iUniverse Wins PC Magazine Editors' Choice Award for Best POD Publisher

Lincoln, Neb. - May 7, 2003 - Publisher iUniverse today announced that it has received the coveted "Editors' Choice" designation from PC Magazine in a comparison of six print on demand (POD) companies published in the magazine's May 27, 2003, issue.

In the comparison, titled "Start the Presses," the magazine tested six POD companies by publishing the same manuscript with each one. The companies were judged according to cover design quality, marketing services provided to help authors make their books successful, and overall value. In each category, iUniverse received top marks (five out of possible five) and earned the overall Editors' Choice award.

Following are some excerpts from the review:

• "Our Editors' Choice winner (iUniverse) combines everything we want in a POD company: low prices, a flexible design process, and plenty of extra options."
• "The sample book we received from iUniverse was skillfully designed and showed the best understanding of the manuscript's content."
• "All authors receive a marketing toolkit - a useful collection of templates for printing bookmarks or business cards, among other things."
• "The real standout is the company's new Star program, which provides free and reduced-price marketing assistance to top-selling authors."

"The time and effort PC Magazine put into this comparison is strong indication of the growing popularity of self-publishing," says iUniverse President and CEO Kimra Hawley. "Increasingly, serious authors understand that this is a great way to prove market demand for their works. At iUniverse, we provide authors with programs, tools, and a Roadmap to achieve success. We are very pleased that PC Magazine picked iUniverse as the best."

The review is available on page 135 of the May 27 issue of PC Magazine or online at www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1043145,00.asp.

About iUniverse, Inc.

iUniverse helps individuals publish, market, and sell fiction and non-fiction books. The company is one of the largest publishers in the United States and publishes more than 5,000 new titles per year. iUniverse partners with industry leading author organizations, including the Authors Guild, ASJA, and the Mystery Writers of America, to bring innovative publishing programs to their members. The company's major investors include Warburg Pincus and Barnes & Noble.