In its third announcement this week about new, exclusive content available for the Kindle, Amazon has unveiled Kindle First, a program offering pre-publication access to Amazon Publishing titles to device owners. Through the program, Kindle owners can select one title a month for $1.99, while Amazon Prime members can select their title at no charge.
The Amazon Publishing titles chosen for the program are initially selected by editors at the e-tailer's trade division and each, Amazon explained, comes with "a note of recommendation and a behind-the-scenes look at the stories and the authors." A monthly e-mail will alert customers of the Kindle First titles available, and any title downloaded as part of the program will remain a permanent part of that customer's Kindle library.
Among the first titles in the program are Deborah Reed's Things We Set on Fire and J.R. Rain's Silent Echo.
Speaking to the program, Russ Grandinetti, v-p of Kindle content, said Kindle First is another way Amazon is padding the benefits of its Prime mebership. He added: "We also love that these amazing books by Amazon Publishing authors will get a chance to reach a much wider audience."
