Saturday, January 22, 2011

Author Jillian Chantel

Not to knock AA, NA, or any of those wonderful organizations that help a lot of people, but I feel like I'm at a twelve step meeting. Hello, my name is Jillian Chantal, I'm a writer at Desert Breeze Publishing and I own an e-reader.

My Sony e-reader has been my friend and has also been my foe. I have the Sony touch screen version. I got it over a year ago and initially was not enamored of it at all. One problem was that it didn't come with an owner's manual or even a one page "for dummies" diagram on how to use the thing. That was a big reason I didn't use it at first. I'm a bit of a technophobe. Well, not really phobic about it but I'm convinced I have some kind of chemical in my body that really, really hates electronics. If a device can go wrong, in my hands, it will.

Once I played with the little demon for a bit, I figured out how to upload books to it as well as the other features. That was nice but it really would have been great to have a user's guide. I enjoyed reading on it. I liked that I could adjust the size of the print and could carry the thing in my purse. It's very light. I'm happy that I can upload pdfs to it and can make notes. My version has the touch screen and I like that feature for some purposes but not for others. I use the little buttons at the bottom of the device to turn the pages because the touch feature requires almost a hard shove as opposed to a small little brush of the fingertips. I use the touch feature to choose the book I want to read and to open the other screens. One thing I do wish is that it had wireless download, although since I download to the computer first, I have the books in two places and that's nice, too.


A great thing about the Sony is the ability to travel with it- I can take a lot of books in one small package- no large, heavy books to carry in the airport; however, there is a down side to airplane travel with it. You can't have it on at the beginning of the flight nor near the end of the flight. That's about 30 minutes of good reading time lost. In fact, I've been in the middle of an exciting chapter more than once and had to shut it off. Now, let me say, this would be true for any such device so I don't hold it against my little old Sony.



One other thing I didn't foresee with this device is the amount of attention it attracts. Every time I try to read in public on my lunch break, someone asks me what it is and I have to show all that it does. Now, this is good as an e-published writer as I can show them it's nothing to be afraid of using and even bring up that I'm a writer. It's not so good when I want to read and be left alone. If I was a single girl, I might consider the interruptions by attractive men to be a good thing. As it is, I would rather read in peace, thank you.

I've got a great little red leather cover on mine and it's just too cute. It makes it easier to hold when reading. It even feels like a book!

19 comments:

  1. Jillian, thanks for visiting and posting about the Sony Ereader. I'm tickled pink to see The Count's Lair on it. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

    Smiles
    Steph

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  2. Thanks for having me here, Steph. Loved The Count's Lair and can't wait for the next in the series. And I'm very excited that I get to interview the Count!

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  3. Jillian,
    I wrote out the post, just have a type it up. Hope to do it later on today, if not, I hope to do it on Monday. Sunday is shot with Church and Work.

    Smiles
    Steph

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  4. Hey Jillian, Love my Sony that I bought at Christmas. Your Solo Honeymoon was one of my first downloads. The pdf reading feature was a major factor in choosing the Sony. Besides my own files, I have downloaded and read free scanned pdfs of books from bawdy Elizabethan plays to out of print books written during the Regency. Love it!! Strila Bay

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  5. I have a Sony also. I've got the leather cover that comes with the built-in reading light on it. I feel so Star Trek when I pull it out and start reading. :-) You're right, it's kind of annoying to have to download everything from the computer--especially for me right now since my computer refuses to recognize my device lol I'm hoping it's a glitch because the e-reader is just so nice to have. I get way too dependent on it lol

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  6. Strila- I'm glad you like the Sony. I love the pdf feature. AND I'm so honored that my book was one of the first you downloaded. That means a lot.

    Sandra- Love the Star Trek comment!- as to the fail to recognize the device- mine did at first and then I re-downloaded it and it worked fine.

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  7. Steph- no rush on the interview- we have time before it goes live. J

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  8. I have a Sony touch too, but my leather cover is black. I like your red cover, that cute.

    Like you I've had the battery need to be recharged come on right at a good part of the book I'm reading. But I found if you have a wall outlet recharger, you can keep reading while its plugged in.

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  9. Janice- glad you like the red! AND thanks for the tip on the wall charger. As you know, you can't read while it's on the usb charger. I have resorted to reading the copy on the computer while the Sony charges but that I can only do at home! Gonna shop for a wall charger now!

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  10. Jillian thanks so much for telling us about your e-reader. I may have to break down and treat myself to one someday soon. It does look very cute an stylish in the red case. I've read books on the computer but an e-reader appears to be much more user friendly. It would be handy when traveling.

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  11. Dandwh- thanks for coming by- I think you'd love an ereader- watch the next couple of Saturdays here as Steph will have more people posting about the pros and cons of the ones they own- Then make your decision.

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  12. Thanks for sharing I am not quite convinced they are worth the price yet lol. I can afford several paper backs for what one of those costs and I keep all my books. I just can't see the cost effectiveness yet. Maybe someday. For now I will buy a book here and there for $5.99 at Wal Mart in paper back. GOOD LUCK as an e writer and may you have many sales.

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  13. Jillian - everyone - thanks so much for popping in and sharing your thoughts on the Sony ereader. One of the benefits I see from reading your post is the PDF feature which sounds nice. I have a Kindle and while I can load a PDF to it, the print is too small to read. I have been able to do conversions in the past with Mobi Pocket, but it looks all icky. Now I have Calibre and I can't figure out the conversation. I tend to buy the epub or html format if I buy off a site because that conversts with Calibre.

    Smiles
    Steph

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  14. Thanks for sharing. I've have my Sony 505 (2nd gen) for 3 years. It still it the model most flexible for the most commercial ebook sites. And Overdrive from your local library.

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  15. Kathy- thanks for the good wishes- and there's nothing wrong w/a book off the shelf. Just read one today myself! LOL!

    Steph- yes, the pdf feature is great. I like to buy the epub version too since it slides on the Sony well.

    Amber- Haven't tried the Library lend yet. Glad your Sony is holding up well. Good news!

    And Allison- thanks for emailing me that you enjoyed the post and the info. Sorry your ccmment didn't come through. Jillian

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  16. I love my Sony e-reader. I find it's especially wonderful if I can't sleep and hubby is snoring away. I don't mind turning the back light on and know that he will keep right on snoring!

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  17. I enjoyed reading your review of the Sony e-reader, especially the part about it being a great way to meet men! LOL! If only they had these things when I was single!

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  18. Hi Jillian,
    Glad I dropped in. I too have the Sony reader and am enjoying it (that's when I have reading time :) I didn't know about the wall charger and will be searching for one too. Thanks for the tip. Continued blessings.

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  19. Nichole- glad to know the backlight doesn't disturb snorers- I'll check that out on my hubs.

    Alym- Thanks- glad you enjoyed the post- and yeah, it could've been fun if they had them in the dark ages when I was single!!

    Vanessa- glad you dropped in as well. Don't we all wish we had more reading time? blessings to you as well.

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