A. I sincerely hope not. I do have a Kindle, but I still read "real books" far more than books on the Kindle. I like the convenience of an ereader. It's handy for carrying to the doctor's office, hairdresser's, and other places when you don't know how long you're going to wait but don't want to lug a lot of reading material with you. (And something in me, especially with the H1N1 all around, rebels at leafing through waiting room magazines.) Ebooks are great when you're traveling. I like having a variety of books and magazines with me if we go away, but I don't want to carry any weight around with me, so the Kindle works out great. I've discovered that I use the Kindle primarily for books I'm fairly sure I won't want to highlight. I find the highlighting feature in an ereader more trouble than it's worth, so I rarely read research material on it. I need a bound book that I can ink my way through for that. It's just faster for me.
Opinions differ on just what the future of traditional books will be, but I believe enough of us love the feel and tradition--and even the smell--of bound books that they'll always be with us. And I do my share in buying enough of them to guarantee it!
Q. What's your favorite word processing program?
A. Well, it was WordPerfect. But several years ago I switched from PC to Mac, and WordPerfect isn't compatible with the Mac, so I now use MS Word. It's not a "favorite"--not by a long shot--but it works for me, and I don't like trying out a lot of different programs, so I've stayed with it.
Q. What are you reading, right now?
A. Don't go by my blog list, because it's usually out of date! I'm always reading more than one book at a time. Currently: And the Dead Shall Rise by Steve Oney. It's about the 1913 murder of young Mary Phagan (in Atlanta). Absolutely brilliant writing. Pursuit of Honor by Vince Flynn. Pure escapism, and much-touted by some of our conservative journalists and newscasters. (Yes, there are some.) John Grisham's new short story collection, Ford County. I love short stories, and, not for the first time, Grisham has proven that he's more than a writer of legal thrillers. Just received a copy of friend Angela Hunt's latest, Let Darkness Come. Looking forward to this one, as she's never written anything I don't enjoy. And then there's the research reading. Always with me. Fortunately, I enjoy it.
Q. What's your own favorite book that you've ever written?
A. I get asked that question a lot, and the answer is always the same: it's whatever I'm working on "now."
Q. Is there a particular place you'd rather write about more than any other?
A. Shame on you! If you'd read more of my books you'd know the answer to your own question! Ireland, of course. And Irish-American immigrant communities. And Appalachia, especially Appalachian small towns.
