Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Reading Options



How do you read? Hardcover? Paperback? Trade size? What’s your preference?

Or do you really like the smell of a hard working e-reader? Kindle anyone? Maybe Nook?


 But perhaps you prefer to listen to your novels. Books on tape have become increasingly popular. I have a half a dozen novels available from Amazon’s audio collection, Audible. And yet I know so little about that market.

There are countless options these days. Still, I talk to a lot of people who say they can’t be lured away from their print books. But the numbers don’t lie and more than 500 million digital books were sold in 2015. 

What does this do for the book industry? No one really seems to know. The landscape is changing so fast. But one thing is for sure, we have plenty of fiction to choose from. In fact, more than 458,000 books were independently published in 2013. 


And with this boom in self-publishing came another intriguing phenomenon. Podcasts. I hadn’t listened to a single segment until my son-in-law became interested. Bob is something of a book aficionado. He has no intention of ever putting pen to paper (These days I think that’s something of an anomaly. I’m told that 81% of Americans want to write a book.) but he loves the written word. So he started his own podcast. He calls it Bob’s Short Story Hour. 

I don’t write much short fiction, but I have played with the occasional piece and finally sent him a little mystery called Iced. Give it a listen if you’re so inclined. You can find my story and lots of other great stuff for free on his site or on iTunes. And authors, if you'd like to hear your work read out loud, consider sending him something.

So how about you? With the ever changing literary landscape, what is your favorite medium?

 Don't forget to save the date for our Summer Reads Celebration this Thursday, July 14, from 2-8 p.m. (EST). You can join in the fun at the Sweet Romance Reads Cafe!

 
 
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