HEARTBEATS IN TIME ~ "Print or Virtual? Can we keep the romance?"

I realize that in the not-too-distant future, actual print books will be a thing of the past. We won't be holding pages in our hands, free to feel around the edges as we immerse ourselves in stories, remembering every coffee-spill and thumbprint, but instead fondling the sharp edges of a cold piece of metal, pushing a button to turn the page. Something is lost in this transition from the printed page and book-in-hand to a metal gadget where we "program in" our latest reading preferences. Mind you, I do understand that reading machines, if you will, are the future. I understand that print books are on their way out, making room for push-button, instant downloading of the latest NYTimes bestseller ... and Five Star bestseller. I understand that changes in society and culture are demanding that we embrace reading gadgets and do away with library shelves, complete with their worn, torn edges.

There it is: the word, EMBRACE. If I'm reading an historical romance, can I embrace a little metal gadget in any way that resembles an actual book? Will all of my senses be stirred with this little metal gadget, the same way my senses are heightened by the actual print pages of my latest treasured purchase? We wake up with books. We fall asleep with books. We ride to work with books. We take books on vacations. We take books on planes. We fall asleep with books. We peer over shoulders to see what books others are reading. We give books as gifts, taking great pains to select just the right ones. We take ownership of books the moment we have them in hand, taking ownership of the characters and story waiting inside for us. We can't wait to find the time to read. We thrive on the warmth from our in-hand books.

Will we find that same warmth within the confines of our reading machines?

Time will tell.