China's Cell-Phone Novel Debuts
Qian Fuzhang's novels have been compared to the work of Gabriel Garcia-Marquez, but critical praise did not lead to financial success for the Chinese author. That may change with the debut of his latest novel, Out of the Fortress, which was designed to be read on cell phones, 70 characters at a time. Readers will get two daily installments of the novel or call in to a number where the day's chapter is read. Readers are charged a small fee on their phone bill, similar to the charge for a text message. Fuzhang was paid a $20,000 advance for the novel, and Taiwan has offered him even more money for the rights.