Blurb Introduces Hardcover ImageWrap Books

SAN FRANCISCO, May 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Blurb, the creative book publishing platform, today introduced ImageWrap, a new hardcover book option that features printed text and images directly on the front and back of any hardcover Blurb book, creating a smooth, sophisticated, wrapped effect. ImageWrap books have a durable matte finish that creates a richer tactile experience when holding the books, and adds a visual quality that's similar to high-quality art books.

Hardcover ImageWrap covers are available now for all Blurb books, including existing titles. No software upgrade or additional download is required, as binding type is a choice made during the checkout process once a book has been made and uploaded to Blurb.

"Our community's enthusiasm and willingness to give us feedback helps us prioritize the features and product options we put at the top of our list," said Eileen Gittins, Blurb's founder and CEO. "Demand for ImageWrap books has come from creative professionals making brand and photography books to parents making summer vacation books. These ImageWrap books look beautiful and they feel great -- trust me when I tell you they're stunning."

Blurb's hardcover, dust jacket and softcover books aren't going away -- ImageWrap is simply another book type available as of today. To create a Hardcover ImageWrap book, users still create a front cover, a spine, and a back cover in Blurb BookSmart(TM) just as they always have, but with ImageWrap, each area will wrap smoothly over the edge of the book.

Hardcover ImageWrap book prices start at $24.95 for a 7X7, $31.95 for an 8X10 or 10X8, and $56.95 for an 11X13.

To create a Blurb book, start by downloading Blurb BookSmart(TM) software from the Blurb website. Blurb's BookSmart(TM) software is free, runs on a Mac or PC, and offers a wide variety of book layouts created by professional book designers. Blurb enables anyone to affordably make, share, market, and sell beautiful, bookstore-quality books.

About Blurb

Blurb is a company and a community that believes passionately in the power of books: making, reading, sharing, and selling them. Blurb is flexible and smart enough to help anyone make a book -- photographers, creative professionals, bloggers, artists, writers, travelers, everyone. Blurb's bookstore and online marketing tools let people share, market, and sell their books, and keep 100% of the markup. Blurb's community features empower socially connected groups of consumers and professionals to create Blurb books together.

Blurb won a 2008 Webby Award for Best Services website, has been recognized as an OnMedia 100 winner by AlwaysOn in 2008, was named a Momentum 15 company by Dealmaker Media in 2007, and was the 2007 Pixel Awards Geek Winner. Blurb was founded by Eileen Gittins in 2004 and is funded by Canaan Partners and Anthem Venture Partners. Blurb BookSmart(TM) software is free for Mac or PC at http://www.blurb.com.