For those that haven’t tried ebooks yet, I recommend reading a few excerpts on eHarlequin.com with the Browse the Book feature. It’s not exactly the same as reading an ebook but you can get the general feel.

But at least the smilies worked.

Hi Marian – thanks for dropping by

If I’m honest, then as a reader I’m with you – give me a real book all the time. But as a writer, an ex-librarian and a mother who has tried to encourage her son to read as much as possible, then I’m behind any initiative that gets people reading and practising the skill as much as possible.

That’s one of the reasons why I totally support eHarlequin’s Reading Challenge – such a great idea to help others get more reading, while reading myself. Like the best ideas, simple but brilliant.

But all the books I’ve read for that challenge have been in ‘real’ book form. And I’ve been so glad they were because with books like Michelle’s Markonos Bride, I know I’m going to want to go back and reread them sometime.

Kate

Hello Rachael – good to ‘see’ you again!

Yes, that bookshelf consideration is a big one, isn’t it? I keep telling myself that I’d be happy to download boks to read, if I thought they weren’t ‘keepers’ – but then how do I know what would be a keeper? Knowing me, I’d download one and then decide I wanted to keep it – and end up with a print edition as well. Great for the author, but it wouldn’t solve the bookshelf problem.

But then I’m the sort of person who has bought a second edition of books I love because I love the covers – or to keep one edition beautiful and one to read. I’m just a bookaholic.

Kate who may have solved the smillie problem – the answer is to read the instrcusions!! (I hope)

But then I suppose we had more time to deal with all that because we weren’t exploring the internet and whizzing emails all over the place : wink: We didn’t have the opportunity to chat with readers and fellow writers as we can now. I

Ebooks – and emails . . . yes, there is a link, I promise you . : lol: You’ll find out soon – promise!

Kate (hoping that her smilies work!)

Lovely to see you here! I’m more traditional too in that I LOVE a real BOOK in my hand!!! I doubt that will ever change.

But . . . these added avenues do make it easier than ever to access books in other forms and like some mentioned here, I should really open myself up to these. And bottom line, reading, in whatever form, is a good thing!

MARIAN

Rachael.

Your post has just taken me on a trip down memory lane. I felt quite nostalgic when I recalled those years of typing away on an old typewriter – first draft, second draft, then the all important final draft which would be the one I’d send in to my Editor – in other words – a heck of a lot of typing!

Then there was the isolation of the job pre email. How did we manage before we had the ability to whip off an email to someone and know they would be reading it within minutes whatever part of the world they lived? The Internet quickly became a wondrous place of exploration and discovery and when the e-harlequin website went live it soon became the best place to go to meet with other like-minded writers and readers, but email is the lifeline that keeps everything else cyber moving. Being without it now is…well… inconceivable!

Now we have the magical wonders of e-books to delve into, and you’re here dropping hints linking e-books to e-mail – I want to know more!!!

Michelle

I don;t really want to remember what it was like to write when all I had was a typewriter – shudder! And doing revisons was an extra form of hell. There was no cut and paste, no ‘find and replace’ . I was never a very good typist and so I used to struggle to get a page looking even presentable (oops – no pun intended – I also used to struggle to get it Presentable!) All but the smallest revisions meant that you practically had to type the whole thing out again.

And like you I’m sure it’s that being at a computer screen all day means that we want to ‘switch off’ when we relax. And a book is so great for that.

But I also really fancy the instant gratification of an immediate download.

Kate

I so understand how you feel. When reading is at its very best then that wonderful ‘old-fashioned’ way can’t be beaten. I just don’t think that curling up by the fireside, with a cat – and an ebook reader – or on the beach, stretched out on a towel . . . has quite the same image.

But though it’s not really ‘me’ , I’m just so glad that there are these other ways to getting books to people. Anything that encourages people to read. And I love the fact that things like the new Alcolar Family ebook bundle will bring older books back to people who haven’t read them. Harlequin are great in the way that so many backlist books are now available this way.

I would never want to be without email though! One day without it and I get withdrawal symptoms.

Kate

Now with bookshelves, you’ve hit the perfect point. I recently reworked and redecorated my office – and first on the list of wants was more bookshelves. I’ve got bookshelves – lots of them – and they’re still overcrowded, double stacked . .. And I can’t fin what I want when I want it.

I can’t help thinking that ebooks would help with that They would take up so little space. And I’m sure it must be easier to find the book you want on a reader without trouble.

And I’m sure that if I travelled regularly then an ebook reader I could put in my bag would be so useful.

But – Oh, I love real books!

Kate