In an illustration of the way Amazon is changing the publishing landscape, bestselling thriller and dark fantasy author Dean Koontz has signed a new multi-book deal which cuts out the traditional publishing middleman in favour of the company which once just sold his books.
The first release will be Nameless, a collection of six short thrillers published by Amazon Original Stories, which will be available for free to Amazon Prime and Kindle Unlimited customers from 12 November. Then next spring Devoted will be published by Thomas Mercer, Amazon’s mystery, thriller and true crime imprint, as the first of a five-book deal. The novel is described as ‘an epic thriller’ in which an ‘extended family confront a terrifying threat to all humanity’.
Koontz, who has previously published with Amazon’s Brilliance Audio and Original Stories, said, ‘It was most natural to sign with the team at Amazon Publishing, which presented a marketing and publicity plan smarter and more ambitious than anything I’d ever seen before. This new arrangement is so exciting, I’ve been creatively rejuvenated. The times are changing, and it’s invigorating to be where change is understood and embraced.’