Cell-phone books. There's a Novel idea.

**this is my weekly posting at Sisters in Scribe. To join the convo there go to sistersinscribe.blogspot.com**


A friend of mine linked me to an article this morning about a 15 year old girl in Japan, writing under the alias of Bunny, who has sold over 100,000 printed books grossing more than $600,000 that all started on her cell-phone.


Her cell-phone!

She texted 1,000 character segments, uploaded them to publishing website, where the writer can receive instant feedback on her work. Eventually, her cell-phone novel landed her a three book deal for her series Wolf Boy x Natural Girl.

Here is the link to the full LA Times article, if you'd like to know more about Bunny and her novel.

This story reminds me of another author. One I've had the pleasure of chatting up via twitter, and who has stopped by my personal blog on more than one occasion.
Shannon Delany, author of 13 to Life: A Werewolf's tale (June 22 2010) made her start with a text novel--the first ever in the Western World!




In 2008 I became the winner of the first-ever cellphone novel contest in the western world with my serial novel 13 TO LIFE. I like to believe I brought an American twist to the Japanese cellphone novel concept. My serial novel was a short, consumable read with a rebellious heart and layers of subtext. Unlike typical Asian cellphone novels written by young women in a semi-autobiographical fashion-- 13 TO LIFE is their energetic and dangerous teenage American cousin.

What started as a simple cellphone novel at Textnovel.com grew into a multi-book deal with St. Martin's Press for13 TO LIFE. I've gotten some amazing reviews from bestselling authors and I recognize that I'm truly blessed. Book 1 in the 13 TO LIFE series comes out June 22, 2010 through St. Martin's Griffin.

I invite you to pick up a copy of 13 TO LIFE and see how a simple cellphone novel like the version still posted atTextnovel.com in its rough and ready form grew into a New York City-style series of traditional novels.


It doesn't matter how you got your start or what motivated you to do it. If you believe in yourself, and you want it bad enough, writing a publishable novel isn't out of reach. I realize that sounds very after-school-special of me, but I'm in one of those moods. Deal. *hugs*

13 To Life, June 22nd 2010

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow that's amazing! I've never heard of that, but who would have thought cell-phone books! Sooner or later anything can happen!

j said...

That is really cool! Thanks for sharing this!

Angela Ackerman said...

Wow--I hadn't heard of this, but talk about amazing! I wonder how many cell phones she wore out in the process, lol!

Matt said...

Cell Phone Novels are no longer exclusive to Japan, they have arrived in the English speaking world as well. I am one of a handful of writers to attempt to write one in English in the same style that the Japanese themselves write it in. My Cell Phone Novel "Once Upon A Christmas Wish..." is currently the second most popular English Cell Phone Novel, having been viewed over 14,300 times since it went online Dec. 24. You can check it out here: http://textnovel.com/stories_list_detail.php?story_id=2395

Lacey J Edwards said...

Congrats, Matt! The second half of this post is the story of the first American writer to win the text novel contest. It landed her a three book deal with St. Martin's.

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