Ebooks and a New Project

About eight weeks ago my wife asked me what I thought about the Kindle. My response was something along the lines of "It's a vanity toy for technocrats and businessmen."

Yeah, I said that. I'm not proud.

Over the holiday season I read a slew of blogs and articles about ebooks ranging from fear that they're going to drive publishers out of business to jubilation that the next real thresh hold of printing technology has been reached.

I'm withholding judgment for now, and I may be for another twenty years because ereaders and the like are going to continue to change and develop just as fast as any other technology. I do think the development is wonderful. I also think it's scary, as I'll be entering my own writing career during a wave of changing practices and technologies and if I or any of the people I work with make the wrong decision at some point it could cost me a career--or at least hamper it decently.

I've done a lot of reading about ereaders lately. I have to admit. They look fun. Between constant promotional sales by some of my favorite authors like Steven Erikson and the giant library of free books Amazon has, I've decided it would be both practical and enjoyable. Mostly enjoyable.

So, tail between my legs, I went to Michele the other day and admitted I wanted a Kindle for my birthday. I've dropped some not-so-subtle hints to family members and maybe I can schmooze save up enough to buy one.