Short books from Amazon for 49 cents

Amazon.com has unveiled a program, Amazon Shorts, that offers short-form literature -- personal memoirs, one-act plays and stories -- by established authors like Danielle Steel, Pico Iyer and Tama Janowitz. The works cost 49 cents each and can be downloaded at Amazon.com/shorts. While some publishers have qualms about the program, many agents endorse it, saying it could lead to an increase in traditional sales.