Even if Spring is only two weeks away, I still think of August as the dead of winter, hibernation time, time to contemplate, meditate and cogitate. The death of the fiscal year is a time when we are forced to look back on what we’ve done with our year, how much money we made, but particularly how much we spent (and what we can grab back from the government which so cruelly takes it from us).

I’ve spent a bit of money on books this year, I’ll admit. However, I’ve also spent a very little money on other books, ie eBooks. I’ve cautiously paddled into the shallow end by getting books I can read on Kindle for iPhone (one of the books was The Sun Also Rises, which I found sexist, racist, kind of outdated – but very well written! Anyway, that’s another story… apologies to fans of Hemingway).

It’s so easy. I can read in bed, it’s not heavy like a book and you only need one hand with an energetic thumb. It’s always with me (or I should say they are always with me – I can get about 28,000 free ones). If I have a few minutes to spare waiting for a friend or a meeting (but not at traffic lights), I can click in and read a few pages.

Entertainment and knowledge is always at hand. This is strangely comforting. I like the fact that I can take 28,000 books away with me on holiday. I probably won’t even finish one, but it’s pleasing to know they are there, in the background, supporting me.

The Australian Society of Authors is currently working on the complexities of contracts for authors to include provision for eBooks. The ramifications also spread to editors whose work will only increase due to the dismissal of a large chunk of the production process, and the continuance of rigid content standards by respectable publishers.

eBooks are our friends. Embrace them, give them a try. You just might like them!