I found a new-to-me author on Kickstarter. The book looked interesting. I wasn’t sure about it, though. It is supposed to be a humorous book, and humor can be mighty subjective.

The author listed a LARGE link at the top of her Kickstarter page for access to the first chapter for free. I figured that was so that readers like me could sample it, and then determine if we wanted to back the project.

I clicked the link, and was taken, as expected, to a BookFunnel page.

All well and good.

However, I would be REQUIRED to give her my email address if I wanted that first chapter for free.

Not only is that a big NO from me, that’s a HELL NO.

This is a new to me author. I’m the sort of reader she wants, someone who’s willing to take a flyer on a new-to-her author.

But dangling a free chapter and then putting a price on it at the last moment is the worst kind of bait-and-switch.

Maybe I’m just old-fashioned, because I don’t want to give out my email address to a stranger like that. Sure, I could always unsubscribe or block them, but that takes more effort on my part.

IMHO, she should have made the signup optional. Then, she should have added a special link at the bottom of chapter one, letting the reader sign up for her newsletter then. Plus a link back to the Kickstarter, with dates, in case the reader downloaded the sample and forgot to get to it in time. (That’s what we’re planning on doing with the next book-related Kickstarter we do.)

So what is your opinion? Was that too forward of the author? To demand an email address in return for that first chapter? Was that insisting on a first kiss before the planned meal was shared? Or are other people not offended by it, and I should just move on? (And yes, get off my lawn, you dirty kids.) (^_^)