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I’ve now owned a Kindle for a little over a day and my relationship with it remains cautious. I’ve spent a fair amount of time trying to deprogram it and make it my own. The first thing I did was turn off the highlight feature that let me know the aggregate opinion of favorite passages highlighted by everyone else who read the book before me. I haven’t even bought a book yet, but the idea that a brand new book would be sullied with highlighted passages makes me ill. I loathe that in physical books and no more desire it in an electronic version.

More troublesome are the pop up screen savers of literary classics. I have nothing against Jane Austen, but I really don’t want to be programmed by a device. Maybe I once dated a girl named Jane Austen and she broke my heart. Did Amazon ever think of that? Now I have to be reminded of that shattered relationship all over again. Damn you Jane Austen! Luckily, I’ve never dated anyone named Jane Austen, but I’m still single and it’s still possible.

I think it’s becoming more apparent to me why I did resist this long. I’m having to decide if I am comfortable with giving up the truly intimate relationship I have with a book and trade it for something more intrusive, no matter how well intentioned all the bells and whistles are meant to be. It’s still too soon to anticipate how this is going to go, but I see myself using the Kindle more as a reader of manuscripts (mine and for work) as well as other documents I download from my computer for research, and less for reading books. I just don’t like the feeling of someone looking over my shoulder.

And yes, future Jane Austen I might one day date, I’m talking to you.

I honestly never thought I’d buy one. It’s not that I have anything against them because I don’t. I’m a huge supporter of anything that gets people to read. I think my lack of interest was more a case of my love of actual physical books. I grew up with them. I know them. They line the walls of my life like silent friends, or perhaps portals into other times and places, and each one is unique. I know there’s a degree of sentimentality attached to them, and I’m entirely OK with that. I like that I like books. It’s something I’m proud of, even if every time I move I pay a lot more to box and ship them all.

So I was surprised at myself when I ordered one. Truly, it’s the closest I’ve had to an out-of-body experience in quite some time. I’m still not entirely sure why I did. I’ve never been a bleeding-edge of technology kind of person, or even a camp follower. I only bought my first cell phone a few years ago, and I’ve had my current Blackberry going on three years. I have a few t-shirts still in rotation I wore in university!

If I had to pick one reason, I think it was the notion that I could carry all these books around with me. I always travel with books, and the extra weight in my carry-on is a burden I’ve shouldered with a certain quiet sanctimoniousness and an aching back for a long time. Now, I’ll have room for more snacks and a little humility.

This could be the start of a very interesting relationship.

http://thecelebritycafe.com/feature/stephen-king-talks-write-walking-dead-episode-03-21-2011

I’ve never been a zombie fan, although I did enjoy Shaun of the Dead. Still, I gave The Walking Dead a try and and got hooked. While King’s attachment seems designed for publicity more than anything else (and clearly, it’s working) he could really up the creep factor. I found a lot of lulls in the series so hopefully his inclusion ramps up the pacing and the tension.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/03/%E2%80%98the-hobbit%E2%80%99-finally-begins-filming/

I’m guessing this means he’s divided the book in half so it will be interesting to see how he handles it.

Cheers,

Chris

Thursday and Friday here in the Big Apple were absolutely glorious. Today is actually just as nice, but in a colder, more blustery way. Sort of a cool autumn as opposed to a cold spring if you know what I mean. I’ve been getting out and about as much as I can to enjoy it before the rain comes again.

In other news, I’m currently revising Ashes of a Black Frost. That should be done in another week or so at which point the wheels really start turning as the momentum builds to get the book ready for its October 18 debut in North America. As I verify pub dates in other markets around the globe I’ll post them. Anyplace where the series has been translated will, naturally, have later releases.

In yet other news, I will be in Canada (Ontario for certain) for the book launch there, and then traveling with my folks in what will be their 5th or 6th RV publicity tour, all the way from Toronto to Tampa in late October. This will be my first time joining them as they rumble down the highway in their big rig. Rumors that the truck will be adorned with large elf ears and the trailer will feature a large squirrel have yet to be confirmed.