Amazon Bringing Authors & Readers Closer With The @author Feature [Reading On The Kindle & Have A Question For The Author? Use The New @author Feature & Ask Away]

Posted on TFTS by Robert Nelson on Wednesday, 31. August 2011 under: Computers & Computing, Devices, Net Resources

Amazon has rolled-out a new feature for the Kindle, though while interesting, the support seems to be a bit limited for the initial launch. That being said, this feature is one that will bring some connection between the author and the reader. The feature is called @author.

As for being a bit limited at launch, while we bring that up, we suppose this has more to do with the authors being willing. We would also guess that if the @author feature catches on a bit, more authors will be willing to join the party later on. In short, the Amazon @author feature will allow the reader to connect with the author and ask questions.

For the launch there appears to be 16 authors taking part with some names that you have likely heard before including Timothy Ferris, John Locke, Debbi Mack and more.

To ask one of these authors a question from a Kindle book, just highlight a passage using the 5-way controller, type “@author” followed by your question, and Share.

From there Amazon will tweet your question to the author and also post it to their Author Page. Afterward, once the author responds to your question you will receive an email with their reply. Otherwise, it was also noted rather clearly that “authors won’t be able to answer all questions” which seems to help solve the case of the author having to answer the same (or similar) questions over and over.

With that, here is the list of authors that are taking part in the Amazon @author program for the launch;

Ted Dekker: (@tedDekker) Forbidden and The Priest’s Graveyard
Timothy Ferriss: (@tferriss) The 4-Hour Body and The 4-Hour Workweek
Marie Force: (@MarieForce) Ready for Love and Fool for Love
Barbara Freethy: (@BarbaraFreethy) Love Will Find a Way and One True Love
Steven Johnson: (@stevenbjohnson) Where Good Ideas Come From and Everything Bad Is Good for You
Robert Kiyosaki: (@theRealKiyosaki) Rich Dad, Poor Dad and Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant
J.A. Konrath: (@jakonrath) SERIAL and Endurance
John Locke: (@DonovanCreed) The Love You Crave and Lethal People
Elisa Lorello: (@ElisaLorello) Ordinary World
C.J. Lyons: (@cjlyonswriter) Blind Faith and Borrowed Time
Debbi Mack: (@debbimack) Identity Crisis and Least Wanted
Brad Meltzer: (@bradmeltzer) The Inner Circle and The Zero Game
Scott Nicholson: (@hauntedcomputer) Ashes and Write Good or Die
Susan Orlean: (@susanorlean) Rin Tin Tin and The Orchid Thief
Deborah Reed: (@DebReedAuthor) Carry Yourself Back to Me and A Small Fortune
James Rollins: (@jamesrollins) The Skeleton Key and The Devil Colony