Apple is looking to help promote some of the great new authors that are struggling to find their spotlight by adding a new Breakout Books section of the iBookstore. This surfaces some of the new books in the iBookstore from “emerging authors,” many of which are priced very reasonably when compared to the more well-known bestsellers of the store. The books typically come from self-published, but well-reviewed authors on the rise.
These breakout books are separated into four categories: Romance, SciFi & Fantasy, Mysteries & Thrillers, and More to Explore. The categories aren’t very diverse, but each one does feature more than a few books to scroll through and perhaps buy if it looks interesting enough. A significant amount are completely free, while most of the rest are priced between $0.99 and $4.99 and some just peak over that range.
I personally know someone who has gotten her own novel published and even well-reviewed by The New York Times and I’m sure she, along with many other new or aspiring authors, would appreciate the Breakout Books section in iBookstore. As with mobile apps, a great book doesn’t always necessarily have to be a bestselling book.
Apple tries to showcase newly submitted apps in the App Store as well, but the ratio of apps on display versus all the apps actually submitted has a very large gap.
To visit the iBookstore, you’ll need Apple’s free iBooks app available for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. The iBookstore is also accessible via iTunes on Mac or PC, but you won’t be able to read books there.