To E-Read or Not To-E-Read

This morning while reaching to beat the alarm into silence, I knocked over the stack of books waiting patiently on my nightstand for my attention. Stumbling out of bed, I tripped over the mound waiting to take the next open spot on the nightstand. Using both hands I was able to lift my novel laden purse onto to my poor aching shoulder and bring it to my car where I had to shove the emergency pile off the seat to make room. This morning was nothing unusual. Books have always been a large part of my life and I’m most content surrounded by them.

However, I am beginning to second guess my earlier thoughts on portable electronic readers . I don’t own one and in fact have never even seen one up close – or for that matter, from a distance. In my spare time (ha-ha) I dabble in a little proofreading and editing. The majority of the manuscripts are sent electronically; corrections are made, and then sent back. Computers are an amazing invention! Occasionally after a long day of staring at the screen I am visited by white ghosts dancing before my eyes. This is what I expect the experience of an e-reader to be.

Would the convenience of carrying this small device rather than a heap of paperbacks make up for this? I will never give up books. It is so much more than the written word which draws me to them. I love the sound of the pages turning and nothing beats the musty book smell or the surprise chocolate morsel waiting for my enjoyment since the last time the pages were opened. But, maybe it’s time to add to my experience. To join this century. I’m sure it’s not really as hard as I expect. Why, just last year I gave up my trusty VCR after it ate tape two of Titanic. (Does anyone know how it ends?)


If you happen to work for Sony or any other company which creates or sells electronic readers; or if you happen to have extra cash you don’t know what to do with, feel free to send me one and I will be happy to give a more knowledgeable opinion.

Saving Our Communities

If you have turned on the news, picked up a newspaper, or checked your mail box lately, I’m sure you have heard about the Economic Stimulus Payments that many of us have received or will be receiving. Many radio stations and newspapers are asking you to let them know what you plan on doing with yours. The purpose of the payment is to encourage consumer spending which will boost the economy. In reality, many people will use this rebate to catch up on bills and make ends meet.

I saw a commercial the other day that is so ridiculous it’s actually humorous. It is for a large discount chain – you know the one – the chain that is running small businesses out of town and is on a mission to take over the world. The purpose of the commercial is supposedly to encourage customers to do their part in helping the environment by purchasing a certain product at their stores. If all of their customers-all 200 million of them-purchase this particular product, they will save the world. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

This got me to thinking. If every resident of our city – all 4,700 of us – spent one dollar of our Economic Stimulus Payment at each local independent business, we could save our city. This could encourage job growth; increase sales tax collected for our county and state; and help many of our local business stay afloat.

Recently I had the privilege of discussing the economy with an accountant friend. Her view was that many people are shopping at the large discount chains because they, often mistakenly, feel they can get a better deal by shopping there. These people are forgetting to add in the cost of gas to drive the 30+ miles to these chains to save $1.00 on an item they need. In a year or two when the economy picks up, these same people will be frustrated because all of their options are gone. Suddenly, these few large chains are the only option since all of the small businesses were forced to shut their doors. Without competition, what do you think the customer service and prices will be like at these chains? Scary, isn’t it?

Now I ask you, how do you plan on spending your Economic Stimulus Payment?

Brag!

What a month! Last week we helped our local library, Farnsworth Public Library , celebrate National Library Week . Librarian Wendy read three stories, including one of my personal favorites, Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney and one of hers, Wake Up, It’s Spring by Lisa Campbell Ernst. A percentage of all sales during this special preschool story time was then donated back to the library. It definitely made for a lively Friday morning in the bookstore!

Last week was also the first National Poem in Your Pocket Day since April is National Poetry Month . Of course this is incorporated into our teen writing club. This month each member will be writing their own poem to read aloud at the next meeting. The teen book club also chose Crank by Ellen Hopkins, which is written in verse, as their next pick.
This week wraps up TurnOff Week . Were you able to catch up on some of your reading instead of sitting in front of the TV or computer? Maybe you were out enjoying the beautiful weather that finally showed up for a short visit. Or were you busy riding your bike or picking up litter to celebrate Earth Day ?

This is a week to brag.

What great things did you accomplish this month to support your library or help the environment?

Hats Off!

Today I would like to say Hats Off! to independent authors. I’m not talking about the dozens of writers who send postcards and emails each week referring to their website where there is a link to “buy my book now” either at a specific online bookseller or to buy direct from the author or publisher at a discounted price. Nor am I talking about the self published local writers who have been kindly invited for a book signing only to discover them making cash sales under the table. Or those that take their leftover books to every business in town and sell them at a discount to get rid of them.

I’m talking about actual AUTHORS. Those that realize how important booksellers are to their career and vice versa. How we can all benefit when independent authors, publishers and booksellers work together for a common goal. After receiving an e-mail from Ben Tanzer, author of Lucky Man, I sent him a response asking him to consider adding a link to his site for independent booksellers. As of today, the link has not been added, but these things take time. He did, however, blog about it.
Hats off to you, Ben!

Although I would love to take the credit for the wonderful idea of responding to these authors instead of just hitting delete, that honor goes to Deb of Chicklet Books in New Jersey who shared this wonderful idea with fellow booksellers.

Hats off to you, Deb!

Kevin Wignall, who wrote Who is Conrad Hirst? , posted a blog on his site giving independent booksellers verbal support and calls for readers to give shout outs for their favorites.

Hats off to you Kevin!

What about you?

Do you have any independent authors, publishers or booksellers you would like to say

Hats Off to?

A Duck and a Polar Bear ...

Wednesday night I sat through two and a half hours of Idol Gives Back only to discover I would have to sit through another hour on Thursday to find out who would be eliminated. Okay, truthfully I watched about 15 minutes of the program considering the fact that I flipped channels during every commercial, African visit, guest singer, etc. I was watching, after all, to find out who would be eliminated! It’s not that I don’t have a heart and that I don’t think the program is all for a good cause, but it is called AMERICAN Idol, so I do have trouble understanding why a large chunk of change will be sent to Uganda, Zambia, Angola, Madagascar, and Mali. There are plenty of children living in poverty right here in America.

Thankfully on Thursday I was able to enjoy Survivor when the “hidden immunity idol” finally came into play. What a riot! Right after tribal counsel I flipped back to American Idol
to find out the results. What a complete shock! I don’t know which idol should have been sent packing, but definitely not *this one!
*I so wanted to include a picture, but I don’t want to be a spoiler, so this will have to do.

So, how do I tie the fact that I wasted 3 1/2 hours of my life in front of the TV this week with books? Obviously I should have been reading instead! This weekend we will have the perfect weather to curl up and read. Do you have any suggestions on titles which will wash away my Idol anger?

How often can you include a duck and a polar bear to describe the weather?

Hiatus

For the first time since I started this blog, I am at a complete loss.

Could it be the weather roller coaster we have been on with snow on Monday and Spring coat weather on Friday?

Could it be lack of sleep?

Hot flashes have begun and it would be a concern if I weren’t so darn grateful for the warmth.

After this winter I was beginning to believe I would never feel warm again.

Whatever the reason, I suppose my brain is entitled to a short hiatus.

Unfortunately, that means I have absolutely nothing to write about today.

With nothing to say, how can I possibly match a picture with that?

It appears that this Friday morning requires more creativity than I can muster.

Help!

Mind Over Matter

An out of breath customer rushed through the door recently and requested Grisham's latest. As I fondly placed a copy of The Appeal in her hands, she exclaimed, “My pocketbook demands the paperback!”

When a local teen requested Twilight, I walked her to the Teen Book Club shelf where the paperback is displayed. “I already read it,” explained the Stephenie Meyer fan, “but I want the whole series in hardcover.”

I can’t possibly wait until Nicholas Sparks’ latest comes out in paperback, so the hardcover is a must. In fact, there about half a dozen authors I can’t wait a year or more for. Paperbacks are much easier to throw in my purse, pack in my luggage or read in front of a campfire. Hardcover books can be so cumbersome to read in bed; however the print is friendlier to tired eyes.

Hardcover versus paperback. It’s undeniably a conundrum.

What do you think?