Okay. I finally did it. I’ve ordered a Kindle Paperwhite. Don’t tell me I’ve made the wrong choice; it’s too late now.
I have stubbornly avoided getting on the eBook bandwagon. I covet my moments with real books in my hands. The last thing I need in my life is more “screen time.” I need the soft shush of pages turning, the sweet smell of ink and book-glue and paper (side note: anyone else in love with the smell of used book stores? the older books get, the better they smell). I need the feel of them in my hands to truly enjoy reading.
At least, that’s what I’ve been telling myself. Because that’s how it’s been for me for the last 30 years. Actually, I’m not sure that my owning an eReader is going to change any of that. I will always love paper books. However, I am willing to make some concessions to my ideals for the sake of three things…
1) I would like to be able to view my own books in their electronic form for the sake of proofing, editing, and plain old curiosity. Although I trust my publisher to make my upcoming novel as professional as it can be, I am venturing into the world of self-publishing for some of my novellas, short-stories, etc. and I need to be able to view them as they will be viewed by others.
2) There are so many lovely self-published and small press authors out there whom I would love to support. Many of them only publish eBooks, which is one reason I feel I need an eReader. But even those who offer paperbacks as well, I would like to be able to purchase in eBook format. Not that I wouldn’t love to have a huge library of hardcopy indie books. But eBooks make the difference between me being able to support three or four authors for the same price as one, if I limit myself to paperbacks. I want to share the love a bit 🙂
3) My wallet will (hopefully) thank me. Not only will I be able to spread my dollars around a bit more to show my Indie love, but I will hopefully be able to save some money on traditionally published books as well. There are some books that I am curious about, but just can’t bring myself to spend the money on. If the eBook is significantly cheaper, I may discover authors that I would have otherwise avoided out of uncertainty. I never hold back from buying a book that I know I love, but I’d like to take a few more risks and not feel like I’m breaking the bank.
So there you have it. My rationale… What do you think? Do you have and love your eReader? Are you a stubborn old goat, like me, who clings to paper books like the precious relics they are? Do you have an eBook that you think I might enjoy? Drop me a line, and post links in the comments. I will review sci-fi and fantasy on Cat’s Liminal Space, and others on Goodreads and Amazon.