, with the growth of Amazon.com and the internet and ebooks, and the decline of traditional bricks-and-mortar books stores including the bankruptcy of Borders, the world of traditional publishing is in an uproar. No one can predict with confidence where the industry will be two years from now.

Eleven Demons is an unsusual book with an unusual market. So to (sadly) add my fuel to the pyre of traditional publishing... I am self-publishing in both ebook and print versions.