Is print dead?

Over the weekend, I attended my local writing group RIRW. I love this group. Sitting with such a group of authors is inspiring. How many people can say that they are sitting in a room with Hannah Howell, Annette Blair, and Amber Skyze? Well, I can. A funny thing happened though this weekend, many people came up to introduce themselves and asked if I was new. Um... no been a member since February but I don't take offense, I am extremely quite and Amber wasn't able to make this meeting.We normally sit together, so maybe people didn't have a frame of reference. Missed you friend, BIG HUGS!!!!

Back to the point of the blog, the speaker was talking about promotions, how to promote yourself and your book. She was excellent. Penny Watson, if you ever look at this little blog, I bow down to your knowledge. I received some excellent ideas on how to promote Fated Mates and she is even going to work on a plan for me for future books. She said something on Saturday that was a little controversial for my group. "In five years, there will be no more bookstores. Print is dead. If you were to get on a train for survival wouldn't you get on the one that is going to survive instead of staying on the one that would mean ultimate death." One thing about being quiet is that we are very aware of what is happening around us. You could almost see a ripple effect going through the room. We have some people who are very passionate about their printed books.

So the question is, is she right? Are print books going to die? It probably would be good for the environment. Maybe? I just think about my husband who actually feels the paper in a bookstore before buying a book. "It's all about the paper, hon!" To my husband, the feel of a book could make or break it, never mind the content. Would he be able to switch over? Or how about my mother, who has carried a Harlequin book in her purse for more years than I care to remember. Would she be able to convert? Now let's take me. I read, when I have time in the bathtub. I am notorious for dropping my books in the water. My copy of Night Play is a disaster because of this but I love it so much, I feel I would betray it if I got another copy. Can't drop a Kindle in the bath. Don't think it works that way.

As a writer, I love that my book is an e-book but as a reader I'm a little sad because I fear that Penny is right. Soon everything is going to be electronic.

I better start breaking the husband's paper addiction soon. You never know what would happen if he went cold turkey.

Peace out,
MRD