Author Avoids Travel Cost and Hassle using Mediasite to Webcast Virtual Book Tour

MADISON, Wis. - August 5, 2008 - In the first-ever virtual book release using Mediasite by Sonic Foundry, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOFO), the recognized market leader for rich media webcasting and knowledge management, author Colleen Gleason will connect simultaneously with fans across the globe today as she unveils When Twilight Burns, the highly-anticipated fourth book in The Gardella Vampire Chronicles.

The live webcast is scheduled for Tuesday, August 5 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern at http://learning.mihealth.org/mediasite/colleengleason/. It will also be available on demand for one month following the webcast.

"Using Mediasite I can be available to fans worldwide without all the travel and costs associated with a traditional book tour. This time they won't even have to leave their homes, and it's free for them and little cost to me," said Gleason, who expects fans to tune in from several locations in the U.S. as well as Hong Kong, Scotland, Ireland and Italy. "Mediasite offers total flexibility, is within my budget and has the features and capability I wanted."

One of those features is the ability for the web audience to ask real-time questions. "Mediasite is a platform for me to interact with my fans in a unique way. It is an opportunity for them to talk to me directly-something they might not have the opportunity to do at a general book signing," said Gleason. "They'll have a chance to ask me questions, see my visible reaction to certain questions and read my thoughts when they try to nail me down on details I won't divulge. They'll see what I'm like as a person, rather than just a picture on a website."

Viewers will be able to interact with Gleason as she reads an excerpt from her latest installment and talks about how she researches her books, which are set in 18th century England. The storyline-part Buffy the Vampire Slayer, part Pride and Prejudice-follows a woman balancing life as a Regency-era debutante with one as the descendent of a line of vampire hunters. Since the third book, The Bleeding Dusk, ended on a cliffhanger, fans are anxiously awaiting this release.

Gleason sees the virtual book release as an emerging trend as authors boost their web presence with blogs and live chats. She plans to use the webcast to strengthen her already robust fan base.

"The thing I like best about Colleen is that she's always on the cutting edge of romance promotion and the virtual book release with Mediasite is yet another stroke of genius," said Kati Dancy, who will be tuning in to the webcast from her home in Washington DC. "It allows us, the fans, to hear Colleen talk more about this exciting series and gives us a chance to interact with her and ask any burning questions we might have. It's an opportunity I wouldn't otherwise have."

For more information please visit the author's website at www.colleengleason.com.