Archive for October, 2009

Buried Treasure

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

I went to a library today with a friend of mine, for a book sale.  The library, needing funds and shelf space, killed two birds with one stone by selling off old books.  Now, normally, as an author, I try to support fellow authors by not purchasing resold books (do you think the hard toiling writer gets a penny on their resold book from the Strand?  A most definite no.)  But I LOVE book sales like the one today because it allows me to discover authors that are no longer in print, and discover just how much writing styles and characterizations have changed.  I bought 5 Harlequins from the mid 80s, another few from the mid 90s.  I cannot tell you how different they are from what I read now, and from each other.  Beta Heroes were RARE in those days, apparently, because I keep running across arrogant tycoons and landlords and absolutely no computer geeks to be found!  I guess the inherent sexiness of Bill Gates had yet to be discovered in the mid 80s.  ;)

Working working working this week… happy reading to you all!

A follow up on my internal EReader debate

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

This week, Barnes and Noble announced its own EReader debut, the Nook.  Now, I am not going to expound upon the virtues of the Ereader, the Nook vs. the Kindle, its 3G Wi-Fi, or anything technical or remotely interesting.  Instead, I’m going to make fun of the name:

Nook.

An ebook for my Nook.

A Nook ebook.

A Nookie book.

If there was ever a format for romance novels, I think we found it!

This week – plugging away at stories.  Maybe I need to break out the big board o’ plot!

Happy Reading!

Today’s blog is brought to you by the letter E

Monday, October 12th, 2009

… as in Ebook.  Or Ereader.  Or Ewhatchamacallit-but-its-a-device-that-lets-you-read-books-without-the-books.

Now, speaking as an author, I’m all for them.  I’m all for anything that allows readers to access my stories in whatever medium they choose.  (Legally, of course.  I’m pretty anti illegal downloads, natch.)  The same technology is transforming TVlandia, what with iTunes or Hulu screening TV episodes online, or watching Netflix on an Xbox, it seems that consumers are insatiable for narrative storytelling, and want it INSTANTLY.   As a creator of narrative content, I say thee yay!

However, speaking as a reader, I’m on the fence.  There is something very tactile for me about reading a book.  I don’t know if I’d get the same experience on a Kindle.  Also, I stare at a computer enough as it is.  Do I really want to stare at an LCD screen some more, further degrading my eyesight into coke-bottle-glassesdom?

That said… Kindles do seem nifty.

What’s your opinion?  Ebooks and Ereaders: awesome supercool wave of the future or horrible and must be stopped at all costs?

Reading Week

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

This week, I had a bit of time, and decided to read the pile down a little.  I had a number of books sitting on my computer, the free Harlequin Ebooks they gave out on their website for the 60th anniversary, not to mention the HUGE box still sitting beside my bed from this year’s RWA conference… and last year’s RWA conference…

So here’s a list of what I made it through:

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Irresistible Forces by Brenda Jackson *

In the Highlander’s Bed by Cathy Maxwell

The Boyfriend’s Back by Ellen Hartman

Under Her Skin by Susan Mallery

Slow Hands by Leslie Kelly *

My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent *

Tempt Me at Twilight  by Lisa Kleypas

(* denotes a Harlequin Ebook.  So, I read it on my computer.  Cuz I’m Kindle-less, and uncool.)

It looks like a lot of books to me, but YMMV.  I know I’m no Harriet Klausner.

Out of all of these, Walk Two Moons is the only title that is not a Romance.  It’s a Newberry winning children’s book, and it is beautifully written.  About a young girl, coming to terms with her mother’s abandonment and realizing that there is always more than one side to any story.  Definitely my favorite of the bunch, but that’s not to discount the romances!  Of course I loved Tempt Me at Twilight, I’m so in for the next one in the Hathaway series.  And I’ve always enjoyed Susan Mallery, and Rachel Vincent’s My Soul to Lose turned out to be really atmospheric.  It’s short, but give it a shot.

Other than that, feeling my way through the beginning chapters of the next story, and thinking about another one.  Because I love nothing better than to torture myself.  :)

Happy Reading everyone!