New Mobile Reading App Launches for E-Books Sold at Independent Bookstore Websites

Indiebound Reader for Android First Dedicated Reading App for Independent Booksellers

Tarrytown, NY. December 1, 2011. Book lovers who purchase their ebooks from independent booksellers online now have their own device-based reading application - The IndieBound Reader. The launch of the IndieBound Reader for Android was announced today by the American Booksellers Association, the national trade group for independent bookstores, and the app's developer Bluefire Productions, an independent software company in Seattle, WA. IndieBound Reader is currently available for devices using the Android operating system, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Droid smartphones by Motorola, and will soon be available for iOS devices.

"With the release of IndieBound Reader, independent bookstores are taking another major step forward as players on the digital stage, "said ABA Technology Director Matt Supko. "A year after the launch of Google eBooks, indies have become a vital and fast-growing part of the ebook market, thanks to their creativity, marketing savvy, and knack for matching the customer with the best book for them-print or digital. The IndieBound Reader app gives independent bookstores a home on the most popular mobile devices, making it easier than ever for customers to shop local when they shop digital."

Independent bookstores partnered with Google to sell Google eBooks in 2010 because of its open and accessible platform, so indies can provide an easy way for their customers to discover, read, and buy ebooks while supporting local businesses. The ebooks are sold directly through independent bookstore websites. For a complete list of indie bookstores selling Google eBooks, please click here.

Micah Bowers, CEO of Bluefire Productions, commented, "The new IndieBound Reader completes the ebook experience for independent booksellers by making it easy for readers to extend their relationship with their neighborhood bookstore from print to ebook. Bluefire Productions is delighted to have helped the ABA give readers the ability to continue their longstanding relationships with their trusted, local bookstores."

The app is available for download from the Android Market or from IndieBound.org.

About American Booksellers Association

Founded in 1900, the American Booksellers Association is a not-for-profit trade organization devoted to meeting the needs of its core members -- independently owned bookstores with storefront locations -- through education, information dissemination, business products and services, and advocacy. ABA exists to protect and promote the interests of independent retail book businesses, as well as to protect the First Amendment rights of every American. The association actively supports free speech, literacy, and programs that support local and independent retail shops. A board of nine booksellers, representing thousands of members, governs the Association. ABA is headquartered in Tarrytown, New York.

About Bluefire Productions LLC

Bluefire Productions develops software for creating, sharing, and interacting with digital media. The company provides licensed e-reading applications and custom development services to leading retailers, publishers and technology companies around the world. Bluefire Reader, a free application for iOS and Android devices, brings e-books from independent bookstores, global retailers and public libraries, into a single digital library on mobile devices. Bluefire is an authorized reseller of the Adobe publishing solutions, including Adobe Content Server 4 and Adobe Vendor ID. The company's private label solutions offer booksellers customized, branded e-reader applications, as well as opportunities to include their catalogs in Bluefire Reader. Bluefire