This summer Barnes & Noble, Inc. will launch PubIt!, a publishing platform to help indie publishers and authors sell books at Barnes & Noble.com and the Barnes & Noble eBookstore.

According to the company’s release, PubIt! will feature a “simple and competitive royalty model and compensation process;” a plan to be unveiled in the near future. Digital books will be in the ePub format and feature what the company calls the “best-in-class digital rights management technology.”

Here’s a statement from Theresa Horner, director, Digital Products at Barnes & Noble: “As a company that has achieved much of its success by building mutually beneficial relationships with publishers and authors, Barnes & Noble’s new PubIt! service represents an exciting evolution and significant opportunity in the digital content arena … Barnes & Noble is uniquely positioned to support writers and publishers and bring their exciting digital works to the broadest audience of readers anywhere.” (Via Jason Ashlock)