Egads - eBooks!

I receive daily updates from Publisher's Weekly and lately they are full of the rise of ebook sales and the demise of traditional books. Now, I'm not a techno phobe - I use computers daily, have a cell phone and manage to navigate my way around these gadgets. But I'm not a techno enthusiast to the point of having the newest of everything whether it is needed or not. However as an author, this is one technological development I can't ignore.

I can see the advantage if you travel frequently of carrying one tablet size device rather than three books. I suppose if you lived in a space without bookshelf space, it might make sense, also. But, of course there is also the library, where they will shelve your "collection" of favorites. As I deal mainly in children's books, I didn't pay too much attention to the ebooks until I received an addendum to my contract for ebook publication. Apparently teachers can download an ebook to their computer and then project it on a SmartBoard and write over the text/illustration to instruct students in a certain concept. Most contracts from the traditional publishers now contain a paragraph refering to e rights.

But what about the thrill of opening the cover of a brand new book, smelling the new ink smell and feeling the texture of the paper? At first I thought maybe I felt this way because I love children's books. But no, I don't want to relax in my big comfy chair, with my hot cocoa and a view of the birdfeeder and turn on my e reader.
I want to open my book to where my tattered bookmark has saved the next part of my reading adventure. I want to balance the book in one hand as I sip my cocoa and not worry that a spill will do anything more than darken a corner of a page. I want my book.

This afternoon I am "attending" a web seminar on children's publishing and e books. Will it change my mind? I hope not. But it may help me figure out as an author where I fit into this new publishing sphere and how I can still hold on to my book.