It really isn’t a surprise to me that by far the most popular format for my books is digital; I’m right there with my readers, for I have long enjoyed the simplicity of carrying my entire library with me on a single device. In fact, when my wife and I purchased our first Kindle readers as mutual Christmas gifts a number of years ago, it was a bit of defensive move for we had quite literally run out of space for our physical collection of books. I’m probably not alone in that once I’ve purchased a physical book, I have a hard time giving it away for I usually wind up re-reading it multiple times.
Still, while most of our newly purchased books are done digitally, we do continue to add physical editions to our library, albeit in a far slower manner. Most are new volumes in an established series we’ve read for years, such as Outlander, but every now and then we stumble across something new and decide to invest in the hardcover. (Often we will first find such books at our amazing local library; once we fall in love, we take the relationship to the next level.)
That’s one reason why I have always ensured that there are inexpensive paperback versions as well as quality hardcover editions for my novels. Unlike some other publishing houses, Ephram Cotte is pretty tiny operation (wink wink) which is an oblique way of saying the digital versions will always, sadly, be the most affordable option for readers on a budget. Interestingly, I have no insights as to whether any libraries have picked me up at this point — the statistics I get from the printer are pretty vague on that front — save for the Library of Congress. (If you’d like to see me in your local library, be sure to tell a librarian — I have it on good advice that they take patron requests pretty seriously.)
I get a little emotional each time I see the hardcover for my first book, Blindsided; it’s a physical manifestation of years of dreams. I keep it on my nightstand as a reminder not to ignore your heart, a message that becomes all the more potent when each successive novel arrives to join the stack. I truly feel like I’ve finished a work when the box arrives carrying the hardcover, and yes, I do actually sit down and read it — again — as soon as the box is opened.
You can see from the photo above that my most recent book, Downhill, looks a bit different than the rest; I ran an experiment with that one and shifted to a less-expensive printer only to find that I ultimately didn’t like the results. I’ve rectified that, but as of this writing, I’m not sure the updated hardcover has appeared online. If you’re looking for one, though, hang in there; or, better yet, support your local bookstore and ask them to order it for you.