Bookish

A book blog with Maggie Galehouse

Famous author, will you sign my Kindle?

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bushsigning1
G.J. McCarthy/AP

Room for a Kindle? Former President George W. Bush signs copies of his book, Decision Points, near Dallas last November.

Book-signing in the digital age is a conundrum.

If you don’t have a bound copy of a book — because you prefer to read on your e-reader — asking an author for an autograph is awkward.

Some readers ask authors to sign the backs of their Kindles or iPads, but it’s just not the same as having a signature on an actual book.

But now two men may have come up with a solution.

According to the New York Times, T.J. Waters and Robert Barrett plan to debut new software called Autography at BookExpo America in May. The software essentially adds a page to an e-book — enough room for a photo with the author, the author’s signature and a personal note.

Here’s an excerpt from Stephanie Rosenbloom’s story in the Times:

A reader poses with the author for a photograph, which can be taken with an iPad camera or an external camera. The image immediately appears on the author’s iPad (if it’s shot with an external camera, it’s sent to the iPad via Bluetooth). Then the author uses a stylus to scrawl a digital message below the photo. When finished, the author taps a button on the iPad that sends the fan an e-mail with a link to the image, which can then be downloaded into the eBook.

Wait time? About two and a half minutes. Bragging potential? Endless: Readers can post the personalized photo to their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

E-book fans, can you see yourself using Autography?

Categories: E-readers
Tags:
Maggie Galehouse | Books editor, features reporter
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