Introducing: author Michelle Griep

And E-Books—the Wave of the Future

by Molly Noble Bull
www.mollynoblebull.com

Michelle Griep has written what sounds like a fantastic novel titled Gallimore. I can hardly wait to read it because it combines a modern story, time travel and a historical romance all at the same time. Yet there is another element that makes Gallimore hard to resist. It’s an e-book, and I have a special interest in e-books.

My novel, The Winter Pearl, was first published in trade paperback in 2004, and it is also available now as an e-book.

Molly:
So Michelle, tell us in a sentence or two about Michelle Griep, including your web and/or blog address, and then tell us about your exciting first novel, Gallimore.

Michelle:
When my superhero cape is at the cleaners, I'm a garden-variety stay-at-home mom who teaches Creative Writing and Civics at a local homeschool co-op. You can read more about me at www.mmgriep.com

My debut novel, put out by Black Lyon Publishing, is a Wizard of Oz tale with a medieval twist. Seriously, who wouldn't want to escape the ol' laundry pile and take a trip back to the chivalrous times of big, beefy knights and mysterious castles?

Molly:
Interesting. Would it be possible for you to give us a taste of your actual book?

Michelle:
Sure. Here's a clip...
"The gates are shut for the night. They'll not be opened 'til cockcrow."
"I'm not staying here that long." She turned on her heel in a perfect military pivot and marched off.
Colwyn sighed, tiring of the game. Where could she possibly go? He trudged after her as she entered a stairway leading to the top of the walls.
An unseasonably cool breeze met them on the narrow walkway. He let her stop and peer over the edge. "What are you doing?"
She glared at him but kept up her silly probing along the length of the battlement. As they came to the end at a tower door, he decided to save them both from having to walk the whole of Gallimore. "The western wall bears a more treacherous drop than what you've already seen. There's no point in continuing."
The look in her eye made him glad she was but a woman. He'd not want to face that kind of hostility from a man.
"You enjoy seeing me squirm, don't you?"
The acidity of her voice, or maybe the desperation, gave him an unexpected twinge in his gut. "Nay. Not so. As much as you've been an irritant to me, I bear you no ill will. I do not possess my brother's penchant for evildoing. Truth be told, when his focus is on you, it is off of me."

Molly:
Excellent. Now, explain how e-books work. Must we have special equipment to read your novel? Besides novels, what else can we read via this equipment?

Michelle:
E-books are the wave of the future. Okay, so that's cheesy, but truly...they are currently the trend. You don't need 'special' equipment to download an e-book. Any PC or Mac can run them. The bonus is that it's cheaper than a paperback and available at the snap of a finger - or click of a key, as the case may be.
That being said, there are several techie toys on the market that are pretty sweet to use and incredibly easy to come by. You can pick up a Sony Reader at Target, Amazon has the Kindle, Barnes & Noble has the Nook, and even Apple is coming out with a new iPad, which will be on sale next month. Depending on what piece of equipment you buy, applications vary from simply reading a book to full-blown internet capabilities.

Molly:
Wow! Thanks, Michelle, for visiting with us today and for telling about your book and e-books in general. To find Gallimore and my novel, The Winter Pearl, at online bookstores, write our names in the search slot or mention our names at walk-in bookstores.
Michelle Griep
And/or
Molly Noble Bull