Saturday, March 13, 2010

Electronic publishing, the future of the book?

Books have always been close companions. It find it unthinkable to go anywhere without a book or several books along. I love the smell of paper, the feel of the book in my hand, the adventure awaiting on the next page I can turn. I go to bed with a book every night, reading until I fall asleep. I've been kept awake, reading through the night because the story was too exciting to put down. I can't resist buying books, nor can I bear to part with the ones I have. I need books for entertainment, enlightenment, inspiration, comfort, information, and education. What would I do without books?

I am delighted when I see young people, especially my grandchildren, have the same love and reverence for a book that I do. I am also in awe of kids who navigate the latest electronic devises with ease and comfort. They are growing up in a different age than I did, an age of exploding information and technology. My grandchildren have known and operated computers from toddler-hood. Cell phones, iPods, and all kinds of electronic reading devices are familiar to them.

With the variety of e-readers on the market and the ability to read a book on a cell phone, I wonder whether the book as I know it is on its way to becoming a relic of the past. I guess my biggest concern is that people continue to read, whatever method they utilize. If a child wants to take a Nook or a Kindle or an iPad to bed instead of a bound book, at least they are reading. Whatever the device, as long as it gives access to entertaining stories, inspiration in the written word, information, enlightenment, and comfort, it's a good thing. I'm grateful they have choices. For this reason, I'm determined to make all of my books, those written and those still to be published, available as e-books. So far, I have four books available this way on Smashwords.com, and one on Amazon.com.

Happy reading, everyone, any way you like it!


1 comment:

Janet Grace Riehl said...

Janet,

I agree with you about the sensuality of B-O-O-K. For me, that will never pass out of my life. Books at their best are an art form. Think of the difference between reading a hardback with thick paper & deckle edges...vs. a paperback.

My hope is that in addition to the proliferation of electronic media for reading, that we'll always have books. Somewhere...even if in homage to an age gone by. But, still, somehow, present.

Janet Riehl