Friday, September 2, 2011

The Pigs Are Flying

You know that saying about how "something" will only happen when pigs fly? Well, I don't recall ever actually saying "I'll only read an ebook/read an ebook on my phone when pigs fly..." BUT I'm pretty sure I said something close, if not quite that emphatic.

So, if you saw a swine swoop by outside your window yesterday, it was my fault. I read an ebook. On my phone. (Cue soap opera-like catastrophe music...)

But it gets worse.

I liked it. I liked playing with the brightness and the font size. I liked swiping my finger across the screen to turn the page. It didn't hurt that it was Stephen King's new ebook, "Mile 81" which I probably would've read if it had been written on a roll of paper towels.

Of course, I kept my back to my bookshelves but I could feel all the books' spines straightening in disgust and despair. Their rustling pages whispering, "Traitor!"

Yes, I'm overreacting, I know. It's not the end of the world or my bookshelves or my love of the printed page. It might be the start of a new friendship with the digital word and the ease and immediacy of having a new story/book at my finger tips. It's definitely the beginning of me being careful to "never say never."

Who knew a flying pig could be so pretty?

14 comments:

  1. I'm still on the fence about e-readers, but I think within a year pigs will also be flying past my window.

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  2. Donna, just be sure to duck. :)

    I haven't gotten an actual ereader - I wanted to try it on my phone first and see how that worked. I don't know that it's something I would do regularly and it would depend on the ebook - how long it was, what kind it was, etc.

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  3. Let us know how you like "Mile 81" -- I've read mixed reviews. And something about a full-length time-travel novel later this year?

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  4. Milo, I liked it overall. I didn't love the ending, felt like it came up kind of quick. Yep, the new novel is called "11/22/63" and it's out 11/8/11.

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  5. I think I'm coming around to ebooks too. But there's no reason to give up on paper. ;) Sarah xx

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  6. Sarah, I used to think it had to be either/or but I'm learning it can be AND. :)

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  7. I also am a resister when it comes to technology. Besides, I'd need a much bigger phone!

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  8. I always thought that, too, Katie, but the screen didn't turn out to be as small for me as I thought it would. Would I want to read Gone With The Wind on it? Probably not, but for novellas and short work, I'd consider it again.

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  9. Hi Madeline, I am intrigued by e-readers. I love the idea of having the portability of many books that I could take anywhere. Saying hello from your contemporary fiction group;)

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  10. I have to admit that after being shown a Kindle by one of the women on my literature course, I fell in love with them there and then. I now have one of my own, and I love it. It doesn't mean I don't like having books, but I love being able to carry both writing craft books and fiction books about with me. :)

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  11. Allie, thanks for telling me about your Kindle experience. I'm considering getting one but I think I'll see how my phone works as an e-reader first. But I do like the idea of carrying around craft books... :)

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  12. I'm not quite ready for the flying pigs yet although I've read a few books downloaded to my computer. I'd much rather lounge comfortably with a book in my hands though. I'm sure the flying pigs are heading my way eventually.

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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  13. Lee, my preference is definitely a book in hand, too. It was definitely a different experience reading it on my phone - not bad, just different. That was what surprised me the most - that it wasn't nearly as bad as I had imagined it.

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