I love the feel of a book. A REAL book. Paper, pages, ink, glossy covers. So, when the e-readers came out, I wasn't rushing out to buy myself one. In fact, I really thought I would never want one. I have to stare at the computer screen much of my waking moments as it is, so the thought of curling up to another screen at the end of the day didn't warm me.
My debut novel, Crossing Oceans, is now being offered as a kindle and nook free download. While I was viewing how well mine was doing in relation to other free downloads (I hit #1 and am currently at #2 :-) I noticed lots of other free e-book downloads and discovered that you don't have to own a kindle to download the books. There is a kindle for pc app that was super easy and fast to use.So, the girl (and I use that term loosely) that never wanted a kindle has a dozen or so books that she's dying to read loaded onto her laptop and is drooling over the possibility of owning a kindle. It will never replace a real book in my psyche, I guess much like my parents still think 8-tracks will never be obsolete, but it has it's place and pluses.
What about you? Do you own an e-reader now? And the more important question, have you downloaded your free copy of Crossing Oceans from B&N or Amazon?
I personally love my nook. I have a habit of reading really long books and it's so nice to be able to carry this little thing in my purse as opposed to a 1000 page book in my arms. I don't miss the feel the books, I guess I never was that nostalgic for it, and since the screen is different from a computer, it really doesn't strain your eyes. I still do buy "real" books, but I'm all for e-readers!
ReplyDeleteOff to download your book now!
I thought I wanted a Kindle for Christmas, but I downloaded a book to my iPhone -- why would I want a Kindle?! I frequently awaken in the night. My husband encourages me to turn on the light and read. Now, I don't turn on the light, remain reclined, and read on my iPhone! I would have to sit up and use 2 hands with a Kindle. Plus it is always with me when I am stuck somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI finished "Crossing Oceans" on my iPhone a couple of nights ago. Fab story!!! I will be buying some copies for Christmas gifts. Now I understand why it has so much hype! Congratulations, Gina!
I love reading and especially flipping pages on my iPad, except in the direct sunlight, in which case I heart my Kindle. The thing I love about the iPad, is that I can read Kindle, Nook, AND iBooks, which is true for my iPhone as well. The cool thing about my iPhone is that I have it with me no matter where I am, so it's cool always having a book if I'm standing in a long line or sitting in a waiting room, stuck at a stoplight, or if things start to get boring. Even though the iPad is theoretically great for reading in bed since it doesn't require a light, I think the Kindle is better in bed since it is lighter. And hopefully Santa got my Tweet about that light for my Kindle that I asked for this Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI love gadgets almost as much as I love reading. I'm especially fond of gadgets that multitask by not only being cool to have, but are also a portable library. Speaking of library, none of the above will ever eliminate my own personal wall to wall library of books. And all my fave reads will always have a place of honor there, not merely relegated to a corner of a cloud somewhere.
Gina,
ReplyDeleteThe more I read about ebooks and how many readers there were, I decided to try it out myself--after all one day it may be my novel out there! I felt the same way...not another screen! (but it is different on the kindle) At first I downloaded the pc app and YOURS was the first book I read on it! Cried like a baby, stayed up half the night and have raved to all my fb friends about it! My husband surprised me the other day with a kindle and I gotta say...I'm lovin it! :)
I absolutely prefer a real book, especially if non-fiction, but I now have almost 200 books on my Kindle for PC. So I'm wanting a Kindle so I don't have to sit on my computer chair all day. But I would still rather have a real book.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE my Nook! I just downloaded your free book to it, too. I have Kindle for my PC, too, so I have both bases covered. I like the Nook better, though, because the touch screen at the bottom disappears after about a minute, so there's nothig to distract me from the page I'm reading.
ReplyDeleteI wrote a post on my blog a few months ago about how I disliked the concept of e-readers. But now I've converted to the idea and I really want one!
ReplyDeleteI "warmed up" to an eReader 18 months ago, Gina. I wasn't interested in one until my husband surprised me with a Kindle when I was packing to visit my missionary daughter in Germany, and it was instant love. I immediately loaded about 25 books on it and read on the airplane, in coffee shops, street cafes, etc. - from whatever genre I was in the mood for at the time.
ReplyDeleteAside from freeing up shelf space, being able to increase the font size is my favorite feature. I also enjoy the search, highlight, note taking, and dictionary features. And I can't stand to read on an LCD screen for long periods of time, so Kindle's eInk screen is perfect for me. A clip-on light works great for low light conditions.
I also enjoy the feel of a book, but for me, it's more about content than the form in which I'm reading. I think eBooks will eventually replace mass market paperbacks and it will be interesting to see where the industry goes from there. And now I have two copies of your book, both paper and Kindle!
I've had a Kindle for almost a year, and I use it a lot. But when I think about buying new books, I really long for a paper book and I think the Kindle, for me, was a mistake.
ReplyDeleteAnd then I start reading another book on the Kindle, and I can't stop saying how much I love the thing. I'm just weird, I guess. :D
Maybe the appeal of a real book is the cover; that's one thing I really miss with the Kindle.
Still salivating over the iPad I hope to own one day. Until then, I'm getting ebooks on my PC (including Gina's, since my dog ate the "real" one). But other than browsing, haven't sat down to actually read one. I spend so much time at the computer, that more (even if just for fun) is not an enticing thought. But if I had the iPad ...
ReplyDeleteGina, thanks so much for giving us your book for free! Can't wait to read it! My husband just gave me a Nook for my birthday & I already have about 30 books on it, most free courtesy of B&N's free classics for educators & students. I teach high school Language Arts so I use my nook everyday in class. I can load my notes on it, highlight important sections of the books we reading, etc. I find myself reading everywhere now, as the Nook fits nicely in my purse.
ReplyDeleteNope. I love the feel of a real book. Love the smell, the sound of cracking open the binding the first time. I have at least ten books I haven't had time to read. Just the covers make me smile. All these technical toys belong in someone else's closet. Not mine. I even leave my cell phone home half of the time. Who needs the noise?
ReplyDeleteI prefer a real book, old ones are the best. New hardcovers just are not built the same, if the choice is a cheaply built book or ebook I'll take the ebook thanks.
ReplyDeleteGina, thank you for your post. I do not own an e-book reader, I read a lot of books online for work and I never enjoy it as much. It's harder to "curl up" on the couch with a machine! But you're right there are many benefits to e-readers, especially the convenience of carrying around your library in your pocket :)
ReplyDeleteI don't have an eReader but have the Kindle app on my Mac laptop. I've downloaded your book and a couple others and like the opportunity to take a mini break from my writing to read for a while. My laptop goes with me when I travel so this way I always have a few eBooks available. But to be truthful, I prefer the real books to the electronic versions. They're easier on the eyes and more comfortable in my hand, especially when I read in bed.
ReplyDeleteNo kindle...yet. But, thanks to your post, I've just downloaded the Kindle for PC app, and your book!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip - really excited to have some new reading.
Yep, I got my Kindle for my 64th birthday, which just happens to have been on the same day you wrote this entry, November 23rd. The first book, after the Bible, that I downloaded and read, was Crossing Oceans! I just finished it a few moments ago. It was WONDERFUL!!! I love my Kindle, and your book is one of the top reasons that I do!!!
ReplyDelete