Free books for my Kindle...could it get any better?

You may or may not remember that back in May, I received a Kindle for my birthday. And I love it! I now have a whole library of books at my fingertips no matter where I am -- in the car, on an airplane, or snuggled up under the covers of my bed.

Yes, I love the look of book-lined shelves. There's something about the feel of paper between my fingers. I enjoy the scent of a brand new hardcover. That will never change. I'll always own dozens of "real" books and will still buy them from my local Christian bookstore, to support Christian retailers and my fellow authors.

But I sure do love my Kindle!

One of the biggest reasons I love it so much is because about half of the titles I've downloaded (or is it "uploaded"?) were free. I adore a bargain, especially when it comes to books! Many of the titles I've gotten for free normally sell for around $10. I'm not against spending ten bucks on a good book, but when I can get it for free? No-brainer.

Last week, my friend (and fellow Hartline agented and soon-to-be-published Oak Tara author), Suzanne  Hartmann, started "Freebie Friday" on her blog. Suzanne listed a bunch of free Kindle titles currently offered on  Amazon.com. I personally took advantage of books by Janice Thompson, Jody Hedlund, and Stormie O'Martian. Here's the link if you'd like to check it out:  http://suzanne-hartmann2.blogspot.com/2011/09/freebie-friday.html. I'm not sure if they are all still available, but most likely you'll find a few. I believe Suzanne is planning on posting another list tomorrow, so be sure to bookmark Write This Way. She's providing a great resource.

In the meantime, you can visit the Amazon Kindle Store and search for free ebooks yourself. Simply bring up the category by price, lowest to highest. All the freebies will show up at the top.

So for those of you who have a Kindle, what freebies have you taken advantage of lately?

Amazon Kindle or Barnes and Noble Nook?

I have to say, I never thought I would be interested in any type of electronic reading device. I read a lot of stuff online, but don't enjoy e-books because of the inconvenience and readability. Give me a regular book any day with paper pages and that I can hold in my hands.

But then Amazon introduced the Kindle. Honestly, I didn't give it much thought until Deb Porter talked about it at the FaithWriters conference this past August. When she listed all of the features the Kindle offers, I was intrigued. In fact, I found myself VERY intrigued. Definitely put the Kindle at the top of my wish list. The truth is, only the hefty price tag keeps me from ordering one right this very second. In case you haven't heard about the benefits of an e-reader, here are a few facts about the Kindle:

Holds up to 1,500 books!
About $250-$300 to buy
Long battery life
Visually appealing
Holds and reads like a real book
Amazon cataglogs titles for instant wireless delivery
Books are inexpensive (average $10)
Text to Speech translation (great for when you leave the house and don't want to put that book down!)

However, The Amazon Kindle, the original e-reader introduced two years ago, now has some serious competition.

Barnes and Noble has just come out with their version of an e-reader: The Nook. While there are many similarities, Barnes and Noble is boasting these differences:

More than one million titles available (compared to Kindle's "over 350,000")
Replaceable battery (Kindle is rechargeable only)
Using Micro SD expansion slot; a 16GB card holds up to 17,500 eBooks in the Nook.
Nook is the first 3G and Wi-Fi-enabled eReader
Color Touch Screen

A full comparison list between the Kindle and the Nook can be found on the Barnes and Noble website. Amazon just reduced the cost of the Kindle to compete with the just-released, lower-priced Nook. Both devices come with a retail price tag of $259.

Personally, I'm waiting for that price to drop a bit before I buy. If you are considering an e-reader, visit my Examiner.com page to view demonstration videos of both the Kindle and the Nook to see which one looks more appealing to you. And if you already own one, I'd love love love your thoughts.