Saturday, February 5, 2011

Guest Author Series - Author Shirley Kiger Connelly talks about Amazon Kindle Ereader



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

SHIRLEY: I’m not only a writer but an avid reader of just about anything, I think. When I’m not writing books (fiction and nonfiction), or teaching, or moving furniture around, or out with my animals, I’m reading or researching.
My husband and I live on the southern coast of Oregon about two blocks from the harbor.
That’s just a little about me.

STEPH: What ebook reader to you have?

SHIRLEY: I have the Kindle

STEPH: How long have you had it?

SHIRLEY: Got my first Kindle early last year. It strangely went kaput on me, so I called up the ones in charge (somebody over there at Amazon who does Kindle stuff) and told them my Kindle not working. They just said send it back and another was on its way to me, no charge, within days with all the information back on it again. I couldn’t have been more thrilled.

STEPH: What do you like the most about it?

SHIRLEY Oh, wow, let’s see. Probably that I can download a bazillion “samples” of books before I have to make a decision to purchase them. I really love that. (Can I add another reason?) That would be that, with my handy-dandy leather, snap shut case, I can hold it like a book which makes it more comfortable for me, yet it doesn’t take up much room anywhere. So now instead of three or four small books stuffed in my tote or purse, I just stick my Kindle there and I have a lot more than those three or four books to choose to read if my mood changes.


STEPH: What do you like the least about it?

SHIRLEY: Maybe that it’s SOOOOOO easy to purchase something, since it’s immediately THERE, and having to turn on my computer email the next day with the reminder of what I spent the night before.

STEPH: What features are unique to your Kindle?

SHIRLEY: What is unique to me might not be unique at all to someone else. Probably it’s that I can highlight a word that jumps out at me when I’m reading and know it goes in a special “Shirley” file for me to later look at. Or being able to see the definition of a word I don’t often see, and getting a clearer understanding of why it’s been used.

STEPH: Is loading books onto the Kindle easy?

SHIRLEY: I haven’t tried downloading (or is it uploading?) a PDF from over on my computer to my Kindle, although I know it can be done. I just haven’t tried to figure it out yet. But otherwise loading is very, very easy. I also love that my daughter, who can’t yet afford the handheld Kindle could download the Kindle program onto her computer and read whatever she wants right there. That’s so great.

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

SHIRLEY: Access to books, any books, my favorite books, my favorite authors. Quick access to research material.

STEPH: Was price a factor when you bought it?

SHIRLEY: Price is always a factor for me, but thankfully with Amazon I am in the Prime membership so shipping for me is always free. (Unfortunately it opens up more temptations for me to buy more. That’s the intention isn’t it?)

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

SHIRLEY: Well, if you like to color coordinate, you can do so with the skins to protect the outside of your Kindle (all styles and colors) and you can get all kinds of little Kindle holders. Hey ... you can change with what you’re wearing, or to go with your purse, or belt, or shoes, or scarf. It also has that little light you can attach so you can read it in the dark. I’ve also used the audio. I had to laugh when I listened to one of my own books with that. My Southern Belle didn’t sound too much like a French girl from the south, however. And the guy, well, he didn’t sound that romantic. Oh well.

Thanks for being here today, Shirley
Smiles
Steph

8 comments:

  1. Yesterday I received a note from a fellow writer now confined to a wheelchair. She wrote to tell me she got a Kindle for Christmas and has downloaded my book.

    At first this surprised me. She is from the older generation and has refused to jump on the computer bandwagon. Then a realized e-readers are perfect for shut-ins.

    I used to pass my read books to this friend. Now she doesn't have to leave the house to acquire something to read.

    Toni Noel

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  2. Hi. I loved your post and getting to know more about you. I swear I could have written your "promotion" for the Kindle. I have one and love it. I never thought I would enjoy anything more than a real book, but now I wince at the thought of reading that way. The ease of downloading direct from Amazon and the ability to transfer my own PDF files through Amazon and request their conversion is awesome. All you need do is forward the PDF to your own Kindle email and put "Convert" in the subject line. I've done that for many of the books I've reviewed and they come almost as fast as the direct download. You can take anything I own, but don't touch my Kindle. :)

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  3. Thank you for writing in, Toni and Ginger. I love what you both shared. And thank you especially Ginger for sharing HOW I'm to get my pdfs over to my Kindle. I can't wait to give it a try.
    Blessings!

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  4. I am seriously considering getting an ebook reader, so thoroughly enjoyed your post Shirley. I found it very helpful :-)

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  5. Hi Shirley,
    You listed all the reasons why I love my Kindle! I've also have read some great free books - a few contemporary romances, historical romances and an Amish romance.

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  6. Thanks for writing in, Sherry and Diane. Glad you enjoyed the post. My reasons are pretty simple (but then so am I). And Diane. I will LOOK for your books in there. Always fun to add another TBR to my list.
    Blessings to you both.

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  7. Shirley,
    I adore Diane's writing and I love the books of hers I've read on Kindle. She really gets to the heartstrings and her characeterization is fabulous.

    Smiles
    Steph

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  8. Great post! I've always been more of a Luddite, but I just got a kindle as a gift and I love it! I have gone to small indy publishers and bought books, sent them to my e-mail in my computer, then e-mailed them to my kindle. I suppose I could probably just e-mail them directly, but the first coupla times I was afraid I'd screw it up and lose the book. I downloaded the Mobi-pocket version. It works great. I've also gotten some books from Amazon. And All-Romance eBooks. So yes, I guess I'm a reformed technophobe!

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