The Age Text Tales with Marieke Hardy
October 7, 2009: The Age launches Australia’s first mobile book by writer and broadcaster Marieke Hardy.
From October 12, in an Australian first, a 20-episode tragi-comedy by cult writer Marieke Hardy be available via your mobile phone. Subscribe through a simple SMS, and receive morning instalments of this surprising tale.
Diverting and engaging, Marieke’s story is one of an unlikely friendship forged within a vigilante group that will glue readers to their mobile phones.
At 7am each weekday from October 12 to November 6, subscribers will receive, via an exclusive web link in an SMS, an exciting chapter of Marieke’s 20-part story. To subscribe to this Australian first in mobile books, simply text “Marieke” to 19700043.
Subscribers can also follow Marieke Hardy on Twitter (http://twitter.com/MARIEKEHARDY) as she tweets about her daily texttale instalments.
Marieke’s texttale, teasingly titled Vigilante Virgin, will be available to customers for a fraction of the price of a regular book. Anyone with an internet access-enabled mobile phone can subscribe from today to receive Marieke’s first chapter on October 12. Backdated chapters will be available for five days following their release.
"It will be quite riveting,” promises The Age's editor-in-chief, Paul Ramadge. “Marieke is a wonderfully talented and immediately engaging writer.” The idea behind the launch is to gauge the story's reception, get reader feedback, and further develop the ability to talk to Age readers in multiple ways.
The cost of subscription via SMS is $0.25, and $0.55 per instalment or message received. (Readers can opt out at any time by texting STOP in an SMS reply).
Marieke Hardy is a writer, broadcaster, television producer and former television actress. She won a Bloggie award in 2008 for Best Australia/ New Zealand blog for Reasons You Will Hate Me under the pseudonym “Ms Fits”. She has also written several episodes for the successful television series “Packed to the Rafters”. Marieke is a regular panellist on the ABC TV show First Tuesday Book Club, and a regular commentator for both The Age’s Green Guide and Frankie magazine. Since 2008, she
has been a part of the Triple J breakfast radio team.
For more information:
Miranda Ramsay, communications manager, The Age: (03) 9601 3144 | 0409 256 764
Release Date: 7 Oct 2009 00:00
