CDs or MP3s

I'm still waiting to hear the ANANSI BOYS audio book (performed by Lenny Henry who, from his blog, is currently in Montreal at the comedy festival).

I've just found out that the two different versions of the two different audio editions are already up at Amazon. The CD version comes on 15 CDs. The MP3 version comes on two CDs. I've been lobbying for an MP3 version of books for years -- Harper Audio hesitated for a long time because they were worried about people buying them and then complaining that they didn't play on their CD players ( a not unreasonable concern).

The MP3 is meant to be priced cheaper than the CD one -- after all, it's two CDs instead of 15, and a lot of the cost of a CD pack is the packaging -- but it looks like most online retailers are discounting the CDs, while no-one is discounting the MP3 CDs yet (and most online retailers aren't even listing them).

This is the CD audio book cover (and this is the pre-order page which links to a number of on-line retailers)...

and this is the cover of the MP3 version (and its pre-order page)...

I hope the MP3 CDs work, and retailers stock and sell them -- as I said, I was the one vigorously lobbying for them, because if you're going to put something on your iPod, you might as well not have to rip it yourself. Ah well, we'll see how it works. It may be that people like to buy their iPod content from Itunes and Audible, and prefer audio CDs.

(Nearly forgot -- there's also an MP3 edition coming out of AMERICAN GODS -- here's the link to the Harper info page.)

Hi, Neil,You wrote about the blank sheets of paper that you're signing for Anansi Boys. Was just wondering. Will the pre-signed copies be available also in other countries aside from the US? Or are those to be distributed solely in the US?

By the way, I learned that Anansi Boys will be available in Fully Booked (the bookstore that brought you to the Philippines) only in October. (Was so sad to find that one out. It's like postponing Christmas really.) Which leads me to think, why, oh why couldn't Anansi Boys have a simultaneous worldwide release, like Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince? Or does it actually have a simultaneous worldwide release and I just don't know about it.Warm regards,Maila

I assume that anywhere that's buying the US Morrow first edition will get the signed books (one to a dumpbin) if they order dumpbins, and the Philippines is a US territory.

And probably the CBLDF will get some as well for sale -- they still have a handful left of the signed American Gods (http://cbldf.safeshopper.com/13/64.htm?143) although they've put the prices up.

And it will have a simultaneous English Language Worldwide release -- but if you're not a Harry Potter (or perhaps Da Vinci's Even Niftier Code) then outside of the US and the UK the books have to get where they're going from the printers by boat, which means that places like Singapore, Australia and the Philippines will be a few weeks behind the US and the UK. It's not fair, but it really is how it works with other books.

...

My son, Mike, is home today for the first time since January. I'm typing this on a sofa, with a son at the other end of it. I cannot tell you how happy this makes me. And Holly gets back from South Africa tomorrow...

And only about 800 more bits of paper to sign and I shall be free.