Viruses and Backing Up Files

My laptop was recently infected by a virus. I'm supposed to get it back today from the Geek Squad. In my mind, I thought that I backed up my files on a regular basis, but after being without my computer all week I've learned that I don't do it nearly enough.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they were able to recover all of my files...

Epublishing

I purchased my first ebook recently from www.ravenousromance.com because one of my short stories was included in the anthology, Power Plays. Previously I had purchased audio books online, but hadn't ever known if I wanted to part with my hard earned buck to purchase something that wasn't physical.

In the past, I always thought I would miss the feeling of turning pages and holding a book up.

The PDF format of the ebook I bought is refreshing for a lot of reasons. I spend a ton of time in front of my laptop on the Internet, and in Microsoft Word. The little, black arrows on the bottom of the PDF make it much, much easier to keep track of pages without having to arrow key or scroll up and down. Every time I wanted to read a particular story again, I could just type in the page number on the bottom.

Also, I'm currently reading the trade paperback American version of Ken Follett's World Without End. So far, it's a good book, but it's heavy to hold up to my face for any length of time. So, I'm either bent over it as I read, or giving my arms a workout as I hold it. World Without End was a gift from my brother for Christmas, so I'm not complaining.

But, if I had to purchase another book in the 1000 work range, I would consider an ebook for this reason.

The other aspect of this last ebook I read that really got me excited was the ease with which I could take notes. What I purchased was fiction, so every time I came across a metaphor or neat descriptive passage, I opened my Excel file and began compiling and categorizing what other writers had written. I was easily able to write, "ABC writer wrote XYZ in DEF story on page LMNOP," in my various columns and rows within excel. Had I been reading a print book, I would have grabbed a sticky note, and then the information would have been eaten by purse, lost forever to the world.

The moral of my story is that I'm a child of the technology age. I'm sure I'll never stop buying paper books, they're convenient in places like the doctor's office or the mechanic's waiting room. But, I will buy more ebooks in the future.

Top Ten Reasons I Have To Buy Books

With economy in shambles, I've been reflecting on my own spending habits. I tend to buy books like most women tend to buy shoes. It's rare that I enter a bookstore without buying something or at least writing down ISBN numbers to compare with prices of those same titles online or used. For a long time, I bought nonfiction and indulged in fiction from the public library.

Then I remembered that I don't read much of anything in three weeks or less, thus incurring library fines.

Lately, I've been purchasing hordes of fiction and devouring it at a steady pace. After some introspection I've decided that I have ten reasons for my book buying compulsion.

• Breaking the spine of a new paperback is akin to putting a knife into a brand new container of butter. I like messing with pretty design. Unlike almost anything I pick up off the shelf to purchase, there's nothing to throw away (packaging), but I get to make my mark on the product.
• I write just as much as I read. Supporting my fellow writers is a little like how I imagine the high of sniffing glue to be. I'm stuck on it by accident.
• I'm getting a kick out of contacting published writers to tell them I'm reviewing their books for free. They pretty much all respond, which gives me warm fuzzies.
• I like to imagine where Bluekissed and Redkissed would place my imaged books on the shelves of Barnes and Noble. Will my books be at eye level?
  
• I keep forgetting how heavy books are when I have to move. Each time I move, I swear that I will stop buying books in such a frenzied manner (and I usually start giving them away). Then, I forget the pain of lugging them up several flights of stairs.
• I've stopped having migraines for the most part. When I was having them, reading wasn't nearly as fun since it was next to impossible.
• I have a new reading chair in my office :)
• Signed author copies tickle me pink
• I like the look of words on a page. I keep reminding myself that it wasn't all that long ago that the average person couldn't read. Hip Hip Hooray for the printing press!
• Reading keeps me from playing an obscene amount of computer solitaire. As it is, I play only enough to make my eyes burn with pictures of cards when I close my eyelids.
  

Killer Nashville

The 2009 Killer Nashville conference is due to be August 14-16, 2009 in the Nashville area. It is a conference that I LOVED last year and hope to attend this year as well. The whole thing focuses on writing and the mystery/thriller genre. Last year I heard speakers on several topics including: arson, explosives, (I wanted to see the one on explosives but it was at the same time as a different topic I wanted to hear), writing effective sex scenes, as well as hearing Dr. Bill Bass, who was the keynote speaker.