When asked what is the world’s oldest profession the majority of people would no doubt say prostitution. And they would be wrong. Storytelling existed long before women, or men, sold their bodies for profit. Demonstrating via gestures and a limited vocabulary, prehistoric hunters would nightly regale the tribe with boastful tales of their hunts around the stone hearth, the flickering flames highlighting their mimed exploits. Jump 10,000 years and humankind has upheld the tradition of storytelling, though mediums have changed as technology has progressed. Movies mimic the fireside actions of our distant ancestors. But before moving pictures came to the fore of human entertainment, stories evolved from being handed down through the generations by word of mouth to being recorded in written form. And so the novel emerged as the principle format for the storyteller. Pen was put to paper and later printed for the masses. Books previously owned solely by the wealthy were made affordable to the general public. Thus, the paperback has reigned supreme in the world of fiction.
But times inevitably change, as do the seasons. The 21st century sees humanity witnessing technological achievements once only imagined by science fictions writers:- a fully functional space station in Earth orbit; the return of manned missions to the moon that will lead to Mars expeditions; medical wonders such as face transplants and biomechanical prosthetics. What has this to do with books, you might wonder? Technology is already revolutionising the way we read. Newspapers can be accessed online. And books are now digitised, whether produced on CD-ROM or the varied ebook formats.
Admittedly, I’m of the old school when it comes to books. My library, both reference and works of fiction, are proudly books of actual paper. I love the smell of a book purchased brand new. I relish the feel of turning a page when I read. My first novel, THE CHOSEN ONE, originally came out in paperback. But then I was introduced to the realm of ebooks by my current publisher at SynergEbooks. Deb Staples is a true visionary and opened my eyes to a medium that is on the cusp of taking the publishing world by storm. Imagine sourcing books that can never go out of print. Imagine books not reliant on paper, making for a cleaner and greener environment. Imagine reading devices, often no bigger than the paperbacks they replace, able to store dozens of novels at a time. That is the reality. The future is here and now. As an avowed booklover I will always treasure printed books. But I embrace ebooks as the next step in literary evolution. Nature’s rule is as valid today as it was millions of years ago when dinosaurs ruled the planet: adapt or become extinct.
I can say with pride that my first novel, the very first book I ever wrote, began published life in print before going digital. I sincerely hope other writers and readers can make this transition. If they cannot, then literature will sadly become stagnant by clinging to the past, in turn recreating the Dark Ages that blighted humanity.
But times inevitably change, as do the seasons. The 21st century sees humanity witnessing technological achievements once only imagined by science fictions writers:- a fully functional space station in Earth orbit; the return of manned missions to the moon that will lead to Mars expeditions; medical wonders such as face transplants and biomechanical prosthetics. What has this to do with books, you might wonder? Technology is already revolutionising the way we read. Newspapers can be accessed online. And books are now digitised, whether produced on CD-ROM or the varied ebook formats.
Admittedly, I’m of the old school when it comes to books. My library, both reference and works of fiction, are proudly books of actual paper. I love the smell of a book purchased brand new. I relish the feel of turning a page when I read. My first novel, THE CHOSEN ONE, originally came out in paperback. But then I was introduced to the realm of ebooks by my current publisher at SynergEbooks. Deb Staples is a true visionary and opened my eyes to a medium that is on the cusp of taking the publishing world by storm. Imagine sourcing books that can never go out of print. Imagine books not reliant on paper, making for a cleaner and greener environment. Imagine reading devices, often no bigger than the paperbacks they replace, able to store dozens of novels at a time. That is the reality. The future is here and now. As an avowed booklover I will always treasure printed books. But I embrace ebooks as the next step in literary evolution. Nature’s rule is as valid today as it was millions of years ago when dinosaurs ruled the planet: adapt or become extinct.
I can say with pride that my first novel, the very first book I ever wrote, began published life in print before going digital. I sincerely hope other writers and readers can make this transition. If they cannot, then literature will sadly become stagnant by clinging to the past, in turn recreating the Dark Ages that blighted humanity.
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