Words, Words, Words

I spent the mid-week in New York City. Besides working on my jaded deadpan "I have seen it all" look for the subway and street, which seems to be a pre-req for citizen status (at least honorary) in N.Y.C., I had a rich time at the Media Bistro E-Book conference. It is certainly a time of great transition in publishing. From what I can discern, the book market is going to bifurcate into two halves.

First, the boutique store, either used or new, that caters to what makes bookstores interesting. Discovering literary gems by walking around...to find books that you know you are looking for without knowing that you are looking for them. Second, the E-Book, content delivered to your computer screen or some facsimile.

Media mediators play a big role in both types...people who can help one narrow the search, either indirectly by what they choose to draw attention to in terms of offerings or helping make a selection in regards to what is presented as choices. There will be the middle-ground, but kiss good-bye to Barnes and Noble, Border's, and the Public Library. It will take awhile, yet the death rattle is shaking.

Also, see ya to large top-heavy publishers, used to taking the lion's share of the cut because they used to take the risk. The risk is now gone from E-Publishing. The media mediators have more credibility if they choose books on the basis of what they really think is good versus what they are paid to parrot what they are told to by their supervisors within the company confines.

While my wife was purchasing clothes at trendy stores on Washington Street in Hoboken, I skirted away to the Symposia, a non-profit bookstore. That seemed better than doing time on the "Man Bench" in the women's clothing store. Lina encouraged me to go to the bookstore and I didn't require much cajoling. I also thought I might be able to not only hang out at the bookstore but also make some purchases. In the Yin-Yang of clothes vs. books, when Lina buys clothes, it creates justification for me to buy books. As a rule, we are both economical...so cutting loose and buying a few sweaters and books is about as wild as it gets. Financial libertines, I know.

I will blog more about the three books I bought. They are all intensely personal...telling me things about myself that I need to discover, uncover, and recover.