We asked Leticia Afonso, author of ‘Think From the Heart’, what she felt about ebooks vis-à-vis the printed book, and her thoughts on self-publishing as opposed to the traditional publishing options available to authors. This is what she had to say.
“As technology has advanced, so has the way of reading books. We use computers nearly everywhere now. eBooks are trending these days, they are quite popular with the youth. Ebooks give you the flexibility of reading anywhere and at any time you want, they make it unnecessary to carry along a huge load of books. I still prefer printed books. I love the smell of them, I love to turn the pages, I love the little bookmarks, I love to hold the book in my hand and just go on for hours reading it. Tablets do not work for me when it comes to reading books. Being a software engineer, I sit in front of a computer all day. I wouldn’t like to do that at home as well. I take solace in reading, I wouldn’t want technology to intrude in that space.
“When it comes to publishing, both have its pros and cons. Self-publishing allows you freedom from the dictates of a publisher. You don’t need to rely on somebody else to get your book out there. You don’t have to make several trips to the publisher’s office, or email it repeatedly. You don’t have to wait for months to hear from them. You can mould the publishing process based on your own requirements. You only need to invest in the process, both time and money. On the other hand, conventional publishing seems attractive because the publisher will do everything for you. You needn’t worry much, especially if you manuscript is chosen for publishing. But it’s a long wait before you know for certain that a publisher will pick up your book. Sometimes the wait can kill your dreams. But if you are determined enough, I believe anything is possible.”