Popular Author Deals Directly with Amazon.com

This post in retailwire discusses how the high-popular author Stephen Covey has given Amazon.com the exclusive e-book rights to two of his most popular titles. Musical artists have long partnered with big retailers to help increase music downloads and sales of their units, but this is a first in electronic publishing.

Amazon.com has offered Stephen Covey a royalty rate double that he would normally receive through the publisher. Is this the new route for popular authors? Will we see less book publishers in the future?