Book Biz 

Is J.K. Rowling propping up the book biz? Suppose her latest were offered online by David Kipen

What if publishing phenom J.K. Rowling announced that she was going to publish her popular cycle's breathlessly anticipated fifth book, provisionally titled "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," exclusively as a downloadable e-book?

The snorfling sound that would result would be every soul in the book business swallowing his gum in abject, cowering terror. Rowling has thus far signed no final contract for "Order of the Phoenix" -- still tentatively scheduled for this fall -- with either her usual publisher, Scholastic, or anyone else. So the question only naturally arises: What if? [read more]