Summer Reading

Can you identify with this? Something happens and you think it is a terrible sign of the coming Armageddon and it turns out to be something great instead. That’s what happened the summer our television was diagnosed with a fatal disease and with no money for repair, we thought it a tragedy. It got too hot to play outside and with no one to go swimming with, I looked around for something else to do. My mother amassed an impressive library, most of which came to our mailbox because she forgot to decline the monthly Doubleday book selections or could not resist the new releases. I read through the entire Nancy Drew collection, Hardy Boys and went on to adult fiction. Some of the reading was hard to understand but I could usually follow the plot. I don’t remember many of the titles or authors but Katherine Marshall’s Christy and Pear S. Buck The Good Earth,  Lloyd C. Douglas, The Robe, Jacqueline Susann, Valley of the Dolls, I do recall.

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For the Study of Writing

Dear me there are so many good writing books, how can you choose one to write a review about? Well, I can’t.

38 Common Mistakes is one of my favorites. It is helpful, truly helpful. I have referred back to it often. It is one of those that you really should have on your shelf. It says it is only 38, but it feels like much more. Your bookshelf should have a spot for this book.

Self Publishing Attack by James Scott Bell is a wonderful work for those of us interested in self publishing. I have published my novel, Caitlin’s Summer Adventure. It is available both on Kindle and in paperback. And I have Mr. Bell to thank for assistance in my journey. This book is easily one of the most helpful books I have read on self publishing. The points are clearly explained and it has a positive energy that keeps you reading and re-energizes you for your project.

Prompt: E-books vs Printed Books

Okay, from the wording of this prompt, I’m assuming there are pros to e-books. If you had asked me two years ago if there were any, I would have answered no.

But now, having worked on one and actually purchased a few, I can honestly say there are a few pros to e-books.

First, they’re usually shorter and less expensive to buy. Second, they only take up technological space as opposed to shelf space in my house. Third, they can be found world-wide from a computer and not just in countries that still have physical stores. But the most awesome pro of e-books from a writer’s perspective, (which I am one), is that you can write, publish and sell your book in a matter of weeks. This is a major breakthrough for writers who know they have something worthy and important to share with the world and there is no gatekeeper, guard, or obstacle to prevent them from getting their book out. This doesn’t mean the book can be sub-par, unedited, or indecent, though. It still needs decent content, good editing, and a point to it. But the e-book revolution has opened wide the gates for all writers to enter and this is a good thing. Many a writer has been turned down for good books and now they can put them out there if they choose. The control has been moved to the writer.

There are a few cons to e-books as well. They are hard to read on small screens, and as I get older, I need larger screens, and print, not smaller. Also, because the gates are wide open, there is a lot more junk to wade through. And far more content to compete with.

However, I prefer to use a paper bookmark and turn pages of printed books, and think I will always prefer physical books to e-books. But printed books also have a set of pros and cons.

The cons to printed books are the cost and amount of resources to produce. And traditional publishers are picky about what they publish. And some hardbacks can be heavy to carry.

The pros to printed books include not taking any batteries or electricity to read, they are still portable and they advertise themselves when carried to the beach or elsewhere. Libraries are a great place to check out books to save money.

This is what I came up with the day we had this prompt. Now it’s your turn. What would you say the pros and cons are to e-books versus printed books? Let us know in the comments.

Michelle