Hey all! Cheryl here with a recap from the 2011 Romantic Times BookLovers' Convention. For giggles and grins, I'll begin by telling you that trouble always finds Camy Tang and I when we tackle road trips together. Last time, we almost (accidentally!) stole a car. This year, we apparently broke a ritzi elevator.
These are the notorious Bad Elevator Pictures: Bad in the sense of terrible (aka hilarious) pictures of us because we were close to giving the elevator a kick of Camy's Wasabi.
Alas, we escaped and the elevator was spared our wrath.
The only thing worse than getting stuck in an elevator, is getting stuck in a GLASS fronted elevator 22 floors in the air so the ENTIRE CITY OF L.A. can witness your stuckage and the frantic button-pushing that follows. And cackling. Lots of laughter on this trip.
Onward...
RT's convention is unique in that it caters equally to readers and writers alike. Check out Club RT for instance:
Readers sit with authors at round tables and chat for a few moments before moving to the next author. It reminded me of speed dating, only without the speed. LOL!
I met some wonderful readers, like this woman, who downloaded my books onto her e-reader as we talked. How cool is that!? I took pictures of her wolf print tattoo for my daughter, a wolf fanatic.
I also met aspiring authors who hadn't heard about Seekerville who plan to visit the island. How exciting to make more Friends of Seekerville at RT!
In addition to meeting readers, fellow authors, aspiring authors and some of my favorite published authors, a group of us Love Inspired authors presented a workshop on Inspirational fiction.
We (LI authors Janet Tronstad, Jillian Hart, Pamela K. Tracey, Camy Tang, Kim Watters, Cheryl Wyatt) were treated to lunch by Harlequin Editors Dianne Moggy and Glenda Howard (also pictured with us above) who have some wonderful things in store for readers and authors alike. Stay tuned to www.eharlequin.comfor more info.
The convention provides many giveaways too.
Check out these awesome themed baskets!
Isn't the umbrella cute? It was FILLED with chocolate.
I loved the creative ways authors made the baskets so people could easily get them back home via air travel such as foldable umbrellas and soft-sided book-themed satchels like this:
Below is a romantic themed Cinderella basket from author Pat Simmons who is a wonderful friend, devoted Christian and awesome author.
She's also RT's longtime publicist. Pictured below with me, Pat and Camy is RT's publisher, Carol Stacey. We appreciate her devotion to promoting and reviewing romance!
The RT convention is growing its Inspirational presence. We hope you will help make that happen in 2012. RT 2012 will be held in Chicago on April 11-15 at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare. www.rtbookreviews.com. This convention has some really great workshops, such as FBI agents who brought in real FBI dogs! VERY COOL! Another workshop host brought in any kind of weapon you could imagine and let authors hold them to get a feel for research purposes. I'd LOVE to know how that presenter managed to get all those Uzis through airport security. LOLOL!
While ACFW is the number one conference I never miss, RT is also a great place to meet prospective editors, agents, authors and readers as well as booksellers and librarians. Oh, and not that I noticed or anything, but there are cover models running around too. Ahem. :-)
Writer recap:
--Readers expressed in panels that they want authors to provide simple bullet-style lists of their books in order on Web sites that they can simply copy, paste, print and take to the bookstore or have in front of them when they log into online booksellers.
--If a book is part of a series, readers want the books numbered.
--Readers, booksellers and librarians want excerpts! They couldn't stress this enough. The more of the book they can read on excerpt, the more likely they are to buy because the more vested they become in the story.
--Readers said unanimously that if they had to choose between two authors' books where one provided and excerpt and another didn't, they would nearly always purchase the excerpted book.
Reader recap:
--Publishers are working furiously to digitize as many back listed books as possible. Great news, eh!
--Editors say publishing has changed more in the past 7 months than in the past 27 years cumulatively, due to the digitization of books. Wow! Do you own an e-reader yet? If so, which one and how do you like it? If you haven't purchased an e-reader yet, what is the one print book that you own that you could never part with should you decide to go digital with your library?
--Inspirational sales are up...many thanks to YOU who support us and our publishers with your readership. WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU WHO BUY OUR BOOKS because it makes it possible for us to continue writing. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Here is a happy elevator picture once it FINALLY started moving again:
I'm curious about your take on e-readers. Comment away! I'll give one commenter a free copy of Ready-Made Family, which won last year's Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for the best series Love Inspired of 2009.
Cheryl Wyatt
Oh goodness! Am I the first? Let's see.......
ReplyDeleteTalk fast or you lose your first guest status.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a lot of fun and excuse me but don't you and Camy look svelte.
Aha! I am the first...and now the second! I suppose that means I must provide something. Hhhmmm, it has to be fat-free, per doctor's orders to day.
ReplyDeleteYep, the doctor told me to go buy a scale and keep it in the kitchen...by the fridge.
Bahahahahaha!
So how about some Egg Beaters omelets with fresh veggies? Fruit and...I can't think of anything. Bleh...
Oh...I do have a Kindle and LOVE it! The problem is I get so many books, I can't read them all.
Loved the elevator pics! I would be dying in there!!!
Ha! Tina beat me...kind of!
ReplyDeleteI blabbered on way too long about icky food! :)
Thanks Tina! :)
ReplyDeleteRT was totally fun for me, too! Those elevator pics are so funny! I didn't even realize how they'd come out.
To clarify, the elevator worked FINE from the first floor to the third floor. It was when all those people got on and that one woman activated the emergency button with her butt that all the problems started. When they finally got off the elevator, it worked again, so it wasn't US, really!!!!
I love my Nook. I just don't have shelf space in my tiny house. Even before I got my Nook, I was reading ebooks on my computer because computer memory is cheaper than a bookshelf. :)
Camy
I'd love to own an e-reader device. It seems like they hold so much and take up less room than the book.
ReplyDeleteABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
This is a terrific post! I'm glad to know RT is in Chicago next year. Who knows? Maybe I'll get there.
ReplyDeleteI'm just catching on to e-books. We have an iPad. I love the free downloads Amazon offers. I read an entire book at a LONG volleyball tournament.
I did feel a headache coming on toward the end, but fought it off and it could have been the artificial light in the gym.
I always think I will want to highlight in a book, or spread it out beside me on the table as I write or something. But I rarely do that.
Saving space on my overcrowded bookcases is a huge plus. The slight discount for buying an e-book is nice. Since bookstores are not nearby where I live, the selection and immediacy of the purchase can't be beat.
Still, at this point, I would rather hold a book. :)
Oops. I would like to win the book.
ReplyDeletecathy underscore shouse at yahoo
I feel I should provide food, but it's just past midnight her and I'm heading off to sleep.
Hi Cheryl! Sounds like you guys had a blast. You had me laughing just reading about your's and Camy's adventures.
ReplyDeleteMy husband got me a nook for Christmas, and I've enjoyed it. I specifically asked for the wifi model instead of the 3G. When my husband scratched his head and asked why I would want the inferior model, I responded with, "Do you really want me to have access to a bookstore 24 hours a day no matter where I'm at?" He decided that I made a good point. LOL.
No, I don't think I'll ever get rid of my books, and I'll still keep many of my favorites. However, I've been running out of space so some books I have had to get rid of when I did't want to. :( When that happens, I try to make sure I pass them on to someone who'll enjoy them.
I agree with other readers in that having books listed in order of publication on an author's website is a great idea. When I start a book and find out it's the middle of of the series, I'm bummed. I prefer reading series in chronological order. I'm weird like that.
I also like to read all of an author's books when I find an author that I like. It's fun seeing how the writer progresses in their craft/talent with each successive book.
Wow cool info and photos and on the elevator I read a question put to some cricketers once. Who would you least like to be stuck in an elevator with if it broke down. Only one was brainy! He said no one. Took a bit but I got it. I agree If I am going to be stuck in a broken elevator I want someone else there too. The one in Hawaii kept getting stuck on the 3rd floor but thankfully I was in it with someone.
ReplyDeleteSo nice to see the photo with the other authors I recognised you and Camy and Jillian Hart but didn't recognise Janet which is a bit of a worry!
I have a kindle I love my kindle but I love print books too. you cant get an autograph book on a kindle.
Oh I have the kindle cos it has an international version.
I still read some on my computer too
The annoying part is some books are not available on ebook for aussies.
please dont enter me I have this book.
All I want to know is if you and Camy hatched up a collaborative novel involving writers trapped in a glass elevator 20+ floors off the ground? And can I have dibs on the first copy????
ReplyDeleteSounds like all the food that's already here needs coffee to go with it. So here it is. There's tea as well.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a reader, so don't have an opinion. I like the feel of a book and haven't had a real urge to go digital.
I really liked the recaps.
Helen
Cheryl and Camy -- thanks for the recap! Those poor elevators were doing their best, but they didn't quite make it.
ReplyDeleteAusjenny -- I'm the one in the red blouse. My glasses darken in the sun and, I agree, it doesn't look like me! But it is.
Cool Janet, I picked Jillian. looks like you all had a great time.
ReplyDeleteThat's one convention I wish I could have attended. I know it was fun!
ReplyDeleteMy take on e-readers? Would love one! Wanted Santa to bring me one, but I guess he lost my wish list. I do have the Kindle app on my computer where I download books. I really don't like reading a computer all the time though. So maybe Santa will listen this year!
Would love to read this book.
plhouston(at)bellsouth(dot)net
Cheryl, If I was on that elevator I would have freaked out. I hate glass elevators. I was glad to see a smiling pic of Camy at the end.
ReplyDeleteRegarding e-readers I'm hoping to purchase one within the next couple of weeks.
Thanks for the tips/advice from readers and the RT people. Great things to know.
Hi Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteRT sounds like a great convention! I'll have to keep it in mind for next year. I'm so upset that I missed the opportunity to hold a slew of weaponry. :o(
I have, and LOVE, a Kindle. I never thought I'd like not holding a real book, but this thing is amazing. And it's great to be able to take my library with me wherever I go. I found out about an added feature this past Saturday. I won a book from Pam Crooks, and she was able to send me a copy of her e-book and I just downloaded it from my computer into my Kindle. No postage. No wait. If I would have had the latest Kindle the file would have simply uploaded into the machine when she sent it.
Thanks for all the info!
--Kirsten
I am already planning on being in Chicago next year. Nothing like having friends who live there to make it accessible!
ReplyDeleteI have a kindle WITH 3G. Dianna, you are so right about ordering in the middle of the night!
I realized last week I could download books from backlists. Publishers ARE catching up. All of a sudden, I am buying series and continuities I previously ignored because I didn't have the first or second book.
I am still primarily buying LI books in paper because I can get them a month early and have no patience. I also give them to our local library because I really want to increase the presence of LI there.
No need to put me in the drawing. Your book is in my keeper pile. Apparently others agree :-)!
Leftover cold pizza to share! All that protein and dairy. It's good for you.
Peace, Julie
Bahhhhh e-books! LOL. I worry about my family-owned Christian bookstore. What will happen to them?
ReplyDeleteAnd really, what can compare with running your fingers down the pristine spine of a brand new book? Feeling the soft smoothness of the cover? Holding your breath in anticipation as you s-l-o-w-l-y open the real, live, living book in your hands? And the smell of the ink! Egads! It sets my heart a twitterpatting! Oh and the crisp sound of pages turning...slowly at first and then faster and faster! Truly, reading a book can put me into sensory overload. Clicking a button on an e-reader just wouldn't be the same! And when you have rows and rows of books around your rooms you don't need wallpaper...or paint so it's an environmentally friendly decorating choice. :-)
Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteGreat information. Hmmm...Chicago in 2012...it's close to me plus we have a nephew going to school there...maybe I should start planning for the trip now.
I don't have an ereader yet but am considering a Nook.
Cute pictures. It looks like you two had tons of fun.
RRossZediker at yahoo dot com
Thanks for sharing, Cheryl!! Looks like so much fun. :) Loved the photos. Wish I could have been a fly on the wall of that elevator! LOL
ReplyDeleteAnd now...I'm dying to hear the story of the stolen (accidentally) car! ;)
Sounds like a great trip, Cheryl. Loved the elevator shots, both mad Camy and happy Camy -- with a shot of irritated Cheryl inbetween, LOL!!
ReplyDeleteI love the round table author chats. Great idea to get to know your favorite author or meet a new one. Did you enjoy it??
On ereaders, I have a Kindle and love it. It doesn't have the built in 3G and really I don't miss the added feature. Saving money on the basic ereader gave me bucks left over to buy the 2 year protection plan since my Kindle goes everywhere with me.
Great post, Cheryl!! Can't wait to hear about your adventures at RT next year.
I'm always worried about getting stuck in an elevator, especially the ones that go two floors but take three or four minutes to do so.
ReplyDeleteI don't own an e-reader yet. But I did discover that my library checks out (not rents) Kindles, which is cool if you're trying to decide whether or not you would like one. I wonder if other libraries do the same.
When you talked about excerpts, Cheryl, were you talking about writers having excerpts on their websites?
OMG, an e-reader? I have over 700 books here I bought and haven't read yet, and you want me to have (unlimited) books in an e-reader? My husband would shoot me! Okay, okay. He wouldn't shoot me; I'd shoot myself, LOL!
ReplyDeleteI have over 40 books saved on my computer to read but have only read a few of them. I wasn't impressed with all the scrolling, so perhaps an e-reader isn't for me (either).
Ask me again in a few years when I've read those 700 books (and probably have another 700 books in my TBR pile)!
Thanks Cheryl for the fun recap of the RT convention! I'm going to put a list of my books on my Web site. Want to please readers!
ReplyDeleteI love to hold a book and don't have an ereader yet, but ebooks allow readers to get Love Inspired Books long after they're off bookstore shelves. A real plus!
Janet
This is truly a great read for me. I have bookmarked it and I am looking forward to reading new articles. Keep up the good work
ReplyDeleteStuck in an elevator because a woman's backside hit the emergency button? Sounds like something I would do!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the RT update--if I can swing it, I may just have to find a way there next year. Plus I love Chicago!
And I love my nook! Easy to read with the increased fonts and backlighting, and I love having tons of books at my fingertips. It makes traveling so much easier! I take it with me everywhere--waiting in line, doctor's appointments, even walking the dog.
But there are print books I would never get rid of--Gilbert Morris's Cheney Duvall series, Little Women and though I have the Bible on my nook, I love holding my Bible in my hands and writing sermon notes in the creases.
Patty
Thanks so much for this report, Cheryl. I hear about RT but don't know much about it. How great to focus on readers as well as writers.
ReplyDeleteWonderful recap! I'm stealing basket ideas as I see them.
ReplyDeleteDarling.
Not only for readers, I'm seeing baby shower give-aways. Wedding showers.
So fun! Thanks, Cheryl!
Hubby has a Kindle and LOVES it! I want one too, but one in the family appears to be the limit here ;)
ReplyDeleteFUN recap! SOOOO fun!
please enter me, as usual
joanne(at)joannesher(dot)com
Cheryl, what a fun report. I almost feel like I was there. I would have hated getting stuck in the glass elevator (scared of heights), but would have loved the rest.
ReplyDelete*cringe* I HATE elevators. I will take the stairs to the eighth floor or above if I have to! However, if I have to ride in an elevator, a glass one is the best! My knees might be knocking thousands of feet above solid ground, but at least I could *see* the solid ground!
ReplyDeleteI so want to start attending conferences and conventions. They look like SO much fun, lots of excitement, encouragement, inspiration, and new-found friendships! They don't seem to ever have them around my area, and traveling, like everything else, is costly. They should make scholarships for writer's conventions! Haha!
I love the baskets! What a really cool way to market yourself (falling in with yesterday's Seeker's blog post), and be creative! Such great ideas.
Thanks for sharing!
-Whitney
And about e-readers, like Kindles and such? Well, I don't like them. I love the feeling of a BOOK in my hands, the beckoning cover art, the SMELL of the fresh, crisp, clean pages. Being able to tell how far through the book you are from where your bookmark sticks out at the top. Such magic.
ReplyDelete-Whitney
Stuckage!! I heard a teenager say 'meanage' the other day for 'mean sutff' and it made me laugh. :D
ReplyDeleteSince we're on e-readers, is anyone using the Kindle for working with their manuscript?
ReplyDeleteI thought some editors read mss from the slush pile on their Kindles and wondered if writers use them in that way. Not saying they want to be associated with the slush pile, but are any crit groups reading mss off Kindle?
Or am I just confused?
Hi Cheryl:
ReplyDeleteFirst Meeting:
Glass elevator stuck 22 stories up. Heroine is afraid of heights. Hero is afraid of enclosed spaces. He blocks the view from the heroine as he wants to feel as if he is outdoors. He has his nose to the windows. She looks at the wall. This is how they have to talk. They can’t look at each other. As they talk and get more interested in each other the urge to see what the other looks like becomes irrespirable. But their fears keep them looking away. Now add read danger: there is a fire on that floor and this is why the elevator is halted. I think this idea is high concept. I’d like to see Camy do this but from a SF highrise with a view of the Golden Gate. Please!
Vince
Hi Janet:
ReplyDeleteSo good to see your picture! Did your car engine even get warm from your commute from home to the event? Or did you walk?
If there is any series that needs to be promoted as an eBook package and then read in sequential order it is your: “Sisterhood of the Dropped Stitches”. This is the best coordinated series I’ve ever read. I think the series could have a whole new life as a YA publication. I think YA is a much better market than Love Inspired. Teenage girls as true heroines all coming of age. The series is a marketing natural.
Vince
On Listing a Series
ReplyDeleteI second the idea of listing all the books with links in a series. Cheryl is so hard to figure out which books comes when that I just did it for her on my site in a review of Wyatt’s World.
http://vmres.blogspot.com/2010/10/welcome-to-wyatts-world-special-world.html
A SOLDIER'S PROMISE, January 2008, BOOK 1
A SOLDIER'S FAMILY, March 2008 BOOK 2
READY-MADE FAMILY, April 2009, BOOK 3
A SOLDIER'S REUNION, June 2009, BOOK 4
SOLDIER DADDY, October 2009, BOOK 5
A SOLDIER'S DEVOTION, January 2010, BOOK 6
STEADFAST SOLDIER June 2010, BOOK 7
But here’s the thing: not all series need to be read in sequential order. I think you can read Cheryl’s series in any order with no loss in enjoyment. However, for maximum enjoyment, I would recommend reading Julie Lessmen’s “Daughters of Boston” in order.
Vince
Sherrinda, I forgot about food! Thank you for remembering breakfast. OY! I am jetlagged. A scale by the fridge...only a food scale so we can measure all the chocolate we want, right? LOL!
ReplyDeleteTina, LOL! Thank you my dear.
Camy, road trips with you are always an adventurous blast. If our husbands only knew...LOL! That's a good point about shelf space.
Apple Blossom, I see many people with e-readers on planes these days. I always inquire about their reader and most of them say they love it because before, they'd have to pack 4-5 books on a trip. Saves space.
Cathy, I love the free Kindle downloads for Amazon too. Can you read the Kindle books on an iPad? I have a lot of the free ebooks on my computer but not on e-reader yet.
Cheryl
About Ebook Readers
ReplyDeleteEbook Readers are going to become cheap and even disposable. These will be no frill models, like disposable cameras, but they will work. Real paper books will die quickly. People may still want them but they will not make sense economically.
Books will switch from being real objects to being intangible ‘reading experiences’. Fans will think of authors as they now think of singers. Never before will personal marketing and the writer’s unique voice become more important.
Back listed books will not age quickly and will seem as desirable as new books. Reading time will not expand for readers. Personal marketing will center around adding fans to the author’s auto-buy list. Fans will ‘channel hop' between eBooks if one becomes dull. “Rewarding the reader” will become more important than ever.
Vince
Experts As Coming Attractions
ReplyDeleteThink about this:
Do movies show the first several minutes of a film as coming attractions?
No. Movies show some of the best scenes from the whole movie. I think this may be a much better way to promote new books and back listed books. However, this would have to be done by the author to give the real ‘look and feel’ of the overall novel and also not to ‘spoil’ the story. A marketing guy cannot do this but a savvy author could.
What do the savvy authors out there think of doing this?
Vince
Dianna, LOL about the 3G. Thanks for sharing about your e-reader. I'm taking notes. :-)
ReplyDeleteAll, I'd love to know what you like about your e-readers and what you don't. Trying to make an informed decision before I buy. I have a Sony e-reader that I bought but I don't *think* I can put my free Kindle reads on them.
Jenny, good point about the autographs. Unless publishers can figure out a way to incorporate an author's digital signature. It's not the same though.
That's a HILARIOUS question. So....everyone...who WOULD you least likely to be stuck on an elevator with? LOL!
EEEEH. I hope Camy doesn't say, "Cheryl." LOLOL
Jan, LOL! Interesting that you should ask that because along with the other mayhem Camy and I plotted on our trip, a short marketing story was among them. :-) We will have to be sure and incorporate it with an elevator escapade. LOL!
Cheryl
Sorry about all these sequential posts.
ReplyDeleteI’m living in the hospital pretty much right now and I may get only one hour a day to be online. Yesterday I got zero time on the computer. Got to go. (My wife has had a total knee replacement.)
Thanks,
Vince
Helen, thanks for the coffee and tea! I've heard many people say they love the feel of books and can't part with them. I can't imagine them ever completely going away.
ReplyDeleteJanet, the only thing funner would have been to have you stuck right with us. LOL! It was so fun hanging out with you and the other LI authors! The Sisterhood of the Sagging Shelves! OOH RAH! LOL.
Patsy, I will have to have a talk with Santa. :-) He didn't bring me one either. He did bring me a Keurig(sp?) though, so that almost makes up for it. LOL.
Lindi, let me know which e-reader you get and how you like it and what you wish it had, etc.
Cheryl
Vince! Waving at you across the miles! I know hospitals as I've been there alot in the three months prior (mother had hip surgery, sister cancer-related surgery). To answer your question about me going to the RT convention, it was about 20 minutes from my home to the convention hotel in downtown LA, And I agree that I need to promote the Sisterhood of the Dropped Stitches series more. From the reader letters I got on those, I know they really speak to young women.
ReplyDeleteKirsten, I LOVE the idea of no postage and those instant downloads! I had several readers download my book/s on the spot at RT. AMAZING what technology can do.
ReplyDeleteYou love guns too! I'm not surprised...a gal after my own heart. I just registered a FOID card for my 6 year old. LOLOL! She's been shooting (pellet & BB guns) for over a year now.
Really neat workshops. Dean Coontz was there and the fire alarm went off during his talk. LOL. It was those erotica writers in the room next door and their steamy talk I think that set it off. LOL!
Thanks for sharing about your Kindle. I love that they save your bought file so if your computer ever crashes you can reload the books.
I think Nook does that too. Not sure about Sony.
Julie, editors are working on trying to offer the book club via e-books too now and I think they'd come early also. Or you can download them when they become available for pre-order. That's something I hope they consider. Great thoughts!
Cheryl
Ahh, Julie, thanks for the kind words about Ready-Made Family. :-)
ReplyDeleteCheryl
Kav, I know what you mean. I feel for those smaller stores and small chain stories. The digital age has really impacted brick and mortar stores. I don't see the digitization of books stopping anytime soon though. In fact, I predict that in the next year or two, there will be more e-book purchases than print book purchases. It's kind of sad actually.
ReplyDeleteCheryl
Rose, thanks. We did have fun. It's always an adventure with Camy. :-) Let me know what you think about your Nook if you get one. I'm comparing models.
ReplyDeleteMissy, yes the almost-stolen stolen car. We were innocent but the owner of the car we almost got into didn't think so. We had a rental and I guess we just forgot what ours looked like and tried to get into theirs...only the stinking key wouldn't work so we kept trying to sort of break in. Sort of. The owner came up behind us...not happy.
Of course it didn't help that Camy ran away laughing! LOL! Well, I did too eventually because they really didn't believe me when I told them we got the cars confused. I just kept trying to open the doors and sticking the key in anything that looked like a keyhole. LOL! Oh well.
We laughed for hours over that. I'm glad they didn't call the police on us...they looked ready to. Our Seeker sisters would have posted bail hopefully. LOL!
Cheryl
Audra, yes, the Club RT was wonderful. I sold a lot of books unexpectedly. Readers apparently bring their e-readers to RT and if they meet a new author they like, they download the book instantly! Very cool. RT readers seem very supportive and loyal. I felt fortunate to have met them, even had they not purchased my books. Everyone was super nice and I was super nervous with it being my first Club RT. It went by way too fast. Thanks for sharing thoughts on your Kindle.
ReplyDeleteSandy, yes. Readers said they want excerpts on authors' sites as well as on publisher sites. I reader told me that she checks out e-books from her library. Basically after two weeks the book goes away from the e-reader somehow. That's pretty cool if people can't afford to purchase the books yet.
Laney, LOLOLOL! I KNOW the feeling. You'll get through all those books...someday. LOLOL.
Janet, that's so true about our books being available longer. I'm SO thankful Harlequin has digitized our books.
Web, thanks.
Patty, thanks for sharing about your Nook. I loved reading about your keeper books too! I love Little Women but never read the other Duvall series you mentioned. I will have to check it out.
Mary, I love that aspect of RT...their focus on readers.
Ruth, there were GOBS more. Really cute ideas. The umbrella was one of the best.
Joanne, LOL! Your hubby must be an avid reader. Hopefully "Santa" will bring you one this year too.
Virginia, LOL! That sounds like something a teen would say. I love to make up my own words. Maybe they'll name a dictionary after me someday. LOL! Or not. LOLOLOL!
Cheryl
Cathy, wow! I didn't know you could edit ms on it. COOL! See, this is why I ask Friends of Seekerville stuff like this. You all are highly educating.
ReplyDeleteI want to know the answer to this too! I know we can edit on iPads. But I didn't realize Kindle had that feature too. Do you have a PC or a Mac? Does that make a difference or will it accept both formats?
Way cool!
Lorna, LOL! Camy and I would have kept you safe. It WAS kinda freaky as high up as we were. I hope to Heaven we wouldn't have had to rappell down the side of the building to get out because there literally was no shaft! EEEEK. Glad I didn't think (aka obsess) about that then. LOLOL!
Whitney, there were a ton of baskets. ACFW is the best conference to attend in my opinion. RT and RWA are good too. RT is the one most geared to readers at this point.
Vince, that is a fantastic story
idea! Camy, go for it!!!!! Thanks also for your thoughts on series book listing, Vince. It's really helpful. We truly appreciate the reviews you do of our books too! Thanks so much!
Vince, I'm hoping you will write that "Rewarding the Reader" book and incorporate these e-book points. Very interesting! I see that trend for sure. About book clips, I think that's cool but I wonder how they'd highlight only certain scenes. Neat idea for sure. Something to think about.
Cheryl
Cheryl
Vince, praying for your wife for a quick recovery and no complications! No worries about the posts. The more the merrier is what we say. :-)
ReplyDeleteHope she's getting lots of reading in. Hospitals are no place to go if you want sleep or fun. LOL!
Cheryl
Janet, I agree about the Dropped Stitches series. I hope Harlequin Love Inspired will re-release/repackage them as a YA series. YA is really selling like hotcakes right now.
ReplyDeleteCheryl
CHERYL AND CAMY!!! This post is soooo fun!!! Thanks for sharing and motivating some of us to hopefully check out the RT Convention next year.
ReplyDeleteAnd, WOW, I am THRILLED to hear about the excerpts being a good thing to post. I have a tendency to do this A LOT, both in blog interviews and in my Journal Jots personal blog on my website, so I was a wee bit worried that a.) I was going to bore people to tears with a deluge of excerpts or 2.) give so much away that nobody would buy the book!! :/
As far as e-readers, although I would love one down the road, I'm pretty stuck in my ways with hard-copy books because I get SO many free through judging contests, requested endorsements or reviews or good friends who send them to me (waving at all the Seekers here). But I know will have to buy one someday because it's obvious from how my own e-book sales are giving my hard-copy sales a run for their money, that things are headed that way at a fast clip!
GREAT post, Cheryl!!
Hugs,
Julie
Julie, definitely. Excerpts equate to sales. Not only with readers but bookbuyers too who've asked publishers to provide as high as 40% of the book for excerpts. If it means a sale, I say go for it.
ReplyDeleteWe have to sell books in order to keep writing so I'm all for it and will have excerpts up on my site soon too. Plus that numbered list people can copy and paste. Wish there was a way to let them hit "Print" from my Web site and let it print the book list with series books listed in order.
That would be ever so convenient for readers.
Cheryl
I am still recovering from the convention. This was second time attending and I enjoyed myself even more this tiem around.
ReplyDeleteI sat in on a panel for mystery writers and one of the authors commented that the old folks home where his father lives has a huge number of residents with e-readers. The font can be increased, the weight is light compared to a large print book and obviously the technology is easy to use. I have resisted, but I will be asking for a Kindle for my birthday in a few months.
I haven't bit the bullet and gotten an e-reader yet. I want something that is more than just for reading with (ie: iPad) but want the price to come down. I think they would be great for a person who does a lot of air travel (I do none) but for someone like me who sits around the house reading (sometimes even in the tub) I prefer a real book.
ReplyDeleteCheryl,
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a fun time at RT. Pat Simmons is a blast. She came and talked with our writer’s group last month.
My family gave me a kindle for Christmas. Best present ever. I love that you can read an excerpt before you decided to buy. If I like the writer’s voice, I buy the book, great for new authors, because I’m introduced to them this way. I have the 3G and love have fast it downloads.
I know a lot of people are worried about the hardback/paper book, but I don’t think they will ever go out of style, because as long as people like to read, there will be a need for books. Having them in different options is good for the author. You lose a sell if you only have it in print, when your fan base has moved to ereaders. Sometimes you have to move with the times. Remember when typewriters where the way to write your stories? How many of us went kicking and screaming to the computers? LOL
It's good to see RT giving more visibility to inspirational reads.
ReplyDeleteMy one book? The Bible. I think I'll always one a physical copy.
My one novel? I don't have one. I don't know if I want to replace all the ones I have with ebook versions, but I have no qualms about e-reading.
LOVED your post, Cheryl! Sounds like you and Camy had a great time (even on a stuck elevator). ~ Call me old-fashioned (just NOT old, please*wink*) but I don't have an e-reader. I so enjoy holding the actual book in my hands....but maybe one day...~ I already have your book (actually all of them!) and SO enjoyed it! ~ Hugs from Georgia, Patti Jo :)
ReplyDeletep.s. Okay, I have to ask this: While in LA, did you see any SQUIRRELS??? ;)
I don't have an e-reader...would love a Kindle...but I have been able to download the Kindle for PC for free on Amazon, and now have access to many free books....inluding lots of Christian fiction! I'm lovin' some free books!
ReplyDeleteI love my Nook! Considering that my novels are currently only available in eformat, I had to get an ereader! I still love paper books, but I sometimes buy print and sometimes ebooks.
ReplyDeleteHello
ReplyDelete/waves/
ReplyDeleteMade it back from visiting dad safe. And he's home with cholesterol meds and a new diet/exercise regimine.
And I didn't make cookies after all but I'm gonna so I'll share some here anyway ;).
Ereaders. I want a Kindle. Mostly because I have like 200+ free ebooks for the Kindle. Got them by following one of the blogs that posts those kinds of things. Some really good ones too [Cara Lynn James comes to mind ;)]. I read some on the computer/phone but would rather have a dedicated Kindle. Have told DH to keep this in mind for Mother's Day etc. And a used older one is fine for me for now. Incl. the wifi v. 3G because at this point I don't see me actually BUYING many but rather doing the freebie thing so...
I'd love a copy of the book :).
carol at carolmoncado dot com
Sounds like you had a blast! I have a Kindle! :D
ReplyDeleteUzi's? Wow! And cover models? Neat! sounds like a unique and fun conference to be a part of!
Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteI think you can read any e-book in many formats.
My 11-year-old downloaded a Kindle app onto the iPad. Now I can get Kindle editions of books.
Let me know if you have any questions...
and I'll direct them to her. lol
I have an ipad on order...so I can't wait to download books on it:) It's not the 3G...but I think it'll be fine for what I need! I think it really appeals to a lot of people because you can take it with you and can have tons of books at your fingertips!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to be entered for a chance to win your book "Ready-Made Family" Cheryl:)
lornafaith at gmail dot com
Sounds like you had a great time, Cheryl!
ReplyDeleteCheryl when the question came out several said Sadam hussain (sp) and one said Dolly Parton.
ReplyDeleteI would be the one freaking out if I was stuck for to long as elevators affect my balance and I tend to want to get out as quick as possible to be stuck in such a small room when it makes you feel really dizzy is not fun. (like someone with custrophobia cant spell but fear of confided spaces)
the glass one would be even worse cos it would feel like it was swaying.
Don't have an E reader.....still thinking about one! I would love to read Ready-Made Family....love her books!!!
ReplyDeleteStacie, I'm glad you had a good time. That's really neat about the old folks home. Stories mean so much to them. Thanks for visiting Seekerville! Come back often. :-)
ReplyDeleteKathy in WV, I wonder how many people have dropped their e-reader in the tub? EEEEK! LOL! I know a lot of people who do read them in the tub but wrap them in a Ziplock Bag first. Thanks for coming by! What part of WV are you from? I have family there.
LaShaunda, I dearly love Pat. She's awesome. Thanks for your thought on the e-reader. Very interesting. So true about the typewriter too. LOL! Good point. I do hope you're right, that print books will never completely go away.
Patricia, great choice! I have several versions of the Bible both in print and e-copies that I read on my phone. I feel strange scrolling down for scriptures during church though...because I wonder if people thinnk I'm texting instead of taking in the message. LOL!
Cheryl
Pattie Jo, I DID see one! At lunch when we ate outdoors. I instantly thought of you and tried to get its picture but it ran away too fast. I think it came up expecting bread scraps or something. LOL!
ReplyDeleteStacey, I also love the free book thing that Amazon does for Kindle. Is there a way to check for new daily books?
Anyone know? I hate when I miss one. LOL!
Nicole, that's great! I feel the same way. I'm thankful they digitized the books because they'll be available longer. Forever I hope. LOL!
Aimee, hello back! LOL.
Carol, hope your dad's feeling better. Thanks for your input on e-readers.
Linnette, totally! Both were very eye-catching. LOLOL.
Cathy, that's cool that iPad does the Kindle app. Makes a difference.
Lorna, 3G...COOL! Let me know how you like it once you get it and start using it. Thanks for your interest in my book.
Faye, definitely had a good time. It went by too fast though. LOL.
Jenny, that's hilarious. I wonder why Dolly? LOLOL!
Jackie S, thanks! Got ya down. Glad you stopped by.
Cheryl
Awesome pictures!! I get stoked just thinking about a writing conference. :) Thanks for sharing Cheryl!!
ReplyDeleteCamy...you are too cute in those elevator pics!!! :D
I do download stories onto my iPhone, but I still like having the actual book in my hands and being able to turn the pages. Maybe that will change in the future, but not right now.
ReplyDeletecynthiakchow (at) earthlink (dot) net
Cheryl, thanks for clueing us in on RT! Sounds like a great convention. Love the opportunity to meet new readers.
ReplyDeleteKindle? Not yet. Maybe for my birthday. I need to tell hubby!
Casey, isn't Camy adorable? The elevator didn't think so at first...LOLOL!
ReplyDeleteCynthia, that's cool! I didn't realize iPhone would do that. My Droid does with a Kindle app.
Debby, you're welcome. I'm betting many hubbies will hear that Kindle request this year. LOL!
Hugs
Cheryl
Cheryl It was a cricketer who I guess hates country music!
ReplyDeleteI myself would have hated to be stuck with one cricketer I really didn't like. But if it came down to it I would put up with him if it was between him or my being alone and stuck for say an hour or more. In some ways I think the glass one would be easier as least you see things rather then feeling the walls caving in on you. Oh I dont want to be stuck with someone whos Claustrophobic and will freak out on my.
Cheryl, check out ireaderreview. They blog about all sorts of ereader stuff but have daily [or several times daily] updates on new free/cheap books. That's where I get all of mine. I've bought two total and have nearly 200 books. It's all genres though. Fiction, nonfiction. ABA, CBA. And, uh, yeah. So you gotta be a bit careful but have got some really really great stuff on there [Cara Lynn James, Candace Calvert, Richard Mabry, Karen Kingsbury, Diana Gabaldabon [or whatever ;)], Kurt Warner, Randy Ingermanson's Writing Fiction for Dummies, Jill Eileen Smith, etc.].
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had an adventure! I'd love to go to RT someday! I have to agree with the readers who went, a list of an authors books, in order, is really helpful. I'm not as interested in excerpts because I want to be surprised by books content.
ReplyDeleteI have a kindle, since when they first came out, and I love it! It never gets old but I still buy paperbacks. There are certain books that I have the digital and paperback because I love them. Wuthering Heights, Beloved, and the Anne ofGreen Gables series just to name a few.
Thanks for sharing that fun look at the convention Cheryl!
ReplyDeleteI like that e-readers give the option of font size. I just lent someone a book I love, but haven't read in years and I almost felt sorry letting her borrow it, because the writing is so small. I'm amazed no one goes cross-eyed reading type like that. :) Oh, and I have a Kobo.
I really enjoyed your post and all the pictures of the RT convention. I'm also glad to see Camy was finally able to smile in the elevator.
ReplyDeleteI won a Sony eReader last Christmas but I really, really want a Kindle. I must say it's so awesome to be able to travel with hundreds of titles to choose from when I finish one book & want to start another one. But...and that's a big BUT, nothing can ever replace the feel, the smell and the turning of pages in a real book. I also love using 'real' bookmarks. So while having an eReader is great, a real book is even greater, IMHO.
Many blessings to everyone at Seekerville today!
Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com
I would love to have an e-reader! I'm soon to buy an Archos version..or possibly a Nook Color. I'm still investigating and asking lots of questions to those who have them. I'm Dying for one. i think it will be awesome. Plus saves space, too. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity to see the RT through your eyes. I loved the pictures! (Especially the elevator ones.)
Thanks for the giveaway. Looking forward to it!
Shawna
mzshawnaj[at]gmail[dot]com
I would love to attend the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention when is the next one and how does one sign up to attend. Where was it held?
ReplyDeletePirate, the links are all in my post. Or Google "Romantic Times Booklovers Convention" and the link will pop up.
ReplyDeleteEveryone I'm sorry if I didn't respond individually. I had to help one of my kiddoes finish a huge school project.
Thanks for coming by!
Cheryl
Eva!!!! I just saw your Facebook note. MEGA CONGRATS ON YOUR SALE TO LIH!!!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the story of how your husband let you know. Absolutely romantic!
Thrilled for you. Welcome to the LI family!
Warmly
Cheryl
I'm on the fence about e-readers. I wrote about them on my blog, http://poeticpost-its.blogspot.com/2011/04/so-much-cooler-online.html
ReplyDeleteToo long to post in a comment. :)
lizzielaura17(at)yahoo(dot)com
I love reading on my phone, but I haven't the budget to upgrade to an actual ereader. I appreciate having my phone with light and being able to take it anywhere to read, which I guess that you cannot do with a nook or amazon reader (need external light to read). LOL what I could've read when I was a kid on my phone!! No flash light for a book, so I will just read on my phone!! :)
ReplyDeletejustin_autumn at msn.com
Jordan and all thanks for the links. I'll definitely check them out.
ReplyDeleteCheryl
So far, I've only read one short story on my PC Kindle. I just like the printed books....I like the covers, the books are easier for me to read.....I hope eventually everything will not go to ebooks!
ReplyDeleteBlessings.....Joy
ibjoy1953{at]yahoo[dot]com