ReadWriteWeb

Thanks to a deal with Apple, books from Smashwords, the e-book self-publishing service for independent publishers and authors, will be featured in the new iBookstore on the iPad. There are already about 2,000 Smashwords books in the iBookstore today and as the company's CEO Mark Coker told us, the company plans to add another 2,000 to 3,000 books in the next few weeks.

Interestingly, Apple - which is famous for strictly controlling the content of the App Store - seems to be more than happy to abdicate control over the inventory in the iBookstore to its partners.

Startup e-book publishing house Smashwords has sussed out a distribution agreement with Sony Electronics that will allow for user creation of publishing accounts and expedited publishing and distribution of books for the Sony Readers through their eBook Store.

Effective immediately, the Sony Publisher Portal is re-launched and open for business. Aspiring authors and independent publishers can upload Microsoft Word documents and have distro-ready e-books within hours.