Fast Company has a nifty little article on Amazon patents for embedded ads. Now, to be fair, the idea of ads at the beginning or the end, don’t bother me, and enough books have ads at the end (granted, for their own publishing house). However, I’m not sold on the idea of embedded ads, although they’re ubitiquous enough online, and I’ve learned to ignore them… However, one of the bits in the article fascinates me. The idea of an ad that relates to the text. Mention a restaurant, and that ad shows up on an opposing page (although what opposing page on a Kindle?)

However, think of what this means to somebody like Candace Bushnell. Mention Prada and you get an ad next to it. Mention the Waldorf and you get a coupon for a free night (I wish!). Or maybe the JR Ward books. Mention Nike and you get Tiger Woods in the middle of a battle with the Others.

And would authors get kickbacks? If I slip in say, Pepsi, rather than Coke, would Pepsi pay me for the placement? The business model for publishing is changing, and I’m curious where it will end up. Finger Licking Fifteen sponsored by KFC?

Just thinkin…