James Patterson to release short novels for non-readers

James Patterson is working with his US publisher Little, Brown to release a new line of short novels aimed at non-readers and readers who don’t want to invest time in a longer novel, reports the New York Times. The BookShots titles will be shorter than 150 pages—designed to be read in a single sitting—and cost less than US$5 (A$6.60). Patterson will write or co-write some of the books and handpick the others. ‘You can race through these—they’re like reading movies,’ said Patterson of the shorter-format books. ‘It gives people some alternative ways to read.’ The books will be sold in traditional bookstores, before expanding to ‘drugstores, grocery stores and other outlets’. Little, Brown is planning to publish 21 BookShots in 2016, including thrillers, science-fiction, mysteries and romances, and will launch in June with Cross Kill by Patterson, starring popular character Alex Cross, and Zoo II, a science-fiction thriller by Patterson and Max DiLallo.

Category: International news