Kindle vs Real Books

Rowan Coleman posted the following question on Facebook yesterday:

Who's for 99p e-books on kindle and whos against and why? In my opinion although it may serve to sell a lot of copies fast, it runs the risk of devaluing books for ever and putting a lot writers out of work. Am i wrong?

This sparked a lot of interest, not just about 99p e-books, but whether real books are better than e-books.

It seems there are a lot of people out there who prefer the feel and smell of a real book.  Also they say you can lend real books to friends, they don't break if you drop them, a house isn't a home unless it's filled with books etc.

I was one of those people, I couldn't understand how anyone would want to hold a piece of electronic equipment and call it a book.

Then I got an iPhone and discovered the Kindle app.  Now I'm a convert.

I've since got an iPad and have the Kindle app on there too.  Wherever I go, I have a library in my handbag.

The great bonus for OH in my change to e-reading is that I no longer have the light on to read in bed, that really bugged him.  I still have piles of real books everywhere, that'll never change as I won't get rid of the books I have, so that'll still bug him.

The bonuses to me are endless.

I always have a book with me, even if I don't have a handbag, my iPhone goes everywhere I do, if I do have my handbag or briefcase, my iPad is in there.   Going on holiday doesn't mean trawling 2 or 3 books along, and the speed I get through books, a weeks holiday can easily mean 3 or more books.  If I'm at an appointment and they're running late, I can read my book.  If I'm sat down having a coffee I can read, if I'm in the car I can read, all without taking a book with me. 

Reading in bed is easier too.  I recently read Jilly Cooper's 'Jump', an unputdownable bonkbuster (not least because she is a supporter of the Charity I work for and she mentions them a few time in the book).  It was a real book, a hardback.  Reading it in bed was a nightmare, soooo big and heavy, fab book, but I was so glad to get back to my iPad.

A friend of mine lent me Jump.  Ah, yes, 'you can't lend someone an e-book'.  Yes you can!  With Kindle you can 'lend' a book to another Kindle user for 2 weeks.  This works well for me and my Mum as we both use Kindle.

You can also download a sample of a book for free, a sort of try before you buy.  Kindle offer recommendations based on the books you buy, I've often not heard of some of the authors, so I'll download a sample and 9 times out of 10 I've gone on to buy the whole book and sometimes the backlist too.  It's a great way to discover new authors.

I pose a question to all those of you that pooh pooh e-readers - how many of you no longer buy cd's and download all your music?  It's, essentally the same thing.  You can't carry your complete selection of cd's around with you, but you can on an iPod.  Ditto books.

So, Kindle or real books???  There will always be a place for real books in my home, but e-readers are the future in my opinion.

As for the 99p debate, Caroline Smailes has an excellent argument http://www.carolinesmailes.co.uk/ebook-pricing

I can see both points of view, but tend to agree with Caroline on this one.

A Short Story

Wednesday

Let me introduce myself, I'm Grace, I'm 34, work as a receptionist and live with Will.  (Yes I know, and we get the piss taken out of us for that all the time).  Will and I have been together for 9 years, never married and never had kids.  Will is gorgeous, 37 and works in a big spacious office doing accounts and, I have just found out, is having an affair with a young stick insect that he met when she did some temp work for him.

Ok, so she's 23, has a model figure and is called Megan.  Obviously I don't know for sure, but I bet she's waxed to within an inch of her life, visits the hairdresser every 6 weeks, has no cellulite, drinks in trendy wine bars and never watches soaps.  Unlike me.  Nuff said.

You may wonder why I haven't kicked him out, or how I can be so relaxed about it.  Simple really, I have been having an affair with Megans' Dad, which is how I found out about Megan and Will.  I must add at this point, that Andy (Megans' Dad) is only 41 and single.  Oh the tangled webs we weave!

My biggest problem now, is that Andy wants me to meet Megan and her lovely boyfriend, Will on Sunday afternoon.  This could prove slightly difficult and somewhat uncomfortable for all parties.

So, I decided to come clean with Andy last night and tell him who Will is.  Needless to say he was pissed off that I had lied about being single, but was mollified when I promised to speak to my boyfriend and finish it (followed by excellent sex, with Andy, not Will).  I then told him who said boyfriend was.  Unfortunatly that went down like a ton of bricks, but we decided that we would catch him out.  I think we're slightly evil.

Friday Evening

I surprised Will by cooking, despite the fact he was off out with the lads (Megan, obviously).  After we had eaten I informed him that I'm having an affair and waited for him to own up also.  Guess what?  He didn't.  After shouting and much finger waving, he told me he was off to stay with a mate (Megan no doubt) for a few days to 'think'.  Think I'm doing the washing up then.  Andy, by the way is delighted and has asked me to move in.  I may as well, I can't afford this house on my own and Andy is minted.  I can't fathom what he sees in me, but I'm better not questioning it really.

Sunday Afternoon

Well I've had a few texts from Will, saying he's prepared to forgive me, but things have to change (?) and we'll talk at home tonight.  I don't think so, I moved in here yesterday.

Andy and I are eagerly awaiting our visitors, Andy phoned Megan last night to tell her about me moving in, apparently she was excited about meeting me.  He didn't mention my name.

Shit, the doorbell has just gone, my heart is bashing against my ribs so hard now I'm a touch concerned I may break one.  Here they come.

Andy walks into the living room, closely followed by the stunning Megan and Will.  Oh I wish you could see Wills face, his mouth is hanging open and he's shaking his head.

'No, no, I don't believe this' he's saying

'What's wrong Babe?' asks Megan

Andy is standing by watching and waiting.

'I think Will's in shock' I say, 'If you'll excuse me, I'll just put the kettle on'

One Year Later

The wedding is a huge success.  It has probably been the weirdest wedding I have ever been to and certainly not how I would have expected my wedding day to be.  Megan and I are both 4 months pregnant and have just had a joint wedding.  Andy and I are more than happy to share our wedding day with Megan and Rob.  Rob is a lovely lad, the same age as Megan, he picked her up and brushed her off after she kicked Will into touch, which she did on that fateful Sunday afternoon.

Megan and I became best buddies from the word go.  I don't think either of us expected that, but we both love her Dad dearly.  Speaking of which, Andy has just stood up to make a speech, I think I'll just have one glass of champagne, one will be ok. 

The Farce Factor

The X Factor.  I was under the impression that the winners are supposed to have it all, be able to sing, dance, entertain etc.

So far this year the favourites are only able to entertain.  John and Edward can't sing or dance, but are weirdly entertaining, I look forward to watching them, but groan at how utterly crap they are, then groan again when the get through to the next week.

The winners from the last 2 years, Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke were both totally deserving of their wins and have gone on to get better and better, but if John and Edward win it'll make a complete mockery of what the X-Factor is meant to be about.  Or does it??

If the papers are to be believed the twins are being groomed for great things, but how???  The boys have no talent at all and couldn't even win a school talent show.

I will keep this short as everyone has opinion about the twins, but the last thing I must say is this:

If you can't stand the twins, then pick up the phone and vote for someone else!  If all the twin haters did this, surely they would get knocked off their perch?

What Defines 'Family'?

family

• noun (pl. families) 1. a group consisting of two parents and their children living together as a unit. 2 a group of people related by blood or marriage. 3 the children of a person or couple. 4 all the descendants of a common ancestor.

So, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, my little family unit isn't technically a family as beloved and I aren't married and Little Robbie Dude isn't his son.  What utter tosh.

I was brought up by 2 parents, my Mum was my birth mother, my Dad my adoptive father and my younger half sister, who I never think of as 'half sister', she's my sister full stop.  We were a proper family, a happy family unit. 

Then along came Roddy.

Roddy fell into our family and became part of it.  When my Dad died he was mentioned under 'children' at the funeral, and gave my sister away when she got married a few years ago.  When talking about him, I refer to Roddy as my brother, he is Godfather to Robbie Dude and my Mum couldn't care for him anymore if he was her own.

So all this begs the question - What really makes a group of people family?

In my book, blood ties don't mean you are family, it just means you're related. Just because someone gives birth to you it doesn't mean you should automatically love them, lets face it, there are many kids out there in terrible family situations, there are other kids living with people who are no relation to them, but who love and nurture them. 

My definition of family is:

A group of people who care for each other and regardless of often they see each other, will always be there right til the very end.

The Need to Procreate

I adore my little boy.  He has just turned 8 and I simply can't imagine what my life would be without him.  I never for one moment thought that I could have this all encompassing love for another human being, I simply didn't think I had had the capability.  I'm sure to other parents this isn't news, but I wonder if other parents can felt the same way about kids as I did pre Dude?

I started pondering this recently, you see, my baby sister and her husband have been trying for a long time for a family, they're currently going through all sorts of tests to establish why it isn't happening.  My older sister went through the same.  My older sister now has 2 beautiful girls, but went through all sorts of emotions prior to becoming pregnant, she so desperately wanted kids.  My younger sister is now in the same boat, it's worse for her though, as 2 of us are already Mums.

The thing is, I can't imagine feeling like that.  My pregnancy wasn't planned, I didn't even particularly like kids, I didn't automatically love my neices (which I thought I should) and quite honestly found babies rather boring and children noisy and a pain in the arse.  I never ever felt that I would only be complete if I give birth or that I wouldn't be a real woman without a baby.  If I'm perfectly honest if I had never had my son, I don't think I would have felt I was missing out on anything.  I just didn't have that yearning to be a Mum.

If I had done as Dude's father told me and had a termination, I would be financially much better off, able to go out more, have holidays, more handbags etc, but if I was given the option now, knowing what I know, would I have had the termination?

Not a chance!  I would rather be skint and go without material things than be without my little Robbie Dude, the love and laughs that come from him are worth far more than anything money can buy.

Don't get me wrong here, just because I adore my son, I don't want any more!

Walter the Worm

When I was little, I wanted to be many things, but my longest running ambition was to be an author. I used to write little stories in an excercise book and read them to my little sister, who wasn't the slightest bit interested (she was only a baby though).

As time went on I realised that I had neither the ability, talent, application or imagination to pull it off. I'm also not particularly clever at putting my thoughts on to paper, so that was that idea out the window!

I'm currently running a childrens story competition at work, for kids up to the age of 10. The title of the story has to be 'Walter the Worm', but beyond that the kids have to work it out for themselves. And boy have they!

I've been reading some of the entries this morning and the standard ranges from really good to outstanding. These kids have what I wanted all those years ago.

In the stories, Walter has been on holiday, to the job centre, a spy in search of the worlds largest cake, a whole array of different things. Some of the kids have made their stories up into little books, others have done comic strip style stories. Some are handwritten, some are typed.

One thing sticks out more than anything reading these stories. The kids today are so much more aware than we were at the same age. They have so much more than we ever did. My 7 year old son has the world at his fingertips in his bedroom and I often find him searching the internet for various different things, he recently had some homework about inventions, so he Googled the wheel, then did his whole piece on the laptop and even inserted pictures!

In creating Walter the Worm, I have discovered some authors of the future. I'm led to believe that one little girl's ambition is to write for a living, her story made wonderful reading, it made me laugh out loud. I sincerely hope her dream will be recognised and that one day I'll be able to pick up a book she has written or an article with her name on it.