Graphic Artist, Writer and Girl Geek
twitter google+ facebook linkedIn pinterest youTube

Posts Tagged with ‘e-readers’

The Bathtub Kindle

January 31, 2012

I’m a tech-nerd through and through. I love gadgets and gizmos. So it’s no surprise that I own a Kindle and absolutely adore it *pets*. I do have “actual” books and I love them, but e-books are my reading preference for a bunch of reasons that are not limited to the ease of use and practicality of e-copies versus paper. I understand that bookstores are shutting down and I don’t want paper books to go obsolete, but with kids always around and little time to spare, I am embracing this new revolution of reading medium.

However, there are some downsides to an electronic device being your primary reading vessel. Especially if you’re a klutz, like me. Bathtub reading, a very relaxing, enjoyable experience, may not be so relaxing or enjoyable if you drop your Kindle into your bath water. I myself, have never taken the chance. I don’t take the chance because every time I’m in the kitchen and my hubby is around, I can fool him by screaming and holding up my ketchup drenched finger for him to see. He falls for it every time because it’s quite plausible that while chopping a carrot, I’d chop something else off.  I don’t dispute this — I’m no delicate flower and on occasion I make little itty bitty boo boos. Like cutting off the tip of my toe off with the lawnmower. Who hasn’t done that? Right? Right!

I’ve learned my lesson.

Moral of the story?

Don’t cut the lawn. And don’t take the Kindle into the bathtub. You’ll get electrocuted and probably burn down the house.

So it’s with great effort that every night around bath time, my husband has to bribe me with treats and a bedtime story to get me to put the Kindle down and take a shower.

Well last night, he left me. He went to bed and there was no one around to bribe me to bathe myself. What’s a girl to do? Either go to bed stinky or trudge down to the basement shower (can’t chance waking the kids upstairs) and do a quick rinse down. Well I wasn’t up for either so I decided I was gonna take a nice long, leisurely shower. With my Kindle.

Which is when I had my lightbulb moment. Behold:

This is so simple, I don’t need to outline the steps, do I? Okay, fine, you twisted my arm, I’ll keep talking.

Step 1: Get an extra large freezer bag, straw and your Kindle.

Step 2: Place Kindle in bag.

Step 3: Hand seal the bag except for a little opening at the end where you can put your straw in.

Step 4: Place straw in bag and draw the air out. Okay fine, I really wanna say — suck it! You really don’t want to skip this part ’cause if you do, the air between the Kindle and the bag will make it hard to read when it’s covered in droplets of water.

Step 5: Ta-da! A vacuum seal without a vacuum. You rock!

Step 6: Go take a shower with your Bathtub Kindle!

Now I’d like to see you read your paperback in the shower!

DISCLAIMER: I accept no responsiblity for any damage you, your home, your bath scrubby or your Kindle endure by using my method to make your regular Kindle a Bathtub Kindle. 

Seriously people, use your noggin! Don’t submerse the thing, don’t take it into a hottub or God forbid, sauna, with you — the heat probably isn’t good for it whether it’s in a bag or not. It’s just ziplock, not a space suit!

Third Grave Dead Ahead ARC Giveaway

January 3, 2012

You know that book I reviewed the other day? The one with the girl in the red chucks holding a scythe in an evening gown on the cover? Yeah, that one, over to the left? Well, do you wanna read it? Cause I’m giving away my copy of the ARC.

To enter all you have to do is leave a comment on this post using contact information where I can reach you. Up to 2 extra entries can be earned by sharing this post on FB and/or Twitter.

Official Rules:
1. One entry per person (with the exception of two extra entries applicable by sharing this post on Facebook and/or Twitter. Each additional entry must be confirmed with a valid post on either social media platforms and you must include the links to where you shared this post in your comment). And you must leave a comment to be entered!

Sample tweet: Third Grave Dead Ahead ARC Giveaway – goo.gl/Ub79f via @syd_gill

2. Contest begins at 10:00 p.m. PST on January 3, 2012 and will end at 7:59 p.m. PST on January 6, 2012.

3. This giveaway is only available to residents of the US and Canada.

4. Winning entry will be selected by randomizer.org.

THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED! Thank you to everyone who entered! Winner will be announced shortly!

For anyone who is just getting into this series,  First Grave on the Right and Second Grave on the Left are the first two in the series and available now. Book three, Third Grave Dead Ahead is set to be released at the end of this month, January 31st.

Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones

January 2, 2012

I usually don’t beg. Well not often, but when I didn’t win an ARC contest that Darynda was holding for Third Grave Dead Ahead, I might have succumbed. I subtly let her know that I was really bummed to not get to read her third book in the Charley & Reyes series as soon as possible. She suggested that I could try and contact her publicist and see if I could get one from him. So of course I immediately emailed that wonderful man, laid out my resume of blogs/twitter followers/FB reach (heh) and begged him for a copy. He so graciously agreed and didn’t even mention how psycho I sounded. There was a little mix up in the delivery of the ARC (apparently there could be a lost copy somewhere in the Canadian postal system) but Loren was nice enough to overnight me another one.

So when I finally got my hands on this book, I couldn’t wait to get started. In fact, I might have read a few pages right outside my PO Box across the border:

For anyone not familiar with Darynda’s books, they are a mix of mystery, suspense, wit, humor and romance. If you haven’t read them, go get them. Now. Currently there are two books out, First Grave on the Right and Second Grave on the Left. Book 3, Third Grave Dead Ahead is set to be released at the end of this month, January 31st.

Darynda is a master at leaving you hanging and both books end with a desperation to know what comes next. Fortunately, the wait is almost over and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

If you haven’t read the books and don’t want to be spoiled, do not read any further. SPOILERS AHEAD.

At the end of Second Grave on the Left, Charley has bound Reyes to his mortal body and Reyes is p-i-s-s-e-d. Like umm, really pissed. So we’re left wondering, what kind of danger will Charley be in and will she be able to save herself with his help? How long is Reyes going to be mad? When and how will he escape? And did he really kill his father? How long is Reyes going to be mad? Yeah, he was really mad, so it bears asking twice cause I was afraid for that girl!

All of these questions are answered in Third Grave Dead Ahead and we’re given a reprieve from the major cliffhangers we had to deal with in the first two books.

Darynda is master sculptor of witty dialogue, high-energy action, hilarious characters and incredible can’t-turn-the-page fast enough plots. As a writer, she is the type of author whose work I read and think I will never write again. If you’re a writer, you know what I mean and what I’m saying about Darynda’s talent. She truly is the type of writer that could write the phone book and it’d entertain you.

I could tell you that technically this book is a “filler” book. A book that is the lull in a series before we get into the next big story ARC. I could also tell you that I have a hard time reading “filler” books in a series because they just don’t hold my attention, but I’d be lying if I said that about Third Grave Dead Ahead. I enjoyed every minute of this book. Even after I finished and realized that Reyes and Charley still haven’t progressed much further in their relationship since Second Grave on the Left, or that we still don’t know what Charley is dun dun dun, “capable of” I didn’t feel cheated. It was just a great book.

Charley is even funnier in Third Grave Dead Ahead (if that’s possible) and I thoroughly enjoyed her banter with, umm, everyone…Cookies antics, Swopes annoyingness and the introduction of a few new characters. Charley remains one of my most favorites fictional characters who I really wish was real. If she was, she’d be my best friend. She is a hoot. But she has a softer, vulnerable side to her that we usually see after the climax when almost everything has gone to hell in a handbasket, and this addition is no exception. My heart broke for her heartache and I definitely shed a few tears along the way. Of course I would have loved to see some more of Reyes and the dynamic between Charley and him, but I realize that good things come to those that wait. And I have no doubt that this series is just getting started! Not bad for book 3 in a series, huh?

Five out of five stars for Third Grave Dead Ahead!

Fun Extras:

I made some custom art — a wallpaper of my favorite general:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a countdown widget which you’re welcome to use anywhere and everywhere:

The code for this widget is as follows:

<object codebase=”http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0″ width=”150″ height=”300″ id=”countdown”><param name=”allowScriptAccess” value=”sameDomain” /><param name=”movie” value=”http://countdownpage.createyourcountdown.com/countdown.swf?filename=6467c327eaf8940b4dd07a08c63c5e85_15296″ /><param name=”quality” value=”high” /><param name=”wmode” value=”transparent” /><embed src=”http://countdownpage.createyourcountdown.com/countdown.swf?filename=6467c327eaf8940b4dd07a08c63c5e85_15296″ name=”countdown” width=”150″ height=”300″ wmode=”transparent” allowScriptAccess=”sameDomain” allowFullScreen=”false” codebase=”http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0″ /></object>

 

Darynda Jones and Reyes

October 14, 2011


When trying to think of titles for this post, I had a moment of indecision. It seems silly to include the name of Darynda’s character in a review about the book, I mean it would make more sense to name the book, but the truth is this is about Reyes and I’m completely enamored with the devilish bastard.

Well that’s not completely true, I love Charley, too. She’s a great protagonist — smart, funny, tough, but innocent too. Those are the types of heroines I love. I like the independent women, but want to see a softer, feminine side to them too. And Charley has it all — she is one of my all-time favorite characters. If she was real, she’d definitely be my best friend.

Darynda’s books are a mix of mystery, suspense, wit, humor and romance. I can’t imagine anyone not liking them. Currently there are two books out, First Grave on the Right and Second Grave on the Left.

Both books left me desperate for more because Darynda is a master of evilness. Each books ends with a need to get the next book real bad. So bad you may be reduced to blubbering.

I actually did and my incoherent babbling actually worked because I was fortunate enough to score an ARC of Third Grave Dead Ahead! I don’t know when I’ll receive it, I’m just over the moon that I get to read it early!  Although Jan 31st, 2012, isn’t that long of a wait.

In the meantime, to help me deal with my Reyes addiction, I made some custom art — a wallpaper of my favorite general:

And a countdown widget which you’re welcome to use anywhere and everywhere:


The code for this widget is as follows:

<object codebase=”http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0″ width=”150″ height=”300″ id=”countdown”><param name=”allowScriptAccess” value=”sameDomain” /><param name=”movie” value=”http://countdownpage.createyourcountdown.com/countdown.swf?filename=6467c327eaf8940b4dd07a08c63c5e85_15296″ /><param name=”quality” value=”high” /><param name=”wmode” value=”transparent” /><embed src=”http://countdownpage.createyourcountdown.com/countdown.swf?filename=6467c327eaf8940b4dd07a08c63c5e85_15296″ name=”countdown” width=”150″ height=”300″ wmode=”transparent” allowScriptAccess=”sameDomain” allowFullScreen=”false” codebase=”http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0″ /></object>

I hope you check out Darynda’s books, they are fabulous! And check back often for the review of Third Grave Dead Ahead!

Aspiring writers should also note that Darynda is a Golden Heart winner and co-contributor at the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood — a site that is dedicated to helping other writers’ navigate the Golden Heart ‘process’ and share their personal experiences when winning the prestigious award.

Out of curiousity, are any of my readers entering this year’s Golden Heart? Back in March my plan had been to finish my book and enter this November…but…umm…yeah…no…don’t think it’s gonna happen. Anyone wanna share good/bad experiences?

E-Reading Between The Lines

July 7, 2011

It became obvious to me a couple of years ago that e-readers were going to become very popular. A friend of mine who’s a voracious reader got herself a Kindle for Christmas and seemed very pleased with it.

I scoffed at the idea of passing up my reliable and trusty (although sometimes dusty) paper books. First of all the cost of an e-reader was outrageous. We were talking about paying upwards of $300! And you still had to buy books to read after that! I had also read some e-books on my laptop and didn’t enjoy reading that way. I know a laptop and e-reader are a poor comparison, but I was an e-reader virgin back then and didn’t know better!

My husband had been hinting at buying me one for a while, but I kept refusing. And the space on my bookshelves kept shrinking. That’s when I saw an ad for a Kobo E-Reader sold by Chapters.ca right around the time of my birthday last year. They were selling for the amazing low price of $149. By the time I got on board they were sold out across all Chatpers stores within 100kms of me.  Ordering online got you one in 3-5 weeks. 3-5 Weeks?! Now that I wanted one, I wanted it now!

Desperation + Determination = Psycho Stalker.   The stalking kept me occupied while the stores waited for their shipment to come in. It also gave the stores something to do — like answer my calls. No matter how much I badgered the Chapters employees, they were mostly always friendly and the Kobo E-reader was still coming in on Saturday. Dammit!

Finally, I got my Kobo on, yup, you guessed it — Saturday. UGH! Well I shouldn’t have been in such a rush to get it because it was severely unimpressive. It constantly froze and died. Ordering books was a pain in the butt — their software didn’t always run right so you couldn’t tell what was already on your e-reader and what wasn’t. The entire unit looked and felt flimsy. I had major case of buyers remorse until the thing wouldn’t turn back on! Huzzah, it’s crapiness saved me.  I took it back to the store for a full refund since I was still within the 2 week return period.

And then I got myself my preeeecioooooussssss. *strokes*  I luuuver my kindle something fierce. It is beautiful and convenient. I can order books from Amazon with one-click *titters* while in bed! Ha! This may or may not be an advantage. Guess it depends on how big your credit limit is ;)  It also comes with wifi and 3G (which is free! *googly eyes*) and all for under $200. The one thing I was concerned about was buying an electronic device from an online retailer. If I had problems with it like I did the Kobo, I couldn’t just drive to the store for a refund/exchange.

I needn’t have worried because Amazon’s customer service/return/exchange policy is the most amazing I’ve ever experienced. When I got my Kindle I also ordered the case with a built in night light that used the kindle’s battery. The case was great but the design was poor. These little metal clips insert into the kindle to access it’s power/battery. Well the clips bend. Easily. One of the two clips were already damaged during shipping.

I didn’t realize I had a problem until I started looking online and found that the kindle shouldn’t jiggle around like it was. I was worried it was gonna damage my baby. So I called Amazon even though a month had passed since I’d recived it. They said no problem, they’ll send me another one. Then it happened again, but I think it was my fault this time. I dropped the kindle on my bed and it kind of flopped in it’s case, bending the metal prongs the wrong way. The Kindle was now loose in it’s case, again. Called Amazon. Again they sent me another one. Then I read online that you had to velcro the kindle to the case to prevent the metal prongs from bending, so I did. Only now, with it velcroed you couldn’t get it out without bending the prongs. By this time, I’d had it. This case was nice but so not worth my own home fixes to make it work. Another call to Amazon and a new, different case was on it’s way to me.

Never got the hassle from Amazon, never paid for shipping either way, and got the replacement items quickly. I loved Amazon the moment I knew I could return the first case even though it had been more than 30 days. But what happened next just launched Amazon past any other online retailer one may shop at.

It was the week before my birthday and I had just finished watching a movie with the hubs, but to fall asleep I need to read. So I grabbed my Kindle, turned it on and saw lines. It wouldn’t refresh…half the screen was missing! I was mortified. I showed my husband and he thought the screen was damaged somehow. But I don’t know how it got to be that way.

I was so upset. All I wanted for my birthday was a morning of peace and quiet with my Kindle. I hadn’t been without my precious since I got it last September, I felt bereft without it. I couldn’t sleep. It was 1:43 in the morning. Instead of keeping my hubby up, I decided to email Amazon and hope that they would get back to me during regular business hours. Imagine my surprise when they’re online system’s PHONE US button was active. I clicked it and got connected to a rep immediately.

By 1:48am I had a new Kindle shipping out to me with priority one day shipping so that I’d have my Kindle before my birthday. No questions asked. Now if that isn’t amazing service, I don’t know what is! For the customer service alone, the Kindle is the right choice, hands down!

Has anyone had a bad experience with Amazon? If you don’t have a Kindle what e-reader do you prefer? Or are you anti-e-reader? Let me know – I wanna hear what you guys think!