Author
Olivia's new novel, Bright Star Safari, will be released by Wings ePress in March 2008
There was a time, not so long ago, when eBooks were regarded as curious novelties or 'books of the future'. Those days are gone.
Today, you can browse through any number of online bookstores and, with a click of a mouse, download the book of your choice. Whether your taste runs to fiction or non-fiction, thrillers or cookbooks, any book you could possibly wish for is there for the choosing. And, best of all, your purchase will cost a fraction of the price that the same 'hot-off-the-press bestseller' will fetch in the local bookstore.
So what is an eBook? The answer is that it is any text or graphics that is distributed in an electronic format. It can be as simple as a few pages of a 'How to' manual, or a lengthy biography or novel. The eBook of your choice can be downloaded to your PC, laptop, PDA or on special devices called eBook readers.
eBook readers have several advantages over PC or laptops. To begin with they are light and easy to carry, or to hold while reading in bed. A press of a button turns a page. The reader is backlit. This means you can read in the darkest corner of the house without a problem. And, best of all, you can adjust the background and the size of the font to what works best for you. Just imagine - large print at the touch of a button! Elderly folk, or those with poor eyesight, will find this feature a real boon.
A Google search will reveal a wide range of available readers - from palm-sized gadgets to large free-standing frames. The most popular readers are about the size of a paperback book - small enough to pop into an overnight bag, yet with sufficient memory to hold several full-length novels
The International Digital Publishing Forum estimates that the retail sales of eBooks grew to $8.1 million in 2007, more than double the previous year.
Because eBook production costs are so much lower than printed books, everyone scores. The author accrues more royalties, while the consumer gets to read more while paying less. And environmentalists are happy. No trees are felled to make eBooks. And very little energy is used to produce them either. A small contribution to reduce global warming perhaps, but every little bit counts.
Will eBooks ever replace printed books? Probably not or, at least, not in the foreseeable future. But the new generation of children will take eBooks as a matter of course. There will come a time when a child will take one e-reader to school, carrying every textbook he or she needs in just one unit. No more backpacks or satchels to lug around. If that sounds far fetched, think back. How long ago did we consider cell phones new-fangled gadgets? Who would have thought they would become so commonplace in so short a time?
So, if you enjoy reading in bed, prop up your pillow, pop out your lap top or eBook reader, and read into the wee hours of the morning.
