In a stunning reversal against the digital book market, the Wall Street Journal reports that a successful author has turned to phyiscal paperbacks through a contract with a traditional publisher.  The article, authored by Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg, is entitled “E-Book Author Tries New Format:  Real Paperbacks” (August 23, 2011, p. B4).

The  author, John Locke, was the first self-published writer to sell more than one million digital books on Amazon.com.   The contract with CBS Corporation’s Simon & Schuster will distribute eight of Locke’s thrillers that feature Donovan Creed, a former CIA assassin.

Despite the trend of books moving to the digital format, and despite the trend of traditional bookstores such as Borders closing, the good news is that “there are still lots of retail outlets for books,” according to a quote in the article from Adam Rothberg, a spokesperson for Simon & Schuster.

Are you surprised by this?

Let’s talk about it really soon!