The tech news website Gizmodo thinks that Boyd Morrison may be the first writer to self-publish on the Kindle and secure a book deal.

Morrison scored a book deal with Simon and Schuster's Touchstone imprint for "The Ark"--the imprint acquired "hardcover, paperback, audio, and electronic rights in the US and Canada." It is the second book in the author's Tyler Locke adventure series, and is scheduled for a summer 2010 release. Another book is planned for 2011.

Here's more from the post: "This happens to musicians all the time; they blow up on MySpace, sell music on iTunes and finally some suit at a record company takes notice and signs them. This is the first such example we're hearing about from a digital author ... It adds legitimacy to the Kindle's self-publishing tools and it's a sign of recognition that electronic reading, in some form or another, is a valid format." (Via TeleRead)