Chatham, NJ -- June 5, 2000 -- Fictionwise.com, the leader in eBook short fiction, today launched a cutting-edge website featuring eBooks from many of today's top genre authors. Fictionwise.com also announced they will give away one free Rocket eBook reader device each month for the remainder of 2000 (no purchase necessary; see http://www.fictionwise.com for complete rules).

Multiple short stories are now available from Robert Silverberg, Damon Knight, Mike Resnick, James Patrick Kelly, Nancy Kress, Tom Purdom, John Kessel, Barry Malzberg, Mary Soon Lee, and others. About 100 stories are available now with a projected 500 by the end of 2000. Registered Fictionwise.com users can purchase and download stories in their favorite eBook format, including Adobe Acrobat (PDF), Palm Doc for Palm Pilots, Rocket eBook Readers, and soon the Microsoft eBook reader.

"These authors have produced some of the greatest short stories ever written," says Steve Pendergrast, co-publisher of Fictionwise.com. "But many of these brilliant works are difficult for fans to find. Fictionwise.com changes all that.  It fills a major void for readers while helping authors reach new audiences."

Scott Pendergrast, co-publisher, commented, "We believe that short fiction works especially well as an eBook. Many people are willing to read an eBook short story, but not a longer work. Downloads are quick, and short stories fit with many people’s lifestyles. If you have an extra 10 minutes during your lunch break, why not read a great short story?"

Fictionwise.com includes many innovative features, such as the ability for readers to pay either via credit card or a proprietary “micropay” account. Because short stories typically cost from 30 cents to a dollar, setting up a micropay account allows readers to buy short works one or two at a time but avoid minimum credit transaction fees imposed by credit processing agents. Readers also have the choice of buying “bundles” of stories based on special themes or collections of a single author’s work.

Fictionwise.com is adding new stories from published authors every week in the science fiction, fantasy, dark fantasy, horror, and humor genres. Other genres such as mystery and action/adventure are coming later this year. Also coming soon is a feature that will provide customized recommendations to readers using sophisticated artificial intelligence techniques.

Fictionwise.com is owned by Fictionwise, Inc.