PW writes "In development for more than a year, Book Country offers writers a place to upload new works and receive feedback and criticism from a community of writers and readers; a place for agents and editors to look for new talent; and eventually the venture will offer a suite of self-publishing services that will offer e-book and print publication for a fee." (Read the entire PW article here).

The New York Times calls Book Country "a modern version of the slush pile" and notes that the site will "also explain the business of finding an agent, marketing and promoting a book, using social media and handling digital and subsidiary rights." (full NYT article from April 26 here).

On the Book Country site, readers can review books, post their own writing (whole books, if desired), and meet/interact with other readers.

Later this year, Book Country plans to offer self publishing services for a fee.

Penguin's Molly Barton, director of business development at Penguin and president of Book Country, says the company hopes to discover new writers through the site.

“When I was an editor I had a hard time saying no to authors whose work maybe didn’t quite fit on my list,” Barton told Publisher's Weekly. “When I switched over to the digital publishing side, I wanted to find a way to harness the Internet in a better way to support writers.”

She described Book Country as a way for writers to help each other.

Interesting concept.

Want more info? Link to Book Country's Facebook page here.
Follow them on Twitter here.