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Oh puh-leeze

March 11, 2009 by shilohwalker

cross-posted at my blog(s)

So the reason ebooks are taking off so big is because us women can read our ’salacious’ content in private?

According to this guy…yep.  he says:

Well, once again it seems like porn is blazing a path to a new media format. Of the top 10 bestsellers under the “Multiformat” category, nine are tagged “erotica” amd the last is “dark fantasy”. from the ITworld.com blog

First off…we don’t like it when people call our erotic romance porn.  Most die-hard erotic romance readers will tell ya that if the romance isn’t any good, the book’s not worth reading, no matter how well written, how hot the sex scenes are.  Please note…romance doesn’t equate sex scenes.  Romance is that slow slide into love, or that crazy free fall.  It’s the development of a relationship-the sex is just a bonus, because we need that romance.

If all we needed was porn or salicious content, (and felt the need to hide it) we’d buy playgirl and claim we read it for the articles.

From a romance reader, from a romance writer, from an ebook author, here are some reasons why ebooks are taking off.

  1. More and more people are becoming aware of them.  The gadget on that one little site…uh…oh, yeah, Amazon!  is making more and more readers aware of ebooks.  That Sony doo-dad that is in the Books a Million stores, Borders store, Target…many who were unaware of ebooks are now aware.  Once made aware, they are more likely to check things out, rather than when they didn’t know it existed.
  2. Storage.  I’ve got three tall bookcases crammed full.  One is for research.  One case is for keepers.  One case is my yet to be read.  I can only get so many books on those cases.  And I have no room as of yet for more.  Different story with ebooks.  I can store as many as my heart desires.
  3. Instant gratification.  Say I’m cruising an author site and a title catches my eye.  Now I’m impatient.  I could wait until the next day, the weekend, when I have time to go buy the book.  But if it’s in ebook, no need to wait.  Viola, it’s there.
  4. It is a little more earth-friendly.  No paper.  That simple.
  5. Bookaholics can tote a lot more books on an e-reader than they can in their suitcases.  Instead of taking 10 print books and hoping I don’t wish I had something else, I can take my reader, which has upwards of 75+ books on it at all times.
  6. Availability.  Perhaps the guy that wrote the blog post isn’t aware that many ebooks aren’t available in print.  Books from the smaller independent epubs like Ellora’s Cave, Samhain, Loose Id, Changeling, etc put the books out in ebook form only and the print format doesn’t come along until later.  I’m not inclined to wait for print, not if I really want to read it and it’s only in ebook format.

The only time salacious content comes into play for me is if the cover is so blatantly erotic, I can’t keep it on my shelves-not because I’m ‘embarassed’ or I need ‘privacy’.  I’m protecting my children.  I have three children.  Three young children.  They don’t need to see a book with some chick caught in a nekkid clinch with three guys. So if the cover of the book crosses my limit, but I want to read it, I will then see if it’s in ebook.  It has nothing to do with me needing:

the privacy they offer, both during purchase and when reading.

I’m an adult. I read what I choose. I don’t care what the opinions of others are when it comes to my reading material. I’m the one reading it…not them. If they don’t like my reading material, that’s fine…nobody is making them read it.

Have I gotten knocked for reading romance or erotic romance? Oh yes, but those knocks don’t leave me inclined to ‘hide’ my reading. It only irritates me or amuses me, and my response tends to be…well, what was the last romance you read? Most people can’t answer the question.

So there’s the opinion of a woman who has been reading and writing romance for years. I’ve been epubbed since 2003 (I think) and I’ve been reading ebooks since 2002 (I think). Shame or some need to hide my reading material didn’t figure into my purchasing choices then, and they certainly don’t now.

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Posted in Shiloh | Tagged Books, ebooks, whatever | 4 Comments

4 Responses

  1. on March 11, 2009 at 3:38 pm Lisa Freeman

    It seem like there are quite a few blogs talking about ebooks and their gaining popularity.

    I have to agree with your opinion on some of the more erotic covers. With kids in the house, and mine are older than yours, I really have to watch what I leave laying around. I also like that portability of the ebook. I need to look into upgrading my reader though. I’ve still got a Palm and I would love to have a little larger screen.

    I for one am glad I don’t read the ITWorld blog. Sounds to uptown for me!


  2. on March 11, 2009 at 4:23 pm MarnieColette

    I loved your post. I have an e-reader (red sony which I love!) I will admit that I still love print books but find myself buying more and more new authors via e-book for the pure fact of speed and space issues. Those series I have in print I will continue to buy in print.

    I read that is my passion and I read loads of books as such I have a space issue (4 book shelves filled with TBR & can’t part with ever).

    E-Readers provide unlimited space, convenient carrying of multiple books, saves trees and opens you up to many authors that aren’t in print. (Some being erotica)

    I take offense to the erotica comment being porn. I need a story with a plot – if there is sex in it great all the better that is what erotica is. A story with loads of heat!

    You don’t have to read erotica if you don’t want to, as such if you don’t read it don’t judge it and don’t judge those that do.

    E-readers aren’t a tool to hide what is being read – they are simply technology advancing.


  3. on March 18, 2009 at 3:28 pm Shawna Moore

    Hi, Shiloh!

    Wonderful post! As an e-published author I completely agree with your comments. I’ve been reading your books for several years and truly enjoy your memorable characters and keen story-telling talent.

    When it comes to blogging, Vamps and Scamps also brings refreshing commentary to readers. Recently we authors at Fierce Romance were awarded the Premio Dardas by our peer bloggers, Petit Fours and Hot Tamales. As we believe your blog is also deserving of recognition, we present you with a Premio Dardas.

    This award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in his/her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values every day.

    The rules to follow are:

    1) Accept the award, then post it on your blog together with the name of the person that has granted the award and his or her blog link.

    2) Pass the award to another 15 blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment. Remember to contact each of them to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

    Thanks for hosting a terrific cyber community!

    Shawna Moore


  4. on March 18, 2009 at 5:35 pm shilohwalker

    Shawna, I appreciate the award, but I’m afraid I’m swamped. However, i do appreciate you all thinking of us.



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