Yacking About Books

by Felicia Pride, PW Daily -- Publishers Weekly, 1/24/2007

Author Lawrence Ross recently launched the Yack (www.yack.com), a free social networking Web site that's devoted to bringing authors and readers together. The site, which went live in November, will be moving out of beta stage later this month. Thus far, there are 400 registered members, with a goal of reaching one million Yacksters by the end of 2007.

Designed to connect readers to discuss, critique and recommend books as well as aiming for diversity in reading interests, the Yack has the regular features of a social networking site, including groups, instant messaging and blogs. An interactive q&a with bestselling author Dave Barry launched the site, and weekly chats with such authors as Eric Jerome Dickey, E. Lynn Harris and L.A. Banks have run, or will run, later this month.

The Yack is open to all genres and authors. Ross is contacting publishers to encourage their authors to join and promote their books. Authors can set up a personal page, create a blog, host a chat, post events and interact directly with readers. Ross said that he wants the Yack to provide the bestseller, midlister and neophyte writer with a place to expand their book-buying base. The author of three books, Ross added, "I've had over 300 book signings, and while personal appearances are important, I always thought there had to be a better way to reach readers."