Talisman

No harm done Oblomov - don't worry about it - I have things on my mind at the moment, so please accept my apology as well if I spoke out of turn ! Didn't want to upset anyone ...

Was only expressing my opinion - working for an electrial retailer that sells these things, most of the games that we do seem to revolve one way or another around violence - which may be a form of education, but the sort I would want for my kids if I had any ! Anyway, who said anything but physical exercise being bad for you - read my reply again, and you will see that I didn't ... As one who walks on a regular basis and goes to the gym, I know the benefits all too well.

I find minor ones in the form of typos in virtually everything I read, it is par for the course and most books are bound to contain a few when you consider their length and content. After all, even professional proof readers are not infallible ...

And agree 100 percent. Books should enlighten and educate - games player do nothing of the sort, and neither does television - games may exercise the body, but not the mind !

Nos sure either - probably eggs of some kind though as I have 5 that need using up!

Today I have a big feta cheese salad with lambs lettuce, cheery tomatoes and green olives

I have mixed feelings about e-books. From the authors point of view they are brilliant, as once they are on the device they cannot be lent to other people and so you sell more books and earn more money! On the other hand, there are issues with copyright to be ironed out, since PDF's are far more secure and are open to piracy and copying, which cannot happen, or is less likely to happen, with printed copies. Less overheads also mean that the author earns a bigger percentage since e-books cut out most of the middle men, who earn far more than we do as the people who write the damned things! E-books are also more easily searchable than paper copies, which is great for other authors or anyone in fact using them for research purposes, especially for religious or scientific texts. I can certainly see then the potential for academic and educational works, but am not convinced that e-books will ever replace paper copies for other types of books. I proof read mine at least 5 times via a computer screen before it was published, and therefore would not expect anyone else to sit there reading a book that size by screen !

A big salad with mixed beans and sweetcorn

reading, writing (both a job and a hobby for me), surfing the net, listening to music, walking, going to the gym.

You might find the following interesting as well. It relates to the UK though rather than the US. http://www.juneaustin.co.uk/readinghabits.html

Will have a look Michelle - thanks !

Will check it out and see if they might be interested in reviewing my book !

I am reading the Kite Runner at the moment, and it is by far the best book that I have read in ages - since I was a teenager in fact, and I am 43 this year! It is one of those books that has so many layers - at times political, at times deeply touching, and also very much a tale about retribution and the law of cause and effect. It is one of those books though that one can get so completely absorbed in that I forget to go back to work when I read it during my lunch break! It is almost as if reading it, I am not a bystander but actually there. I can't wait to see the film!

Thanks for the lovely welcome back everyone - it won't be for long unfortunately though as I am off on holiday on Thursday for just over a week - going back to my favourite island of Lundy and can't wait !

egg and chips with frozen peas

Just taking a long break Roland - I had my differences with some members on here, but water under the bridge now and we are all adults anyway and more than capaple of moving on.

Speaking as an author Kell, there are no copyright issues that I am aware of - I have donated my own books to things such as this many a time, and it is not something that an author would necessarily expect to get paid for anyway. This is completely different to a public lending library, where you are right, the author does get paid a very small sum (around 6 pence every time their book is borrowed). The PLR scheme is imo a swiz anyway though, since each year they take a random sample of libraries from across the UK from which to base their figures and calculate what authors are owed. What this in practise means is that even though yoru book may be available in loads of other libraries across the country and borrowed on a regular basis from them (as mine in fact is) because it is not available in the random sample, you don't get paid ! Bit of a swiz if you ask me, and they are cutting PLR for the next 3 years as well I hear, so there will be even less money available. Sometimes I wish we had a Writers Guild so we could all go on strike !

If the author is someone that I know and local then I will buy direct from them, but mostly from Waterstones and online.

I use mine a lot and not just for borrowing books - also CD's and to collect local information for the newsletter that I edit. The staff there are brilliant and very helpful.

Loads of them - for starters Feel the Fear and do it anyway - Susan Jeffers Conversations with God series - Neale Donald Walsch Emissary of Light - James Twyman Mystery of the Crystal Skulls - Chris Morton and Ceri Louise Thomas The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle A Course in Miracles plus of course my own book !

No copyright problems either that I am aware of - this applies mainly to other authors wanting to utilise the material anyway though so would not affect you. I think though that this is a brilliant idea that most authors would applaud and be happy to support.

I have no idea how many I own - but it is at least 3 book cases full - to give you some idea the bibliography in my own book spans well over 100 titles.

I read predominantly non fiction also, but then again, I am a non fiction writer (mostly mind, body and spirit/religion). After five years spent writing my book, and updating it last year, I mist admit though that I have really enjoyed going back to reading some really good novels written by writing friends.

My favourite time and place is lunch time at work - I work in an electrical store with televisions on all day, so relish the peace and quiet.

Thank for your comments Oblomov, it is good to know that there is at least one person on here who understands where I am coming from and can get their point across without throwing their toys out of their pram, just because they are challenged a bit. As for Adam, I don't know about authors having sympathy for poor students, but if you want me to understand you then quite frankly you should learn some manners. There is no need to make this personal by making comments such as okay I get if, you write books, good for you. If it wasn't for the likes of me who yes, make a choice as to whether to do this, then you couldn't be student in the first place, as someone had to write your course material. As for your ridiculous comment that talent earns money - sadly you are very wrong. What earns money in today's world is going on Big Brother, taking your top off on page three or marrying a footballer. This comment just goes to show how little you know about the industry you purport to love so much. I suggest you do a lot more research and get your facts right before you start criticising others and making personal comments.