Girls Write Out
Sunday, April 26, 2009
I'm not a techie. I keep a paper calendar, jot notes in a notebook, and am virtually the last person on earth without an I-Pod. 

And yet. I've been hearing about the Amazon Kindle for at least a year. Never had a desire for one--I like paper books! The smell, the feel, the sound of rustling pages. 

However, over the weekend I was reading an article in the Wall Street Journal on E-books and for the first time ever, I was tempted. Tempted to be able to download a book on the spot when a friend recommends a title and tempted to have a small gadget to take on my numerous errands. 

Hardbacks are big and awkward to read on the go, not to mention expensive, and bookstores don't always carry the book I'm looking for. So, I'm curious. Anyone out there have a Kindle or E-book? What do you like about it? Would you do it again? 
Denise Hunter  
posted at 10:33 PM  
  Comments (17)
 
 
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17 Comments:
At 1:17 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have a Sony reader and I love it. It does not take the place of books - rather augments them. And imagine going on a week long vacation with one book (well one Reader with ten new books!)

Anette

 
At 5:30 AM, Blogger Lisa Faye Harman said...

I'm intrigued also but not convinced. It would be nice if you could rent one before you buy. They are just too expensive to find out afterwards that I hate it.

 
At 9:51 AM, Blogger Beverly said...

Denise, I am so glad you asked, because I am right with you. Curious. Maybe, might....but don't quite get it at the same time. Do you purchase the e-book and download it permanently, or is it more like NetFlix? Or both?

I realize it is probably an eco-friendly thing to do, but what about having books on my shelf for my girls to read when they get older? And what if (I mean when) technology is so far advanced that all the e-books I have loved become unavailable unless I spend umpteem bucks for the upgrade?

But...to go the gym, maybe....and if the books are cheaper (since I read so many)? BUT, even then, can I go back and re-read them, like I am doing now? I will look forward to someone who has all the answers, not all the questions!

 
At 11:16 AM, Blogger Beverly said...

" I will look forward to someone who has all the answers, not all the questions!"

OOPS....that didn't sound right. Almost rude. I was poking fun at all of MY questions, not anybody elses!

Sorry, Denise! Sorry, everyone!

 
At 11:20 AM, Blogger Colleen Coble said...

I've been tempted too, but mostly for research books. For a novel, I so enjoy the real thing. I saw Terri Blackstock's after the Christian Book Expo while we were waiting in the airport. Very slick and sexy!

 
At 11:27 AM, Blogger Michelle V said...

I don't have one and I love the look and feel of books! I haven't wanted one for that reason, however, it is tempting when I want a particular new release and my book store doesn't have it yet, and I would be able to just download it instantly.

 
At 11:51 AM, Blogger Kristin said...

Everyone I've heard from who has one, swears by it. I still have a paper calendar too, and I read in the bathtub, but I sure like the idea of not having 40 books on my nightstand at a time.

 
At 12:36 PM, Blogger Denise Hunter said...

No worries, Beverly, I know what you meant!

I think the books stay downloaded until you delete them. Can anyone confirm that?

 
At 3:55 PM, Anonymous Hannah said...

No! Don't go to the dark side, Denise!

Okay, so I kid. I think that a Kindle would be nice for things like writing guides, or research, or even...hm, say, when you're at Disneyland and are waiting for the kids to get off the Tower of Terror.

But for the good old-fashioned story? I like the real thing better: soft, slick cover, crackling spine, the cozy smell of fresh paper. Oh, and a cup of good hot-chocolate. Somehow it feels more personal when you're holding the pages in your hand, as opposed to clicking "next" on a machine.

Sorry to ya'll who are Kindle fans. But I like my Barnes and Noble better. (Especially since the stores will now ship your in-store order to your house for free!)

 
At 4:06 PM, Blogger Southern-fried Fiction said...

My agent loves hers. She's been making me very curious. You can download hundreds of books, and yes, they stay until you delete them. She downloads manuscripts to her Kindle. Not that I can truly understand.

Yet, when a publicist or author asks me if I prefer a galley or an e-submission to review, I always go for the galley. I get tired of sitting at my computer to read.

Yet she tells me it's so much like holding a book, she finds herself reaching to turn a page.

That makes me think. But at $350, I'm still thinking. After all, I just spent all my bucks on my MacBook. Which I LOVE, BTW. :)

 
At 6:37 PM, Anonymous Melanie said...

I discovered after buying my itouch that I could read ebooks on them also. This has opened a whole new world to me. I mostly use eReader but I can also download kindle books onto my itouch also. I have nothing but good to say about it. If I was shopping between the itouch and kindle, I would probably get the kindle just because it is a little larger and they claim looks just like paper instead of a computer screen.

 
At 7:04 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I can't answer any Kindle questions but for the Sony Reader I can. The books store permanently on the Reader and on the download device you use (PC, Laptop, IPOD etc). The reader holds about 100 books and they can be transferred on and off at will. Sony also holds your account so if your hard drive on your computer crashes or you get a new one you can download the book again.

The books are about 30% off cover and more if you are a hardcover new release buyer. Authors still get royalties.

Best of all because it is not lit like a computer screen you can read it in direct sunlight and there is no glare or eyestrain. And for those of us who maybe are in denial about reading glasses (waving my hand wildly) you can zoom in and the page reformats to a larger font.

I chose the Sony Reader because it does not automatically connect to the internet - I have enough things in my life that do that and I want to plan my downloads rather than impulse them.

Hope my two cents is helpful.

Anette

 
At 7:07 PM, Blogger Kristin said...

Oh that's good thinking Anette. Having immediate access to books could be very dangerous for me. I hadn't thought about that.

 
At 7:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love, love, love my Kindle. I loved the Kindle 1 so much that when Kindle 2 came out, I bought the new one and gave the old to one of my daughters. I did not expect to "love" an e-book reader. I bought it thinking I would use it occasionally. But I quickly became addicted to it. No more reading heavy books or trying to force a book open more when it is bound too close to the inside margin. I am reading more and faster with the K-2. I read on my exercise cycle. I love that I can make the print bigger.

Here's how much I love it. I am reading The Convenient Groom by someone you know. {{grin}} I had a copy of the trade paper on my bookshelf. But when I started to read the paperback, I found myself tiring of trying to balance it while reading in bed (where I do almost all of my pleasure reading), so I set it aside and bought it for my Kindle 2. Now I'm enjoying reading it. And the Kindle weighs less than the book did and it balances on my book pillow so I only hold it with one finger on one hand. Much easier than the two-handed grip required of a regular book.

Oh, and if I forget to take the Kindle with me when I go to the doctor's or wherever I might be waiting, it can sync with my iPhone and I can read a few pages on my phone if necessary.

 
At 10:27 PM, Blogger Mocha with Linda said...

I read that WSJ article. And I'm with you. I love the way books feel and smell. The high-tech gadgets seem so sterile. Although they are much easier on the muscles if you have to cary a bunch!

Angela Hunt raves about her Kindle quite a bit on her blog. She's completely sold on it.

 
At 11:48 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

I thought I was the last person on earth without a i-pod! lol

 
At 9:26 PM, Blogger The Farmer's Wife said...

Okay, I have no experience whatsoever with an e-book. But because I live in the preschool world of Disney movies everyday, it reminded me a little of the movie "Wall-e", where humans no longer did ANYTHING that required any effort on their part. I realize that's an extreme example, but really, if I'm too fatigued to lift the book, I should probably just go to sleep anyway.

It has been interesting to read the comments here, and get some first-hand accounts of this phenomenon! Good topic for a blog post!

 

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The Authors
Kristin Billerbeck
Kristin Billerbeck is a proud Californian, wife, mother of four, and connoisseur of the irrelevant. She writes Christian Chick Lit; where she finds need for most of the useless facts lulling about in her head.

www.KristinBillerbeck.com

Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles.

www.ColleenCoble.com

Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter writes women's fiction and love stories with a strong emotional element. Her husband says he provides her with all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too.

www.DeniseHunterBooks.com

Diann Hunt

Diann Hunt writes romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate.

www.DiannHunt.com

Hannah Alexander

Cheryl Hodde writes romantic medical suspense under the pen name of Hannah Alexander, using all the input she can get from her husband, Mel, for the medical expertise. For fun she hikes and reads. Out of guilt, she rescues discarded cats. She and Mel are presently taking orders from four pampered strays.

www.HannahAlexander.com

 
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