ebook signing

I love signed books and know it's just a matter of time until one company becomes dominant in this area. To date I only know of two. (If you know of others PLEASE let me know).

• Autography
• kindlegraph

AUTOGRAPHY
As far as I can tell this still isn't live. I first learned about this company from a New York Times Article in April of this year. I quickly sent off an email and at that time they said they were about 1 month from being "finished". I checked back in to the site today and it doesn't look like they are live yet - but I've sent another email and will keep you updated on what they say.

KINDLEGRAPH
Is up and running, and is remarkably simple and straightforward in their approach. Although not ideal, (it actually doesn't sign your ebook it makes a separate document) it is live and very easy to use.

If you would like to check it out. You can request a signature for my short on the changing face of publishing or for any of Michael's books. You don't have to have actually purchased the books to get us to sign them (both a positive and a negative).

How it works (reader - note you must have a twitter account)

• The reader goes to the kindlegraph site
• Signs in with their twitter handle
  
• Searches for the book
• Clicks on Request a kindlegraph
• Makes sure that the kindlegraph email is an "approved" email address (one time only)
  
• Enters the email for their kindle
• In a short while a pdf shows up on the kindle (one per book)

How it works for the author (also must have a twitter account)

• Sign in with your twitter handle
• Add books to the system by specifying the AISN
• When requests for signatures are made you'll get an email.
• You'll need to sign (I suggest doing this from a touch screen device like an iphone or ipad (you'll only sign once - it will keep the signature on file)
  
• Login to kindlegraph, pull up the requests and process each one by typing a message and hitting send.

SUMMARY
Ideally, I would like a system by which the reader could send the book to the author, they could sign it and send it back to the reader and the signature would be "inside" the book . I think the authography will be close to this (although unidirectional - from author to reader). The kindlegraph doesn't allow for this but given that it is up and running (and free) I'm not going to complain the creator has taken a very simple and straight forward approach and it does the job.

If you would like to try this out for yourself feel free to go to Kindle Graph and request signatures from either myself or Michael's books. Oh, and if you've heard of any other ebook signing systems/products please let me know and I'll research and update this post.