Just….. wow.
I’ve been reading Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series since book one. I have book twenty in my hand right now, but I almost didn’t. Books-A-Million closed down and Wally World has shit for books anymore so I ended up at Borders. BAM was my friend. I knew where every single book would be in that place and could zip right in and right out. Borders? No. Took me forever to even FIND the damned book because there was no big display for Hit List, like I’m used to at BAM, and every bookstore seems to toss Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance over with the bodice rippers. I have too much self respect to go anywhere near that shelf. Someone I know might see me and I’d never live it down. Oh, wait. *smack-da-forehead* What am I thinking? I live among heathens. I know exactly two people in this town who read more than the tv guide. (Lisa W. and Aubry)
I keep looking in Fiction for Hamilton. Not to be found, not even one of her older books. Still I refuse to go near the bodice ripper shelf. (Please tell me what logic would put Anita Blake on that shelf?) Ok. It’s a new release, so I figure it’s GOT to be on some table up front and I’ve just missed it. Yeah, I found it. A tiny stack of five books with two propped up on the little stands. Geez, but at least I found it.
I’m in line and the guy in front of me apparently thinks this is a pharmacy – you know how they ask you to stay behind the line for the privacy of the customer in front of you? – because he was twenty feet back from the register. Ok, whatever. I’m behind him, looking at some purple reading glasses – I love purple – and just killin’ time. Decide to flip the book over to see how much I’m paying for this little bit of guilty pleasure and the internal gasp must have been an audible one because the guy in front of me slowly turned and looooooked at me before he walked up to the register… lookin’ at me like he might catch some disease. I think it was because of 1) the book I had 2( the tattoos, which I do not hide, ever, and the spaghetti strap shirt and low rise jeans show them off so well, and 3) because he was wearing pink plaid shorts and buying a book on how to improve his golf swing.
My turn finally, gal says, “How are you doing today?”
*snort* “I need oxygen.”
She’s not quite sure how to take that, so I flip the book over and show her the sticker price. $27.95.
“Oh! It’s 30% off, so it’s only $20.93 including tax.” All perky.
“Well, that’s *better*, but damn. Now I understand the appeal of E-books.”
I part with my money, grudgingly. Like I said, guilty pleasure. I really stopped *liking* her books about book six or seven, but I’m hooked because I like seeing what HELL she puts her characters through and I’m hoping that one day someone will murder Richard’s ass I’ll get to see it. But $20.93 for that HOPE? GRR. Getting off the subject…..
I bought Lisa Kessler’s .99 E-Book for her short story Across the Veil. A short story so the price was beyond fair and I wanted to see what she had going. I bought Buki’s – excuse me, Kelley Frank’s – E-Book Flesh and Bone: Rise of the Necromancers at $5 on Amazon. It’s a compliation of different people’s short stories and a great read. So, ya’ know, I’m not opposed to a Kindle, I have the app for my laptop, I don’t actually own a Kindle. So, I HAVE bought E-Books, I just prefer holding a book in my hand. I check just now and find a Kim Harrison E-Book for $14.95. That’s a little high. Five bucks more and I could have the hardback.
What I GET now is the whole Kindle craze. THIRTY bucks for a hardback if you pay jacket price vs. ten-fifteen dollars, or more, LESS for an E-Book? It’s not the Age of Gadgets that’s making the people of the world buy digital, it’s the UNREAL price of a physical BOOK that’s gonna kill the industry.
Ah, well. At least there’s suckers like me. Until the next time I go and the register rings up more than $25.00. I think I’ll have to draw the line.
I’m an ebook junkie since my Mom got me a Kindle for my b-day last year!!! The type is bigger, you never lose your place… Love it! 🙂
Thanks for grabbing a copy of Across the Veil!!! Hope you enjoy it….
Lisa 🙂