Guest Post: The Joys of a Threesome

by Beck McDowell

For many years, I’ve been in a monogamous relationship—with paper. Paper books have satisfied my urges, helped me escape, taught me to love. There’ve been too many meaningful encounters to list—from one night stands to ongoing commitments that lasted for weeks. I love the smell of paper books, the heft of their spines, the feel of tender pages against my fingertips. Many are with me still—flashing their graphics from my bookshelves, reminding me of special nights spent together.

But I’m expanding my definition of a relationship. Don’t judge me; it’s a very personal choice that each of us must make. I’m going public today with the news: I’ve found happiness in a threesome. It’s a highly satisfying, infinitely entertaining, rewarding and stimulating arrangement that enriches my life immensely. That’s right. From now on, it’ll be e-books, tree books, and me.

Some of you will say I’m unfaithful. I’ll be accused of cheating on the very tomes that introduced me to my lifetime love of literature. But I have passion enough to go around. My eyes have been opened to a new world, and I’m embracing a new chapter in my life.

My first love moved me in ways I can’t describe, but please understand that e-books take me places I’ve never been before. They fly with me to faraway cities, they lie with me beside sparkling pools; they love to travel in a way that paper books never could. They come to me at any hour of the day or night. They calm me in long lines of traffic or grocery shopping. They rescue me from boring doctor’s office magazines and meager dental offerings of Highlights for Children. And in bed at night, they whisper to me in the dark, leading me to dramatic climaxes and happy endings.

My e-books invite me to taste freely of new adventures, sampling 50-page portions of journeys I might wish to take with them. They let me choose which memories I’ll want in hardback to keep and savor, and which I’ll file away on a cloud full of memories of pleasant but ultimately unfulfilling forays.

E-books welcome non-traditional relationships. They’re eager to link with videos, websites, and photos in a way that some might call promiscuous. It’s true they can’t compete with the velvet touch of a leather-bound classic when I want to curl up in a soft chair by the fire, but they do have their own special glow and, I have to tell you, it speaks to me. I’ll never leave my first love. I can’t be happy unless I’m surrounded by books I can fondle and caress, but readers who close their minds to the possibilities of a new love are missing a life-changing opportunity. My paper books, e-books and I enjoy a beautiful threesome that I recommend to book lovers everywhere. Find a cozy Nook at your iPad to Kindle a new relationship. You’ll be glad you did.

Beck McDowell demonstrates her dual devotion by publishing LAST BUS OUT in enhanced digital form AND paper. She blogs (from Huntsville, Alabama) at BeckMcDowell.com, and tweets at @BeckMcDowell.