Well, my own book is now available on Kindle, so I better get with it, give it a chance. I've been considering investing in an IPhone after the new year. I've been hearing a lot about Smashwords, too, and just sent my publisher an email about them. It seems like a great platform.

Thanks for all the advice. I'm such a Luddite. :)
Here's a link to my book, if anyone's interested. I just added yours, Alison--it looks phenomenal.

Musical Chairs

Alison wrote: "Jen wrote: "I have to be honest, I've never tried the Kindle, but I fear change. I just love my books so much. I'm sure I'll try it eventually. I have tried to read books on my laptop, and that ..."

I have an Iphone and will occasionally download a book to it. The view screen is smaller than the kindle but I have a few friends who swear by their Iphone giving them books when they want them. I love books, but don't care for the mall. I guess I am really glad to have so many options available to me depending on my mood at the time. When I published my book I wanted it also available to all in any fashion they are comfortable with. My book is on Smashwords, which was a learning experience in itself. I put it on Kindle also then I found out Smashwords now has an agreement with them as well as B&N. I have not seen my book in the B&N ebook section yet, but I do search frequently for it.
LoriHere All Along

Jen wrote: "I have to be honest, I've never tried the Kindle, but I fear change. I just love my books so much. I'm sure I'll try it eventually. I have tried to read books on my laptop, and that I can't do."

I agree with you, that I do not like to read books on my laptop. The backlighting strains my eyes and I already spend all day at work on a computer, then write my books for a while when I get home. The best thing about the e-readers like Kindle and Nook are that they do not have a backlight. The page you are reading looks just like you are reading on a printed page of paper. No eye strain whatsoever.


Carole, if you wanted to get a feel for what an e-book is like you could try Smashwords.com. Most of the books on there make the 1st 50% of the book available to read for free and you have a choice of formats.

If I were you, to get you used to downloading, I would click on the pdf format then it will download it to your computer and you can open it up and read it anytime.

I've heard that people love to read on their iphones now, but I would think the screen would be too small and iphones are backlit also. I guess it is just a matter of taste at the end of the day.

Alison,
I was interested to read your post on e-books. I have never seen an e-book or had anything to do with them so far. But my pubisher has added my crime fiction book, And the Devil Laughed,as an e-book as well as as the printed version. I understand Ingrams are about to distribute the e-form -- but at the moment I don't even know where to look for it. New Generation (my pub.)has sent me an attachment to view it, butI'm still trying to find out how to open it!:)
It is good to hear someone enthuse about e-books.
Cheers
Carole

I have to be honest, I've never tried the Kindle, but I fear change. I just love my books so much. I'm sure I'll try it eventually. I have tried to read books on my laptop, and that I can't do.

Goodness, I think I may be throwing a spanner into this thread but I am a major fan of ebooks. I have a Kindle and absolutely adore it. I finish one book while lying in bed (where I do most of my reading), then turn the wireless on, shop for another book and it's downloaded and ready for me to read in under a minute. All without even having to put my slippers on. Love Love Love it.

I have to say, the savings on the environment is another thing I love about it. Saving all those trees is a plus for me. I am to the point where I almost feel guilty if I buy a paper book.

I have my book available on Kindle and Smashwords, and Smashwords has just signed with B&N to make the ebooks available on the Nook too. How can all that extra distribution hurt when you are an aspiring author? Best of all, it doesn't cost you a penny to publish it as an ebook, so anything you make in royalties is better than nothing. Right?

For what it's worth, our publisher (St. Martin's) more or less automatically put out an eBook version of our book (Carry a Chicken In Your Lap, Or Whatever It Takes to Globalize Your Business) in addition to the standard physical ones. It will be interested to see how many copies (if any) they sell of the thing. I think the publishers are afraid to be left off the Kindle (or Nook) train.

Brett wrote: "ebooks might be easier to update for something that is say scientific or law oriented...and will change frequently and old text will become outdated. Not sure, but I thin ebooks can be updated. S..."

I have no interest in ebooks, I too like the old fashioned way of reading, I am sure it has nothing to do with my extra many years on this planet. My solid, hard paper, printed books have been out there for forty years and many people still have them on their shelves.

After twenty five years of marriage, (this time) I must confess, I have never heard a harsh comment from my wife nor has she from me. The first thing she says when she gets up in the morning, "I love you" and it is the last thing she says after we have said our evening prayers. She wasn't born when I married the first time and even that first marriage was a dream, a very good one, a wonderful lady, three fantastic children but we were two people who got along perfectly. I have been lucky. I have been blessed. I hope you are able to help others to achieve such happiness. As you can tell from my books, I have always lived in Paradise.

Yasheve wrote: "I ran across this eBook landing page for "55 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Book on the Internet" by Bob Baker. Has anyone read this book? If so, is the information useful.

I'm skeptical about eBoo..."

Do you have a link for this book?

ebooks might be easier to update for something that is say scientific or law oriented...and will change frequently and old text will become outdated. Not sure, but I thin ebooks can be updated. Seems like it would be a little easier on the environment than a print version that will be outdated in a few years. Still, an e book is not as fun to curl up with in front of a roaring fire with a nice cup of tea....

Thanks for looking at my website. I appreciate your feedback! So happy to hear you have a good, solid marriage...so worth the extra care and work. :)
Relationship Coaching Over the Phone

Brett, I checked out your website. (Wrong forum, I know) but your advice is solid. I have a perfect marriage, and I agree, it's all about your key principles: communication-based solutions.
I wish you all the best.

Back to topic: I never really think about the idea of ebooks for environmental reasons, especially for information-based texts...

Best,
Jen

Yes, Sometimes book are "printed" only in e form. the benefits are that they are less expensive to produce and customers cannot re sell them as a used book. It is probably better for the environment too. That being said, I love real books! If I have a choice, I always buy the print book form.
http://www.helptalking.com

hmmmm... I like old fashioned books myself, but are there books released in e-format that do not come out in print? If so, I didn't know this. My book is only in print now, but it should be available for e-consumption soon.
Best,
Jen
Musical Chairs

Hi Yasheve, I have not seen that book..but I too am interested if anyone has any information.


Interested to know why you hate ebooks so much. Do you think some types of books...say non-fiction may make good ebooks? (not an ebook author, but have been thinking about it)


Brett You Can Be Right or You Can Be Married by Brett R. Williams

I ran across this eBook landing page for "55 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Book on the Internet" by Bob Baker. Has anyone read this book? If so, is the information useful.

I'm skeptical about eBooks because I've ghostwritten so many of them, that I know have of them are complete fluff. It's no secret that I'm not a fan of eBooks.

Even better, if anyone has it, you can email it to me.