Guest Author Series - Author Melanie Atkins talks about B&N Nook Ereader

STEPH: Welcome to to my ebook reader series, Melanie. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

MELANIE: I'm a multi-published author of romantic suspense, a fan of crime dramas, and an avid reader. Writing is more than an escape for me-- it's just what I do. I grew up in the Deep South listening to tall tales and writing stories about my cats. Now I write stories of love, suspense, and mystery with the help of my furry little feline muses. And... I love to read, especially on my Nook.

STEPH: What ebook reader to you have? How long have you had it?

MELANIE: I've had my Nook about six months. I love it!! I don't want to read paper books anymore, because I have to hold them open. lol

STEPH: What do you like the most about it?

MELANIE: I love that I can order books anywhere via either 3G or wifi and have them in only seconds, and that I can increase the font size so I can read at the gym with the Nook propped on the treadmill. I can also turn the page with the push of a button. So cool.


STEPH: What do you like the least about it?

MELANIE: That I didn't wait and get the Nook Color. lol

STEPH: What features are unique to your Nook?

MELANIE: I don't know if any of its features are unique anymore, since it's the first Nook. But it does have both wifi and 3G, which makes ordering easy. It also acts as an mp3 player. I don't have any music on it now, but I can add it if I want to.

STEPH: Is loading books onto the Nook easy?

MELANIE: Easy as pie. Find the book and order, and it's automatically downloaded in seconds. The last book, I bought at the gym on the recumbent bike. So simple and fun.

STEPH: What are some of the pros to your book reader?

MELANIE: The screen isn't backlit, so it doesn't hurt my eyes. I'm able to increase the font size, and it has both wifi and 3G.

STEPH: Was price a factor when you bought it?

MELANIE: Yes. I waited until I had a little extra money... then I snapped it up. I'm very happy with it.

STEPH: Anything else you'd like to tell us about the Nook?

MELANIE: It's so easy to transfer books to the Nook that I've bought at sites other than Barnes and Nobles. I hook it to the computer via a USB cord, as if it were a flash drive or something, and just drag and drop. No proprietary format, either. The Nook allows a variety of them, including pdf, but epub seems to work the best. I'd buy it again tomorrow.

STEPH: Thanks for sharing, Melanie!

A look at Ebook Readers

Well, I don't have an ebook reader - at least not yet, but ebooks are gaining in popularity and ebook reader's are a must. The most I hear about is the Kindle. Here's the stats on the new Kindle from the Kindle home page:

Slim: Just over 1/3 of an inch, as thin as most magazines

Lightweight: At 10.2 ounces, lighter than a typical paperback

Books in Under 60 Seconds: Get books delivered wirelessly in less than 60 seconds; no PC required

3G Wireless: 3G wireless lets you download books right from your Kindle; no annual contracts, no monthly fees, and no hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots

International Coverage: Enjoy 3G wireless coverage at home or abroad in over 100 countries.

Paper-Like Display: Reads like real paper without glare, even in bright sunlight

Carry Your Library: Holds up to 1,500 books

Long Battery Life: Read for days without recharging

Of course, there are more features, I'm being brief here. I like all these features and more. The new Kindle is weighing in at $259. So....is it worth it?

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I have a Kindle app for the IPhone and in fact, I read Rita's Hestand, "Runaway Bride" off my Kindle app. I liked the conviencence (sp) of it. Since I take my phone everywhere, my book went with me. And it opened up at the touch of a button. I bought it at the touch of a button and it's hooked up to my Amazon account. There wasn't too much glare and the font was easy on my easy.

Who says I need an ebook reader, right?

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Then there's the Sony Ebook reader. They have a touch edition and the cost is only $199. The screen is 6" and it has access to Google books. It is compable with many ebook stores and has 5 different sizes for text. There's a 2 week battery with audio/picture player and the memory can be expanded.

I like this too. So it doesn't have access to Amazon's library. That is probably the only set back.

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Then I found the Barnes & Noble Nook. It's not available yet. Maybe Christmas? I wasn't sure. It has lots of features comparable to the other readers and access to the Barnes & Noble ebook library. It's got a touch screen and the battery will last 10 w/o wireless. Mind you, wireless sucks the life out of batteries, trust me on this.

Here's a link to the top 10 ebook readers - mind you this link is PRICEY and quite honestly, I don't want to spend over $250 for my ebook reader.

http://ebook-reader-review.toptenreviews.com/

Ebook readers shout out. What ebook reader do you have? What's the TOP 3 features you LIKE about it. What did you think of the price. Do you find having access to Amazon, Google Books or B&N convientent or a deciding factor in your decision to get one? Love to hear your thoughts.

Steph