Readers, Writers and Kindle 2?

I just watched a video of Jon Stewart interviewing Jeff Bezos about Kindle 2Kindle 2.
My refer came from reading, Book Lovers: Stop Whining about the Wonderful “Feel of Paper” written by Chris Dannon for the Fast Company Blog.

Please wait to read that until after you finish reading this post, you’ll be glad you waited. ;-)

Book lovers how do you feel about Kindle 2, the digital book device from Amazon?

Before we go on, as a lifelong bibliophile, I have a confession to make. I haven’t read a
paper based non-fiction book in over a year. Mea culpa, mea culpa!

Come on give a guy a break. I’m computerized and IM’d. Where I used to feel guilty
reading a book when I thought I should be doing something else, now, I feel guilty
because I’m not reading books. No excuses. I live in Mountain View, CA, a city with
an outstanding library and it’s not far from my home.

However, I stray ..how are YOU doing on the book reading front? Better than me I hope. My wife, who was raised in a book starved home environment, now reads
several times as many books as I. Mysteries mostly - good- hard cover books -
not paperbacks, but hard cover ones out of the library.

Kindle 2? Not for her. Not likely for me. For different reasons we are not likely to pay
for a device that enables you to have access to thousands of books (at $9.95 each)
after paying the $395.00 for the Kindle 2. She’s not a techy and we both like to hold
books to read.

I may be an “early adopter” for some business things but not for pleasure, if you can
callreading a book off a Kindle - pleasure. The convenience I can see and appreciate.
However, I would miss moving all of my hundreds of books one more time. Being a
mobile pack rat bibliophile is a curse with its own punishment.

For those of you who have your own Kindle, what do you miss, if anything, using
the device and what particularly do you like about it ?

For those of you who have not had your Kindle fire lit, what, besides the price, is
keeping you from digitizing a bigger slice of your world?

Have you written about these digital developments affecting the publishing world?
Should you write about them? Can you afford to ignore them? If you are well
established perhaps not. Otherwise,…??

Let’s hear your views - comment or let us know where you have written on this
subject. At least get your feelings out and deal with them by writing.

Me? I’m going to reminisce about doing research in the special collections of the
top floors of the U. of Michigan libraries and remember vividly the smell, that
special smell, of old books. I may even get out a couple history books that were
first published in the 1860’s or 1870’s on the life Sen. James G. Blaine (Who?) I’ll
show Bezos and Kindle2.

Well, by now, I am sure you have a strong sense of my feelings about Kindle 1 or 2.
And, even more so, about the continuing loss of independent booksellers in the face
of the chains, the internet and Kindle. I hereby solemnly swear that I shall never
purchase a Kindle. And, if given one, I shall donate it to the library because I know
it has voice delivery as one of its features and those who are sight challenged may
enjoy its use.

This turned out kind of ranty didn’t it? There I go again with cause for another
“mea culpa”.

Now, I hope you turn off your computer and go read a book.

Me? I’ve got a couple of more posts to write ..

- Val Spangler, Mister Senior Blogger
@SeniorTweet on Twitter.com
Senior Writer Blog (you are here)
Comics Cartoons and Creativity
Business Twitter Uses(coming March 1st)

The elite meet in the Twitterverse!

Tweet! It may be good for your writing.

Whether Twitter will improve your writing or not -
it’s up to you.. I think it may have an effect.
However, I can be sure that you will make new
friends and renew acquaintences from around
the country and around the world - some you’d
never meet otherwise - expand your universe -
it’s great fun! One caution: keep the discipline
to manage your time to write. Let Twitter add
to your writing - not detract from it.

Thanks for coming back to my blog. Please comment and share any ideas, challenges or subject matter you'd like to see covered. Your contributions are valued! - Val

Cartoon Writing Prompt - Value?


The Ampersands, Rhoid and Rah, Can they stimulate your writing?

What gets your writing juices flowing? Take a look at this blank cartoon template
and get into the characters enough to develop a brief exchange that you think
would begin to build their identities.

What does it mean to be an ampersand?

What’s in a name? Why Rhoid? Why Rah?

What do you think of the comic strip layout? Confining? Challenging? what does it
do to your thinking, if anything?

If you are active on Twitter, can you see the parallels between the 140 limit and
getting what you want to say inside the balloons?

Do you think this kind of a device would work well in the classroom? What level?

Please share your thoughts.


Tweet me on Twitter - @SeniorTweet

Thanks for visiting. Hope this was of some value to you and your writing.

- Val Spangler
Mister Senior Blogger
Senior Writer Blog (you are here)
@SeniorTweet on Twitter
Comics Cartoons and Creativity


Why Write? For me a personal legacy.


I just turned 70!

Come celebrate with me and read my little bit of humble poetry.

So surprised how that can be
To have come this far, so little legacy.
But I’m determined as you will see.
To build a proud and proper legacy.

The past was fast.
The future a little slow
So far to go of Frost I think.
Miles to go before I sleep.

And miles to go before I sleep.
But I too have promises to keep.
To myself and others,
my love is deep.

I say to you out there
Do not despair.
Get off your butt
and out of your chair.

Take action. Take care.
Love. And help others bear.
The burdens that we all can share.
Fill the void with words of hope.

To better help all others cope.
With negativity this slippery slope.
A nod, a little smile.
To help all with that extra mile.

We each must take that extra step
To keep promises made, promises kept.
To build that legacy, a promise I must keep.
And miles to go before I sleep.

Come join with me in building legacy.
Each day the best we can.
Whether woman, whether man.
Wherever we are, whatever we can.

No footsteps washed away with tide.
A legacy we make with pride.
Our loves, our family by our side.
Proud legacy, no need to hide.

No need to wander.
No need to roam.
Your legacy
Should start at home.

I ask you friend - come write with me to build YOUR LEGACY!

- Val Spangler, Mister Senior Blogger

You'll be glad you did!

You

Please follow me -> http://twitter.com/SeniorTweet/


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