Oh good, if she only wept for 20 minutes, it was a great day!!!!

I'll have to pick up a copy. I really enjoy Hamilton's writing, although I think I'm already behind at least one book...now I've got time to get to it before the new one comes out!

Oh and don't get me wrong. I still do like the feel of a "real" book. I think there's room for both in this world. Well, not in my living room anymore, but in general. :>)

That's what I meant about a desktop (or laptop) ereader. They all keep your page for you!!! Even if you switch books! It was a LOVELY day indeed when I discovered that. I had closed down mobipocket reader (my reader of choice). When I re-opened the book, voila! There it went, right to the page. I don't know if it would work with PDF. I pretty much look for .mobi or epub because using the reader really does provide some advantages.

The ebooks that were read by others than myself were from small press, but by trusted authors (meaning usually the reviewers were already fans.) In my case, I don't mind reading online stuff, so it's just another free book (which as you say, is probably the best thing about being a reviewer and sometimes the *only* perk.) If I had an e-reader, such as the Kindle, I would have read even more ebook copies--and probably would have preferred that method of delivery. Like most reviewers I ended up with a stack of books that seemed to multiply in the dark of night...and it gets to a point where the books have to move out or the people do...

When I reviewed for BSCreview, I was one of the few that accepted e-copies for review. Now that I know more about ebooks, I'd probably request an easier form to read (.mobi or epub), but I didn't mind doing a review from an online book. It did tend to take longer to bubble to the top because I had to have time to read it while at home--I wasn't going to drag my laptop along with me to read it. I'll only be reviewing at BSC until the end of the year--but I noticed that in the past year, about 3 of the reviewers made "exceptions" and reviewed PDF files.

I still read ebooks on my laptop--but I use that download sample feature A LOT. It rocks!!!

You forgot: "Who would you recommend play Jane, my heroine, in the movie?" "If I want it played by Pink, can you get that in the contract?" You probably just haven't had enough coffee yet. :>)

Oh, you knew I'd have to answer this one what with my obvious interest in ebooks! I have been reading more and more ebooks, but the reasons are many. 1. I published a book of novellas for Kindle--it was an experiment, yes, but also the stories were too long for short markets and...I'd heard so many people gush about the kindle. Okay, so once my own stuff was on Kindle, I had no choice but to start getting serious about an e-reader. What happened? Well...research! I downloaded the mobipocket, stanza and Adobe Digital edition for my laptop and started reading. What did I find? Turns out that to my surprise, using an e-reader on my PC does make reading more pleasant (I went with mobipocket and discussed why on my blog...probably just last week; scroll down a few entries if you care.) I follow a few forums (which is how I determined pricing for my collection). I'm still researching, but I'd have to say that I'm leaning towards the kindle myself, mainly because I think they have the largest BOOK selection and all in one place. BN is supposed to come online with a new ebook program. I'm going to see how that turns out. I'm participating in it through smashwords.com (loaded up my ebook there as well so that people that don't have a kindle can download my ebooks in various formats.) Smashwords is easy to use--but at this point it is SMALL. I've also downloaded a few ebooks from smashwords to read. The quality is all over the map (predictably.) The length is all over the map. The price is all over the map. So...I'm reading more ebooks--compared to last year, I'm reading a LOT more ebooks. The instant gratification, the price and the selection (the last of which is still improving) all played a part. As for which ereader I will end up with...not sure. But I went from, "Why bother" to "Very Interested" in a span of 4 months! Just for your quick reference--ebook readers pretty much expect to pay less for ebooks, regardless of what various publishers are trying to do. The amazon forum has several "Ban buying on this book" some based on overall price and some based on the fact that the ebook costs more than the current print book. Obviously some people are pickier than others, but the threads make for some very interesting reading. (Anyone has any specific questions about where to find threads, etc, feel free to drop me an email from my blog.)

Ah, but you signed in as Lynne. So I guess you are an undercover journalist. Or maybe an undercover writer? Maybe I need more cocoa.

Will do. Very good value and a great update to know!

Hi Lynn, I went to Creme/Crime site--am I reading the price right? The Fall Girl delivered to the US is 9 pounds? (Just want to make sure delivery is included in that price listing.) This is all, of course, after I find out whether the other book is going to show up...

Those of us in the US that can't wait that long ordered The Fall Girl from www.Bookdepository.com! (Of course my copy has not arrived and there has been some long, drawn-out snafu, but that is besides the point. Personally, I am convinced that a postal person on one end or the other saw the book and started reading it. Then, instead of delivering it, handed it off to her friend to read. Next thing you know, I'm sitting in Texas wondering where on Earth my book has gone while it's being passed along in dark alleyways and church pews.) I recommend Victoria Lanier's series. Everyone will love them. Start at the beginning. It's worth the journey. For lighter, fun fare, perhaps an Amelia Peabody (That's the character name. The author is Elizabeth Peters.) For lighter fun fare that crosses into something that EVERYONE can love, "Put a Lid on It" By Donald Westlake. It's stand alone. It's his best book (that I've read.) Wonderful, amusing, and intriguing. Have a great vacation, Maria

You soooo owe that band. Otherwise, I fear you'd be sleeping on the porch on your couch... :>)

Think how cute you'll look with a stack of books to each side, typing away and looking...bookish!

You could sit up there and write--but take a stack of books with you. I bet people will be curious about "Just what does a reader take when they have an hour and nothing better to do..." You'll probably need a flashlight. :>)

The author may not know you exist. Probably their own fault for not doing the research. These days it is a lot easier to focus on online venues (and I mean to spread the word, not necessarily to shop) because as writers we are at our computer all the time. Send the author a note. Ask them if they'd like to come in and sign the store copy. I know I'd be thrilled to be asked. I'm sure that the author feels some...oh, I don't know--links with Amazon for "discovering" him/her. That does create a bit of a bubble. They are probably very new at the whole thing and don't know much about marketing the book at all. A lot of authors fully expect the publisher to do that (because they don't spend enough time researching.) It's probably ignorance. But you'd know for sure after meeting or talking to them once. :>)

I've only got one thing against vampires. They're dead. There ain't nothin' sexy about that. 'nuf said.

No problem. :>) I know people in the UK that are using the Sony reader that seem mighty happy with that. Biggest complaint about the kindle here (other than deletions) seems to be lack of "folders." You can't organize the books well at this stage (you can list them alphabetically, reverse alpha, and things like that). LOTS of requests for folders so that you can put things into categories like "mystery" or "favorites" or...yanno.

Yes, you can always reload the books from Amazon. If you paid for it, Amazon will let you download it to your kindle as many times as you like (so if you accidentally deleted it, you just download again.) If you get a new kindle, you just re-register it to the account, and you can download the books you already bought. There's some sort of archiving feature as well, but I don't understand it well enough to talk about it. You can also share the books between two owned kindles (say you and your hubby both have kindles). I think you have to have the same account for that--again, not my area of expertise, but from the forums I know people are doing it. They are also apparently using Kindles with some success in the UK, but I think they preload before going there because the whispernet only works in the US (I think Amazon is working on connectivity before selling it over there.) Kindle also keeps your place when you're reading, as well as provides bookmarks (in case you read more than one book.) I think most ereaders have bookmarks. They have to because "page numbers" are kind of...well, they don't apply all that well since you can change the font and that sort of thing. That said, the whole "deleting" off a personal device was a HUGE mistake (which they admit was a huge mistake.) There are calls for them to take such functionality away (guessing that won't happen.)

So long as we're on the subject, let me just throw my review of Criminal Tendencies out here too: http://www.bscreview.com/2009/07/book-review-criminal-tendencies-edited-by-lynne-patrick/

That be a lot of questions! I like textured books, whether hardback or trade. I almost always prefer matte. I don't take dust jackets off, I rarely crease the spine in any book, including mass market. My husband often remarks that my books look unread. I don't do this on purpose, that is the way it is. I do not like glossy trade. They get fingerprints on them. I do not like to see through the page, but I generally adjust and only notice right at first. I love mass market. They are easy to carry. Hardbacks are a nice luxury but are almost always library books so they are not mine, and thus I tend to care less about any of the details. They are always covered by...that film that libraries put on them. I do not like that feel. Slick, glossy. Nope. A real hardback should be the papery feel of a jacket, slightly glossy, but not like the library film or the book itself, that clothlike feel. I like the clothlike texture that some hardbacks have--no jacket necessary. Trade remains my least favorite form and feel. The size is awkward, they are mostly glossy, the pages tend to flop about in a very undignified manner. Mass market is a nice efficient package. Easy to read in bed, in the chair on the plane. I don't expect texture and I do not like it when there is some sort of cutout that catches on my fingers or on other things and ultimately gets bent (those ones with almost a double cover.) I rarely notice if there are imprints on the side or front (unless I'm looking because I'm doing a review). I do notice the cover picture and color and can sometimes tell you the color of a book cover YEARS after I have read it--as well as where it was on the shelf at the library or bookstore. I may not remember the actual picture, but will remember the main color. I do not like the shiny silvers or upraised letters with colors because that color tends to wear against the other books on the shelf or my fingers, or the table in the humid summer heat. I do love the smell of a good book, hardbacks having the best smell. I pay attention to binding almost never, but worry more about it in trade. I do pay attention when it is a travel guide--I want that thing sewn in there with triple stitches, and I want highly glossy pages that will wear well and can withstand a few raindrops.

I still want a kindle. :>) AND my used paperbacks. :>)

They had to start with big authors (the bookstores MUST have those books so that the only way they could be coerced into it.) We'll see where it goes. I do try to buy direct from publishers when it makes sense and as, y'all have heard to death, I buy ebooks. (From author T.R. Hunter over at the Aberrant Dreams forum: The vast majority of my sales in the first three months of my book being out were e-books, so you'll get no argument from me about more people reading them. I do see an issue with so many of the larger publishers charging around $10 for an e-book...that's just insane. $5 is just about right (most of my e-book sales were made anywhere between $2-$6, depending on the particular discount offered up at Fictionwise). _________________ Check out my various short stories and books at AstonWest.com (Aston is the name of the character in the book.) END

You're not wrong at all. At least SOME of the risk should be on the bookseller. That way, they have incentive to sell the books they order. As it stands, they have no skin in the game. There are a couple of US publishers trying to change it (I'll see if I can find the article if anyone wants.) They are doing it with big-names to start. The history is pretty easy to find as well. It was a way to get books into stores of any sort way back when. And sadly the booksellers aren't about to let it change. It's wasteful and ridiculous.