Last Christmas all of the Kensington editors received Kindles so that we can read submissions without printing them off and wasting paper. (Hurray for green holidays!) I love my Kindle and I love not lugging stacks of manuscripts home to read, but I have to confess that when I’m reading for pleasure, I still prefer a book that’s printed on paper, a “pbook.” When I’m reading an ebook, I miss seeing the whole page at one time; I have a different sense of the story’s pacing; I don’t have a clear idea of how long the books is and I can’t read as quickly.

How about you? Are you one of the majority of e-consumers who uses a computer screen? Do you read romance on your iphone? Or are you stuck with me in the Twentieth Century and the printed page?

Lots of people tell me they love their e-reader, but prefer to actually shop in a bookstore, where they can browse through the pbooks on the shelves. As the major book retailers rush to compete with Amazon, I hope they won’t lose sight of their bricks-and-mortar business. Bookstores have traditionally been places where communities of readers come together, where a striking cover can attract a brand-new fan, where the surprise of discovery and serendipity add special pleasure to the reading experience and a bookseller’s recommendation can broaden horizons.

What are the special features of your favorite bookstore that make you a regular customer? What kinds of events or promotions would be a powerful draw for you? In this era of diminishing retail outlets, the reader/writer community needs to support the booksellers who make our favorite entertainment available!