More iUniverse Authors Land Traditional Publishing Contracts

Lincoln, Neb. - Dec. 9, 2003 - Publisher iUniverse announced today that two more authors who launched their writing careers with iUniverse have signed contracts with traditional publishing houses. The authors are:

• Ellen Ekstrom, author of Warrior for the Working Day. The book has been picked up by Trivium Publishing, which will publish it under the title The Legacy.
• Gayle Jackson Sloan, author of Saturday's Child, selected by Black Print Publishing.

"iUniverse helped me gain a tremendous amount of exposure, which led to landing the contract with Trivium," says Ekstrom. "I'm very thankful for iUniverse's support."

Sloan says, "If you're serious about a career as an author, publishing a book with iUniverse is an important option to consider. They can show you how to move to the next level."

iUniverse President and CEO Susan Driscoll says that only iUniverse has a step-by-step process designed to help authors succeed.

"iUniverse's Roadmap to Publishing Success is unique in the self-publishing industry," says Driscoll. "No one else offers authors an in-depth plan or our level of commitment. We're truly proud of the number of our authors that have achieved significant success."

The Roadmap includes: an Editorial Review process to enhance the book's quality and salability; a Reader's Choice program for authors whose books meet quality and preliminary sales goals; and the Star Program for authors whose books meet higher sales goals and demonstrate exceptional market potential. The most successful Star authors qualify for assistance in moving on to even greater levels of success, such as submission to the Barnes & Noble in-store book placement program and introductions to traditional publishers.

About iUniverse, Inc.

iUniverse helps individuals publish, market, and sell their books. The company is one of the largest publishers in the United States, with more than 12,000 titles in its backlist, and publishes 400 new fiction and non-fiction titles each month. 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. In May 2003, PC Magazine awarded iUniverse its coveted "Editors' Choice" designation, along with five of five stars, setting it far above all other publishers that utilize print on demand (POD) technology.