BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!

Baby, it's cold outside!

Brrrr! Winter is here! No snow, but cold wind to rosy your cheeks and chase you indoors. What do you do on cold winter days?

By Jodi Thomas

My favorite thing to do on a cold day is curl up with a good book. In fact, that's what I did yesterday. A luxurious, self-indulgent day sitting in my favorite chair, covered with my favorite throw, and reading a favorite author's new book. What could be better on a cold day?  I read Jodi Thomas’ SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, which I received as a stocking gift from Santa. This book continues the Harmony series on which I am so hooked. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series. 

By Cindy Sample

On my Kindle, I had just finished DYING FOR A DATE by Cindy Sample (recommended by my friend Bobbye Terry). This is a well-written cozy mystery with plenty of humor and a good puzzle. I didn't know who the killer was until way near the end. Fooling other writers is hard because we know the rules, but Cindy Sample pulled it off and offered an entertaining read as well.

This brings me to my Monday Musings topic. WILL E-BOOKS REPLACE BOOKS IN PRINT? In my opinion, it will not occur in our lifetime. Maybe. Probably. Certainly I hope not!



I love my new Kindle, but . . .

 E-books are ecologically sound, and an e-reader can hold dozens, even hundreds, of books on one small device. Electronic books are less expensive to produce, and are much faster through the editing and publishing process. The drawback to them is that they are so easy to publish, some that are not up to publishing quality reach the market. These badly written books create a poor reputation for all electronic publishing. My publisher, The Wild Rose Press, has wonderful editors who take their jobs seriously. I’ve started books from other sources, though, that I simply could not finish. They aren’t true wall bangers, since I’m not throwing my Kindle against the wall, but they are quickly deleted from my files.

Curl up with a good book

For those of us old enough to have grown up reading a print book, nothing replaces the feel of a book in our hands. I love thumbing through a research book. This usually leads to locating interesting material for a book down the line. In fact, I simply love books. Our home is filled with bookshelves filled with fiction and non-fiction books. Are these print books going the same way as the dinosaur? Will our heirs sell them as rare collections or will they go to a land fill?



Thing of the past?

 I hate to think of future libraries as a building filled with only computers! One exclusive private school in Dallas has replaced the library with 48 computers. The only books are in a tiny room labeled Antique Library. Shudder!  What a sad commentary on the future of libraries.

I limit my Kindle reading to those books I plan to read only once. Yes, I do reread many of my favorite books. Those authors whose books I plan to save, I buy in print. Makes sense to me, and I hope it does for other readers as well.  Perhaps both print and e-books will continue to be companion media for the future.

Pick your form of reading material, but please keep reading! Authors need more than royalties. We need to know that readers are enjoying our books. While I would write if no one but my family read my books, my goal is to bring escapism, hope, and pleasure to many, many readers through my writing.

Please return on Wednesday for an interview with Sybil Baker.