Who got an eReader for Christmas???

I didn't get one (though I already own a two-year old one that I am dying to replace with a fancy new model!!) but I did give one! My mom seemed really excited to get it.

On my hubby's side, three people got a device of some sort- one got a Nook, another a Kindle, and another a Kindle Fire. And all are excited to start reading on them...and want to read my books! :)

My SIL mentioned that she wanted one, but prefers paper books. I said "Just wait til you read on the Nook...you'll never want to go back." She says she's heard that from other people. And for most I really think it's the truth. So many people bash digital book readers, but have never even used one.

I'm excited for all these eReader gifts! I have books that are only available in digital format. I'm hoping to see a rise in sales...especially with my next book releasing in a few weeks. I'd hoped it would be available in print just like the first in the series was, but my publisher has but an indefinite stop on print. They are just not selling. They tripled their digital sales from last year...but received far too many returns on print.

So...did you get a digital reading device for Christmas?? Did you give one?? Any books you're excited to read this year???

The eternal question: Treebook vs. Ebook??

I make absolutely no attempt at hiding the fact that I ADORE ebooks and ereaders. For me, it made reading easier and more convenient. I love the size of the device and what it gives me. But I also love paperback and hardcover books. Reminds me of being a kid and snuggling up in my hot pink vinyl beanbag chair and reading.

I just love books...no matter how I read them.

Hubby bought me a hardcover for my birthday. It is the fifth book in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. I am a huge huge fan of Ann Brashares, so when I heard this book was out, I had to have it. But digital wasn't good enough. I know I will read this book again. I just need to have a physical copy.

But part of me really wants the entire series in digital format too....it's just so much easier to read than holding the heavy hard cover.

Do you own any books in both formats???

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Kids say the darndest things!!

I just had to share this conversation with my son. He's 3.

Me: (I'm laying on the couch reading a book on my Sony Reader and he comes over trying to climb on me.) Careful E, I'm reading my book.

E: That's not a book.

Me: What is it then?

E: A silver thing.

Me: See, it's got words. It's a book.

E: A book doesn't have buttons. (He leaves and comes back with one of his books.) See, no buttons.

And then of course smarty pants Miss J (my 8 y/o comes over with a different book.) "This book has buttons." (It was one of those kids books with sound buttons to press at certain times during the story.)

As much as I adore my reader and the ease of digital media, I'm glad my kids have appreciation for paper books. I really would hate to see them disappear. Funny little reality check..... :)

Ps...The Very Hungry Caterpillar is his favorite book! :)

And make sure you stop back tomorrow!!!!!!!!! I have a FABULOUS guest blogger stopping by!!! She is my hero!!

Warning......I need to rant here.....

I am so so so so so so sick and tired of hearing/reading that people "Don't like eBooks." And "I love the feel of a book in my hands." "I love the smell of paper." "I can't snuggle up with an eReader."



First of all, ebooks are here to stay, so let's just deal with it, people! LOL! The world's technology is growing...fast. If you don't get on board, you will be left behind. Everything is going digital- music, movies, books. It's just the way it is. Am I completely happy that physical media will one day be a thing of the past? No, not entirely. But it is what it is and there are far too many supporters of digital media to halt the progression. Look at music....do you know even one teen who owns a cd player anymore?? I sure don't. They all have ipods. Their entire music collection is digital.

I didn't know much about digital publishing when I inked my initial deal with Lyrical Press, a primarily digital publisher, almost 2 years ago. But I quickly learned. And as soon as I could afford one, I got a digital book reader. And I adored it from moment one.

It is completely easy to read, so enough complaining about eye strain. E-ink technology is fantastic...just like looking at a real book page. If the reader plans to read entire novels on a computer screen or iPad, yeah that would cause some eye strain, but not the dedicated eReaders. They are completely easy on the eyes.

They are convenient too. I love taking mine to the gym. No way would I be able to hold any kind of paper book and walk on the treadmill. With the eReader, I can leave it on the ledge and when I need, quickly press the page flip button. The ability to change the font size is a huge plus too, especially when I switch to the elliptical and do more bouncing. The larger font allows me to still be able to read.

You can't snuggle up with an eBook??? How easily can you "snuggle" with an 80-pound, 6-1/2" x 9" hardcover?? Okay, so 80 pounds is an exaggeration, but you get what I mean. Those suckers are heavy and I have a REAL hard time holding one and laying in bed with it. But my eReader, so light and thin, and there is not one moment that I get a cramp in my hand from holding it.

And "the smell of paper"? Really? Let's just think a minute about ALL THAT PAPER. All those trees....all the people who don't recycle magazines and newspapers when they're through. All the books that I imagine get tossed in the garbage. It's beyond time to Go Green. And it needs to be done in every little place we can. Many eReaders have the capability to download newspapers and magazines, limiting the paper we waste.

Okay...I think my rant is done. :)

Hollywood has recognized eBooks!

The other night, hubby and I watched "Date Night" with Tina Fey and Steve Carrell. Good movie!! But I was so incredibly impressed that one scene in the movie used a Kindle!!! Yay for Hollywood!!!!

Seems more and more, digital publishing is getting it's props. And this is so wonderful!!! With every passing nod, eBooks are gaining more and more recognition and support. It is being brought in front of people more and like in the movie, showing that regular everyday people are using the technology. In the movie, the Kindle belonged to a cab driver.

Digital publishing is here to stay, regardless of what some people may think. :)

This is a MUST READ!!

Is print dead???

I know there are tons of people saying "Hell no!!!" right this very second....but did we ever think there would be homes without phones in them? I don't have a phone in my home...well, that's a lie...I do..I have an alarm clock telephone. But it's not connected to a phone jack. We only have cell phones.

I came across this post on Amanda Young's Blog: Romance Without Inhibition and I just had to share. It's a article she posted by J.A. Konrath and it is absolutely brilliant!!!

Another thing I LOVE about digital book readers!

It is so much more convenient to read while working out!!!!!!

I tried the magazine thing once while using the elliptical at the gym. Did not work at all. The constant bouncing made it very hard to read the tiny words. And turning the page....that is an accident waiting to happen. I am pretty good on the machines but it doesn't take much to throw off your balance when you're in a groove! I keep at least one hand on the handle at all times!

Then one day I saw a woman with her Kindle. At first I thought, great idea, no pages to physically turn. Seemed like something I could try, but I worried that the constant bouncing would still make it too hard to keep my eyes on the line and not re-reading the same one over and over.

Then I remembered the button to adjust the text size. BRILLIANT! I set the text to the biggest size, problem solved!! I do have to "flip" the page more often since there is less text on the page, and therefore, I run my battery out quicker, but still. This is fantastic!! Makes my workout fly by. I do 20 minutes on the crossramp/stepper thingy and it used to feel like a full 20 minutes. Now it is gone in a flash. Then I move to the elliptical for another 15 minutes and then a 2 1/2 minute cool down and I usually stay on a few more minutes cause I hate stopping mid chapter. I then move on to the other weight lifting machines for arms and legs and all that and if there was some way of still reading while I did that, I so would!

At this rate, I will surpass my book reading goal for the year, which is set at 30. I know some set a 100 book goal..that would be an impossible goal for me. I only read 16 last year and was very disappointed in that. 30 seemed much more reasonable, especially with getting the Sony Reader for Christmas.

My only fear with using the Reader at the gym is someone on the machine next to me peeking over while I'm mid sex-scene. :)

Irritated and hurt and just plain angry...

Just participated in an online debate on Facebook about digital publishing with three fellow writers (who I know in real life) who claim to be my friends but completely shun eReaders and all forms of digital publishing. Well, gee, thanks guys....I guess that means I can count on you for ZERO support when my book is released as a digital book later this year.

If someone wants no part in digital media, fine, do what you want. I like paper books just as much as the next person, but I have accepted the fact that publishing is changing.

Technology is happening...you can't sit back and refuse to take part in it...if you refuse today's advances, you may as well reject yesterdays advances, like computers, the internet, telephones, microwaves, tv, refrigerators, even cars! It's hypocritical to say the advances of the 21st century are crap, but things we have come to know as life, advances of our grandfathers in the 19th and 20th century, those are okay.

Let's face it, digital media is here to stay. Look at music....do you think kids are going to one day shun the ipods they've known for years and years?? No, of course not. And it's all just getting bigger and better. I think that's exactly what will happen with eReaders.

I know I can't change people's minds...they'll think what they want to think, but why such negativity? Like I said....our world is built on technology...is all of it great, no, but why are digital books considered evil??

I kissed the feet of technology the day my ePublishing contract arrived...and in an email, no less. So a question to all these anti-ebook people....should I have never submitted to a digital publisher? Should I have turned down a contract for my book....a contract for the electronic publishing of my novel, my baby, the project I dedicated so much if my time to? Should I have rejected the chance to start my career???? Just curious as to what the eBook scoffers would say to those questions.

All I'm asking for is a little bit of open-mindedness. This "nope, nadda, NEVER gonna do it" attitude does not work for me....in regard to eReaders or anything else in life.

Got my Sony Reader!! Yay!

Hubby outdid himself this year and presented me with the Sony Reader Pocket for Christmas!

I'd played with them in the store, but honestly, I was not really prepared for how cool it would feel to hold one in my hands...not attached to a cord or a stationary post in the store. It felt so nice!!! :)

Of course I right away bought my editor's book...the one I'd been wanting to read forever!! And then I ran into trouble. The Sony software is HORRIBLE!! With some extremely helpful advice, I downloaded a different program and now I am up and running! Haven't started reading anything on it yet though....still have some library books I need to finish!!

So I need to know all your best tips and tricks and the best ways to save on ebooks!! My editor sent me a link to Harlequin...they're giving away a bunch of free ebooks! I was so so excited to have a bunch of books uploaded to my Reader! Please share your experiences with the Sony Reader, regular or pocket edition. I read mostly great reviews on it....a few bad ones...but you can't please 100% of the people 100% of the time.

Digital book readers, how's a girl to choose????

I have wanted one of these fabulous gadgets since they arrived on the scene....but lack of funds has put it on the bottom of my wish list. But now the prices seem to be coming down and different models are being made.....it's becoming more of a reality for me. Yippee!!!!!

I was COMPLETELY bummed yesterday in Target. I've been checking out the Sony Reader and I played with one at Walmart last week. I looked at the new Reader Pocket at Toys R Us, but it was not a working sample so no playtime with that. I was at Target getting some other things and I knew they had the original Reader so I thought I'd mosey on over to electronics and see if they had the Pocket to play with. Couldn't find them anywhere. I asked the worker in electronics. She said they CLEARANCED OUT the remaining Readers they had and they were all gone. They sold them for....are you reader for this....$75. I wanted to scream. $75!!!!!!!! I asked how long ago...she said about a month. So at least I missed it by weeks rather than just a day or two.

So now I am starting to do research and weighing what I want and need and comparing prices. I love the price of the Reader Pocket, but you cannot make notes in the margin. For normal books...not a big deal...but maybe I'd like to upload my own work and read it on that and make notes that way. But is that worth an extra $100??? I would need to do edits on my laptop anyway.

I need feedback on this...please tell me what you have, how you use it....if you're happy.....

And now today I saw at Barnes and Noble that they are coming out with their own book reader....but you can only buy ebooks from B&N. But I think Kindle is like that too, right?? You can only buy books from Amazon??? What about the Sony...can you only buy books from the Sony store???

And then I run into the money thing. I sooooooooooooooooo badly want to buy books and support fellow writers....but I'm kinda poor!! (Not really...I like to joke. But we are a single income family and once bills are paid and food's been bought, not a ton of leftover money...especially in winter when my husband can't supplement his income with overtime.) So would spending the money on a digital book reader even be worth it for me right now???

*Sigh* Maybe I will have to wait a while before I get one.