Sunday, November 25, 2007

Kindle or Sony--Which e-Reader for You?

I don't have an e-reader and I want one. Why?

  • Unfortunately, I need large print.
  • I don't like to haul around tons of books with me.
  • My house keeps getting smaller and smaller every time we buy more bookcases, yet still there are stacks of books all over the place.
Both my husband and I love books. His peepers are better than mine, but I'm sure he'd rather carry one e-reader with him on the plane rather than four paperback books . . . and then find out that he didn't want to read those books after all. And yes, you have to put these books somewhere. We had so many books that we had to move to a larger house, and now this house is getting too small.

What to do? Buy an e-reader.

So while we're cogitating on the available choices, Amazon comes out with the Kindle. New? Hardly. Sony has used the same kind of display for a year and their newly released model is probably much better quality than the Kindle. What are the pros and cons? Here's the gist of the conversations between my husband and I.

The Kindle costs $400.
The Sony costs $300.
Winner: Sony

The Kindle has wireless technology that allows uploading books in less than a minute.
The Sony requires a connection to your computer, same as all the rest of the e-readers.
Winner: Kindle

The Kindle shops exclusively at Amazon.
The Sony takes uploads from your computer, so you're free to shop anywhere.
Winner: Sony

You can enlarge the print on a Kindle.
You can enlarge the print on a Sony, but there are problems with some formats.
Winner: Kindle, but close to a draw

With Kindle, there's no encoding so you can borrow books from your local library.
With Sony, you can easily borrow books from the library.
Winner: Sony

With Kindle, you're dependent on wireless technology, so you must be in a coverage area to buy books. What happens if you're in Outer Mongolia where there are few cell towers?
With Sony, you upload from your home computer only, so it doesn't matter.
Winner: Six of one, half dozen of the other

Wow, with heavy hitters in the market, e-books will become more and more common. There are plenty of other reasons why we should go to ebooks.

  • The stripping and return of huge quantities of books is environmentally detrimental, and financially disastrous business model. (Have you seen a store clerk strip an entire dumpster full of books? It makes you sick to your stomach, and it happens hundreds of times every single day.)
  • More and more people are developing allergies to dust, and can't have print books in their homes.
  • Many babyboomers are requiring large print.
  • With more people traveling from country to country, it's easier to find reading material.
  • e-books don't take nearly as much storage space as print books do.
Of course, I love books. Print books. I love the feel of the paper and the smell of the ink. I don't think print books will go away anytime soon, but it's time for a new option. We have two good options available that I'm familiar with, and there are many others that I don't know about, but that people swear by.

What about you?

Jacquie


Princess Keely, Star of Faery Special Romances

Jacquie Rogers *** Myspace *** Bebo *** Faery World

Faery Special Romances (Available now)
Take a look at the book video
Royalties go to Children's Tumor Foundation,
ending Neurofibromatosis through Research



Sunday, November 18, 2007

Authors Who Care: A Podcast

Rowena Cherry (author of Insufficient Mating Material) featured Authors Who Care on her Cherry Picking podcast dated Nov.18. I was one of the lucky authors she asked to feature our causes. My cause, as you all know by now, is neurofibromatosis, and I'm donating my royalties from Faery Special Romances to the Children's Tumor Foundation, ending Neurofibromatosis through Research.


Also featured:

Laurel Bradley, A Wish In Time, Resolve (infertility issues)

Leanne Burroughs, No Law Against Love, breast cancer research

Deborah MacGillivray, Cat O' Nine Tales, Alley Cat.org, also The Haven Foundation

Janet Elaine Smith, donating all royalties from 17 books to Mission Socorro



MP3 File


Internet Voices Radio also has a page with all the links that we gave on the show. I'd like to thank Lillian Cauldwell at Internet Voices Radio for her generosity. She's been wonderful.

Jacquie

Princess Keely, Star of Faery Special Romances

Jacquie Rogers *** Myspace *** Bebo *** Faery World
Faery Special Romances (Available now)
Take a look at the book video
Royalties go to Children's Tumor Foundation,
ending Neurofibromatosis through Research

Friday, November 16, 2007

Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues

Here's the cover for my next book, Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues. No link yet because the ink's still wet and I haven't got this on my website. Hmmm, I need to make a "Coming Soon" page, I guess! Anyway, let me know what you think--but only if you think the same way I do. lol

I love it!
Cover artist: Deborah Macgillivray

Keely, star of Faery Special Romances
Royalties donated to Children's Tumor Foundation,
ending Neurofibromatosis through research

Raffle for Dawn Thompson's medical bills

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Jacquie's Great Holiday Contest Fest: Week 7!

We have a Winner for
Riding the Thunder by Deborah Macgillivray!


and

We have a Winner for Faery Special Romances by Jacquie Rogers!

~~ ckorte2000 ~~

All winners are posted on my website within a few days after we hear from them.




Next drawing: November 21, 2007. Be sure to sign up for Keely's list now!


You could win Blue Moon Enchantment, a Highland Press anthology ISBN: 0-9746249-4-2


Featuring Dawn Thompson's Under the Faery Blue Moon
and
When Mules Rush In by Jacquie Rogers

"The Old West meets some very special blue moon magic in this cleverly done story by Rogers." ~~Kenda Montgomery, Official Reviewer for The Mystic Castle




Blue Moon Enchantment




Did you ever wonder what happened to Merlin, the sorcerer to King Arthur? He's back in the Old West, only now he's a crotchety matchmaking mule who has his hooves full with a sassy chicken named DeborahAnne. Together, they must show the lonely Willow Jones and the misguided Luke Tyson the way to love. But when a scoundrel barges in to marry Willow for her money, Merlin and DeborahAnne have their work cut out for them.


To enter, go to go my website and click on Contest.


Good Luck!


Thanks!

Jacquie

Keely, star of Faery Special Romances

Faery Special Romances

Royalties donated to Children's Tumor Foundation,
ending Neurofibromatosis through research

Myspace *** Bebo *** Shelfari *** Ning *** Faery World

Raffle for Dawn Thompson's medical bills

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Jacquie's Great Holiday Contest Fest: Week 6!

We have a Winner for Warrior's Bride by Gerri Russell!

~~ klmc_37 ~~

All winners are posted on my website within a few days after we hear from them.


Next drawing: November 14, 2007. Be sure to sign up for Keely's list now!

You could win

Riding the Thunder (The Sisters of Colford Hall, Book 2)

by Deborah MacGillivray

"Ms. MacGillivray's storylines do more than give you an escape from reality, they allow you to dream of a world where happily-ever-afters are possible and love conquers all. Beautifully done!" ~~Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)



A Storm's Coming...

It was all part of the plan. While his brother was in Scotland dethroning the Lady of Falgannon, Jago Mershan was headed to Kentucky. There he would do his share in avenging his father on the Montgomeries. Only, there was a monkey wrench in the works

Just looking at his alleged enemy's granddaughter made Jago think of his classic black '67 Harley Electra Glide, a motorcycle with clean lines and sleek curves that promised the ride of a man's life. Asha was all woman--and the only woman for him. He'd bet she could go from zero to one hundred in the blink of an eye...and not even her claims of paranormal happenings in the diner she ran could put him off. He knew magic: He had a special name for the sights, the sounds, the tastes and smells of that perfect ride. There might be a storm coming, but it was one of passion, and together he and Asha would be...

RIDING THE THUNDER

Second in the Seven Sisters of Colford Hall series sequel to The Invasion of Falgannon Isle




To enter, go to my website and click on Contest.



Good Luck!


Thanks!

Jacquie Rogers (Keely's Lowly Scribe)

Faery Special Romances
NOR Award Winner, Best Print Sci-Fi/Fantasy Romance

Keely, star of Faery Special Romances

Royalties donated to Children's Tumor Foundation,
ending Neurofibromatosis through research
Myspace *** Bebo *** Shelfari *** Ning *** Faery World


Raffle for Dawn Thompson's medical bills

Monday, November 5, 2007

Faery Special Romances Wins NOR Award!


It's official! Faery Special Romances has won Best Print SciFi/Fantasy Romance in the Fall 2007 N.O.R. Awards. :)

Kudos to Tammie King and Night Owl Romance for running a terrific contest--and all the Monday night chatters, too.

Special thanks go to lots of people who voted for me every single day: I owe a debt of gratitude to Rowena Cherry, who came in second in my category with Insufficient Mating Material. Also to Katie MacAlister, who took third with Light My Fire.

Congrats to Dawn Thompson who came in second in Best Print Vampire Romance. Awesome writer, and I hope her books get some good attention. Deborah Macgillivray mowed us all down with her book In Her Bed. Congrats, Deborah!

I appreciate all the myspace NFers who voted, the Ladies in Waiting, Highland Press, Gerri Russell and her army, my sister and her contingent, my RWA chapter, and Hurricane Mercedes. Lots of people voted and it touches my heart.

You're the best.


Don't forget to check out Jacquie's Great Holiday Contest Fest: Week 5. Go to my website and click on Contest. This week, you could win Gerri Russell's latest release, Warrior's Bride.

Jacquie

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Jacquie Rogers *** Myspace *** Bebo *** Faery World

Faery Special Romances (Available now)
Take a look at the book video

Royalties go to Children's Tumor Foundation,
ending Neurofibromatosis through Research

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Jacquie's Great Holiday Contest Fest: Week 5!

We have a Winner for The Invasion of Falgannon Isle by Deborah Macgillivray!

~~ voyueristic1967 ~~

All winners are posted on my website within a few days after we hear from them.


Next drawing: November 7, 2007. Be sure to sign up for Keely's list now!

You could win the second Warrior's Bride by Gerri Russell

"Gerri Russell creative imagination enthralls me. I was hooked from the very first page." ~~New York Times Bestselling Author Debbie Macomber


Warrior's Bride


The Seer's Stone. Locked away in a tower, young Isobel had watched its power slowly drive her mother mad. And now, years later, the Stone's secrets threatened to be the death of Isobel as well.

Douglas Stewart, known as the Black Wolf of Scotland, had no intention of taking a wife, despite his father's demands. But the moment he saw Isobel, he was spellbound by her fiery defiance and delicate beauty.

They were united by destiny yet beset by betrayal. Only by opening her heart to love and living up to her legacy could Isobel become a . . . Warrior's Bride.

To enter, go to my website and click on Contest.



Good Luck!


Thanks!

Jacquie

Keely, star of Faery Special Romances

Faery Special Romances
Royalties donated to Children's Tumor Foundation,
ending Neurofibromatosis through research
Myspace *** Bebo *** Shelfari *** Ning *** Faery World