Patterson first to top one million in e-book sales: Hachette

US thriller writer James Patterson has become the first novelist to sell more than one million electronic books, according to his publisher, Hachette Book Group.

Hachette Book Group said the best-selling author of "Kiss the Girls," "Along Came a Spider" and other titles in the Alex Cross series has sold a total of 1.14 million e-books.

"Things have really changed in the digital space," Patterson said in a statement.

"With more and more people reading on iPads, Kindles, and Nooks, taking time to create interesting, user-friendly, enhanced e-book editions is becoming more and more important," he said.

"And if e-books get people who might otherwise not be reading to pick up a book, then that makes me happy," he said.

Amazon did not reply to a request from AFP for sales figures but Patterson's books have frequently featured on the bestseller list in the Kindle store.

His book "Private" is currently number seven on the list of bestsellers in the Kindle store.

Hachette Book Group said Patterson's books have sold more than 205 million copies worldwide in print.