Book-video hybrid delivers a new reading experience

The latest reinvention of traditional book publishing comes from California-based start-up Vook, which integrates text, video and social networking to deliver a new entertainment experience. Available both online and as a mobile application, “vooks” are book-video hybrids that feature short video clips—produced exclusively for each title—interspersed throughout the digital text. The videos are designed to enhance the story, advance the plot in fiction titles and add depth to practical information offered by non-fiction publications, offering visual how-to’s such as cooking demonstrations. The online Vook Reader allows readers to interact with each other via inbuilt social media functions. Vook launched in October with four debut titles, published in partnership with Simon and Schuster. They have since formed additional publishing relationships with Hachette Filipacchi Media and HarperCollins, and now offer twenty-five Vooks, ranging from romance and thriller novels to instructional non-fiction books, priced between USD 2.99 and USD 16.99. The company recently introduced MotherVook, a platform that allows publishers to independently create mixed-media versions of their books. It’s also partnering with online video company (and Springwise alumnus) TurnHere to increase video capacity and speed up production of new titles. One to watch! (Related: Spillproof cooking coach: a touchpad made for kitchens.) Spotted by: Murtaza Ali Patel