Ken Siman, who has a deep history as a publisher in the traditional houses has founded not only a new publishing company, but one with a totally new approach to books.  His partners Christianand Benjamin Alfonsi provide business and artistic guidance.

Pubication starts with an app which includes not only the book but art and music related to it.  What could be a better choice for launch than John Berendt’s classic “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.”

The app includes dramatic readings featuring Jonathan Davis, Robin Miles and Laverne Cox.  Berendt himself is on camera for delicious new insights.  Albert Uhry who adapted the book for theatre talks about its essence.  An audio tape of the summary from the courtroom trial has been unearthed.  Original music has been created.

The next two books on Metabook’s list are a collection of stories by the devlish Kathleen L. Sanders and an as yet unrevealed New York Times-bestselledlist fiction writer.  Breaking the ranks with tratiional pubishers seems like the better part of wisdom today.  No one knows quite what they’re doing.  Floundering in a world that has run away from them, yet aware that books are still being read, most publishers don’t know what to do to reach their -mobile-device-devoted audience.

People read.  How do you reach them?  The Metabook concept is to provide not only the book to taste, but tantalizing appetizers and side dishes.  Hook the reader on her smart phone.  If all she does is delve into the app you have made some money.  If she downloads original music from itunes, you make a bit more.  If she orders a poster of one of the marvellous images you show, you make a bit more.

What if she is so pleased, she actaully buys a book.  Well, there you have it.  A book is sold.  The bonanca.  Yet the process is step by step satisfying to the modern reading audience.  An invitation to read.