If you thought blockbuster movies were the only form of entertainment that relied on over-the-top publicity stunts, you were wrong: It's alive and well in the book world as well. James Patterson's new thriller, Private Vegas, will not only be made available as 1,000 free digital copies that will self-delete after 24 hours. There will also be a one-of-a-kind physical copy wired to self-destruct after the same time frame.
Slow readers and the easily distracted will probably want to wait until the full, permanent copies of the book are available on January 26. But thrill seekers will have a chance to snag one of the free self-destructing copies a few days before that.
But one lucky and deep pocketed Patterson fan will have the chance to buy a single physical copy of the self-destructing book, complete with a digital countdown display, for $294,038. The book also comes signed, not that that means anything if it's destined to self-destruct, and a trip that includes a private dinner with the author. There's no word on whether or not that meal will self-destruct too, though. [SelfDestructingBook.com via Taxi via Mashable]