Books, Books and More Books by Merrillee Whren

Marta's post yesterday about what is happening in the world of books made me think about all of the books I own--many of them still unread. My to-be-read pile is huge. Here is a photo of a portion of one of my bookshelves. I have only read a small fraction of these books, but I keep collecting more on the Nook I received from my daughters for Mother's Day this year. I'm thinking it's a good thing since I don't have any room on my bookshelf. Some of these shelves are double stacked. On the other hand, since I don't have to worry about where I'm going to put more books, I can get more. Now instead of having a to-be-read pile, I will have a to-be-read list.



How big is your to-be read pile?

Giving Kindle Books

Camy here, admitting I am woefully behind the times.

Yes, it’s true. I did NOT know that you can now give Kindle ebooks to people!

All you need to do is enter their email address. The person you’re giving the Kindle ebook to doesn’t even have to own a Kindle! They can receive the book and read it on their computer or iPad. However, they can’t read it on any other ereader device like the Nook or Sony.

(Barnes and Noble, you are failing me. When can I give Nook ebooks to people????)

My first Love Inspired Suspense, Deadly Intent, has been out of print—or rather, off the shelves. The ebook version is still available, but I don’t have any more print copies to give away.

But now I can give away ebook copies!!! Yay!!!!

So on my Street Team Book List, I have now added Deadly Intent, Kindle version, so that anyone who wants one can pick that book. I can just get their email address and give my wonderful Street Team member a copy of Deadly Intent via email!

I know lots of you prefer print books, but I have to admit that reading a book on a Nook or Kindle is pretty much the same thing. I still get lost in the book and don’t notice the carrots burning. Also, you can shove an ereader into a plastic ziplok bag and take it into the tub with you for a bubble bath. :)

And yes, I have accidentally dropped a book I was reading into the tub. It was a horrible experience that will scar me for life because I tend to be really careful with my books. I don’t like to crease them if I can help it.

I will read used books and library books, but I don’t really like it that much. I prefer new books. And Nookbooks and Kindle books never have a funny smell from the pages (like cigarettes or wet dog or body odor or mold) nor do they have dog-eared pages or nasty unidentifiable stains on the covers that feel unpleasant as I hold the book.

Yes, I am a freak. But especially stains and smells from a used book will drive me NUTS. I can’t even enjoy the book. I think that is why I’ve been so gung-ho on the entire ebook thing. Ereaders are as clean as you keep them, and books never have smells or stains.

Okay, I went off target, sorry. Anyway, I am SO thrilled to be able to give the Kindle version of Deadly Intent! Naomi is one of my favorite characters. Although I think her sister Monica (whose book is coming out in Spring 2012, Stalker in the Shadows) might be a close second.

So, weigh in! Do you mind used books? Would you rather receive a Kindle book or a used print book?

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. Out now is her humorous contemporary romance Sushi series and her romantic suspense, Formula for Danger. In her spare time, she is a staff worker for her church youth group, and she leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service. On her blog, she ponders dogs, knitting and spinning wool, running, Asiana, and other frivolous things. Sign up for her quarterly newsletter for giveaways!

Click here to find out how you can join Camy's Street Team—it’s free and there’s lots of chances to win prizes!

My Name is Pamela Tracy and I'm a Readaholic.

I went kicking and screaming, but eventally I broke down and purchased a Kindle. Yes, yes, I know. We've all heard the yeas and nays. So, before you all jump in, let me say:

My name is Pamela Tracy and I'm a readaholic.

I figured it out once. If I read a book a day and lived to be 103, I probably wouldn't make it through my TBA file (partly because I got really behind on my LIS book club).

Some of the books patiently waiting in my closet for their turn are so old that when the heroine needs help, she doesn't whip out her cell phone and punch in numbers. (I still have Harper Monograms waiting their turn and a few Loveswepts!) See, some of those books were written before Jane Q. Public could afford a cell phone or maybe before they existed as we know them.

My name is Pamela Tracy and I'm a readaholic.

But, I digress. I still very much want the print version. I purchased the Kindle because I can read it in the car without getting a headache. For some reason, I've never been able to read in the car for more than a minute before nausea followed by pounding headache. Then, my sister handed me her Kindle while we were driving from AZ to CA, and after reading for fifteen minutes, I wanted one.

My Kindle is my purse book.

The reason I'm blogging about the Kindle is because I uploaded my Bible so I'd have it with me everywhere. The Bible is better in print form. My fingers can fly over the little Kindle pad, but I have to go through about six functions if I want to change to a chapter and verse and keep up with whoever is teaching. With a print Bible, I just flip the page. I can underline easily, but keeping notes is tedious, and if I want to read them later, they're a bit hard to find. Plus, I'll never stumble on a chance margin note. I have to look for them.

My name is Pamela Tracy and I'm a readaholic.

Are you?

So much for multi-tasking!

Hello from Lisa Mondello. School is finally out. I had another child graduate from high school and two others finish the high school year on Monday. End of the school year means paperwork and lots of it! Not only do they bring home lots of "stuff" from school, we need to get paperwork ready for the next year.

This is why I love the fact that so much paper we used to push is going digital. I love that Harlequin is releasing all our books in ebook form. Now no matter how old the book is, you don't have to worry about it being out of print. If you discover a new author and want to go back and get her/his backlist, you can!

I was on the wave of the first ebook push years ago when my first books were published. I owned a Rocket ebook reader and loved it! (My tired eyes mostly loved being able to change the font size.) Now there are so many more ebook readers on the market. For those of you who love the feel of paper on your fingers as you read, I understand. One of the things I always wondered about is if the concept of physically visiting a bookstore would end if we eventually went all digital. I love going to the bookstore and spending time walking the aisles and just looking. It's much harder to browse on line and get that same experience.

But I do love technology and now that both the Nook and the Kindle have dropped their prices, I'm seriously thinking of taking the plunge and getting a new ebook reader. (Yes, my old Franklin still worked and I couldn't justify buying something new...until now.) Nook and Kindle aren't the only books on the market. Sony has several models and I just saw in Barnes and Noble an advertisement for another ebook reader. The name escapes me at the moment.

So tell me about your experiences with ebook readers. Have you given any a test drive? Do you own one? Which is your favorite and why?

Until next time, many blessings, Lisa Mondello

Fresh-Start Family Love Inspired Romance October 2010

http://www.loveinspiredauthors.com/

http://www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/

http://www.craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com/

April Fool's Day Greetings from Author Cheryl Wyatt

I can't tell you how appropriate it is for me to be able to post on April Fool's Day. I am SUCH a practical joker. My husband is too. I love watching shows like Candid Camera and Punk'd and those kinds of shows that secretly film people having enormously outrageous jokes played on them.

Unfortunately one has to be willing to be on the receiving end if one is intent on exacting practical jokes. I've often led youth groups at churches I've been involved in, so that opens me up even more to have jokes played on me.

One of my friends (waving to Kelly Rushing) filled my car with HUNDREDS of over-inflated helium balloons once. I could not even get inside. Worse, she sneaked to my work and did it on a night that I got an emergency call that my mother had a heart attack and things weren't looking good. I was told to come right away. I just had to squish my way into the car and start shoving balloons out as I drove down the highway.

Unfortunately it wasn't long before I was pulled over. LOL!(Laughing Out Loud) The state trooper hardly could believe my story, or see me for the balloons that were PACKED IN so tightly he helped me start popping them so I could drive safely to see my mom. And those balloons that weren't packed in kept floating in front of my face. So I drove the remainder of the way with all windows down hoping the negative air current would suck the rest of the balloons out. My mom ended up okay, but my balloon-planting-buddy felt terrible. LOL!

What has been the funniest practical joke you have heard of? Or that you've had played on you or that you've played on someone else?

I'd love to hear from you! I might just glean some good ideas....

LOL!

I wanted to mention that my mother ended up okay. She's still with us today and doing fine. I am SO thankful she survived. The doctors were amazed that her heart had actually grown new vessels, albeit small ones, that they said saved her life because she had total blockages of her arteries to the point her main arteries collapsed.

In my April Love Inspired (Ready-Made Family which is IN STORES NOW!), my hero's father suffers from heart disease. Hero Ben recognizes signs of it because he's a military paramedic. He is pulled between family situations of helping his Mosaic Down Syndrome brother, or helping the down-and-out heroine. She has been wounded by a toxic church but learns through the hero what a healthy church is. And of course it's full of ROMANCE! I hope you will pick up a copy and let me know your thoughts on the book.

I also wanted to mention that I'm running a Kindle Contest from April 1, 2009 through June 15, 2009. Winner will be notified on Independence Day of this year. Only my newsletter subscribers will be eligible to enter. To join my newsletter, visit my Web site and sign up in the newsletter space provided. I respect your privacy and will not share your e-mail address with a third party. If the above link doesn't work, paste www.cherylwyatt.com into your browser.

Don't forget to share your practical joke experiences in the comment section of this post! I love hearing from readers.

Cheryl Wyatt

Backlists and Ebooks...

I just love it when I hear from readers. Truly. Every time I get an email I'm all giddy that someone has read one of my books.

Since my next release is Her Only Protector, I've been thrilled to hear from the bookclub readers who've already read the book and couldn't wait to email me to tell me how they liked it. I'm also surprised at how many people are still picking up a copy of Cradle of Secrets and writing me to tell me they enjoyed the book. They're always thrilled to know they won't have to wait long for the sequel. Just a few weeks and Her Only Protector will be hitting the bookstore shelves.

Which brings me to the backlists and ebooks subject line of my post. As many readers know, Steeple Hill books are available in paperback for just one month on the bookstore shelves. If you happen to find a great author or a series you love mid-way through the series, it's hard to go back and find those first books unless you can get them at a used bookstore. But not anymore.

All Steeple Hill books are available on EBOOK! So it doesn't matter if you miss a couple of books from a great author. You can always go back and purchase an ebook to download to either the Kindle or some other software platform. These ebooks can be read on your computer, a PDA or ebook reader.

I have to be honest with you. I love the feel of a paperback book in my hands, love to turn the pages and look at the cover. But I also love the idea of being able to load a ton of books on one device and store it there. I have a friend who just emailed me to tell me she won a Kindle in a contest. I must admit that I'm green with envy. But alas I can't justify purchasing another device to read ebooks since I already have one. I still have my old Rocket Ebook Reader that I purchased 10 years ago! While not as light and easy to use as the Kindle and certain not able to hold as many books, the Rocket is a great little device to load 8-10 books on as well as my own manuscripts for editing and final read throughs.

My point (and yes, I do have one) is that I love that technology has given us choices. I no longer have to hunt down a book I missed when it was on the shelf. I can buy an ebook from a new favorite author. And I no longer have to choose which books to bring with me on a trip because I can't fit them all in my suitcase on one device. I can bring enough books to last me an entire vacation! (I love reading while I'm camping. And the Rocket is great for night reading since I don't have to hold a flashlight and a book at the same time!)

I'd love to know your thoughts on ebooks and ebook devices. And if you're one of the lucky readers who has a Kindle, let me know what you think. I have a feeling, despite the fact that I still love my Rocket, that the Kindle may go on my Christmas List.

Until next time, many blessings! Lisa Mondello

Be sure to visit the CRAFTIE LADIES of SUSPENSE at http://www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/