HUGE Benefits of Using an eReader

I have a confession to make. I rarely read books of the paper variety. And it's not (only) because the shirtless cowboy on the cover attracts too much attention. I know, an eReader doesn't feel like a book. And the electronic rays penetrating my cranium don't emit a soothing whiff of papyrus. But there are other perks. Read on, and I think you'll see things my way.

Reasons to love your eReader

• Follows you Everywhere. Most eReaders are lightweight and small enough to drop in a purse, jam in your car's center console, or tuck in your bra or suspenders. In line at the DMV? Read a few pages. Video turned off on that Zoom call? Squeeze in a chapter. Waiting for the anesthesia to kick in? Open and close the cover.

• Indulges your Laziness. One tap of the thumb, and you've turned the page. Admittedly, 76% of those taps will turn to the previous page, but at least you won’t have to put down your Frozen Mudslide to do the turning.

• Embraces your ADHD. In the mood for a cozy mystery? Already downloaded. Two chapters in, and you want to switch to a memoir? Done. Just remembered your fav author released some new erotica? Don't have to tell me twice. Not only can you cram in seven different genres in one hour, but you can guarantee your dreams that night will be super trippy.

• Secures your Safety. You know the drill. You're sipping your Baby Orange Fizz while out cruising in your Cadillac Eldorado, and the gate slams down to let the train pass. You have a minute, so you pick up your brand-new copy of Where the Wild Things Are and WHAMMO! Papercut! ChatGPT refused to give me hard numbers, but I can assure you that death by paper cut is one of the top three most annoying ways to die. Don't risk it.

• Reads your Mind. You're sprawled out on a lawn chair on a shady Sunday, with that Lemon-Ginger Turmeric shot in one hand, Kindle in the other, re-reading your favorite dragon romance, when out of nowhere, the sun blasts down on you! (In Seattle, it can be quite startling.) You're about to run for cover when you remember your Kindle knows you want to keep reading but you can't see through a glared screen. And without a word, your screen dims exactly the amount you were thinking you wanted it to. But wait, there’s more! When you drape yourself over the side of the chair so you can read upside down, Kindle knows you want the words to rotate! And even though it knows you're going to spill your drink all over your handmade Fair Isle sweater, it can't tell you that because Kindles can't talk. Yet.

But to be fair, there are times when I want to read a real live book, despite the risks. Like when I don’t have a copy downloaded on my Kindle and I don't have access to WiFi.

What's your favorite vessel of words? Have I convinced you of the eReader benefits? Let me know in the comments!