Where have all the Real Books gone? With Guest Blogger: JL Oiler

Meet author JL Oiler today at the Book Boost!

Here's what she had to say...



Are E-books the true future of publishing?
As a little girl growing up in the rural mountains of West Virginia, I remember the treat of my mother dropping me off at the local library on Saturday Morning. I would spend hours roaming the ceiling high rows of heavy bookshelves looking for the perfect read.

At that time, it seemed the choices were endless, the possibilities reaching far beyond my abilities in a single lifetime. The primary media form at that time was the traditional book either paperback or hardcover and there number seemed to far outreach the space the building provided.

I journeyed back to that old haunt recently (it now resided in a new building) to share this joy with my young son. My heart sank as I stepped through the doors. Gone are the ceiling high bookshelves, replaced by short four to five shelf sections with countertops where they displayed artwork from their youth group. Instead of enough books to circle my small town repeatedly, I discovered much smaller selections split up into areas so that they spread out to cover the space the building afforded.

With a heavy sigh and a smile, we ventured to the children’s section anxious to find a perfect story to share at bedtime. This area of the library was colorful and stuffed floor to ceiling with all sorts of play things from games to stuffed animals, so many in fact that I discovered my four year old was far too distracted to help make a selection from the twenty or thirty books that occupied the small shelves.

So in defeat I resigned to sit in a chair and watch as library patrons milled about. One of the librarians approached and asked if she might help me find something. With a painted on smile I said thanks and inquired about a favorite book I recalled from my own youth. Scratching her head a moment, I watched her eyes light up. She informed me that they did not carry the title in book form any longer but I could check it out in digital form.

In reflection of that day and a bit more investigation, I find that most libraries carry a large selection in digital titles. Being primarily e-published, I was aware that a very large quantity of all current book sales are in digital form but never would I have thought that this media would overtake the bit of Americana known as the public library. Not that this new age media does not provide certain benefits, such as a means of preserving literature long gone from the book shelves.

In answering the initial question, are E-books the true future of publishing? I would be foolish not to admit to their domination of literary media. However, I still love my bookshelf with its stacks of paper and hardback titles where I can flip through their pages smell the dust, which has collected in the bindings and revisit them like a long lost friend.


A Note from the Book Boost: Thanks for joining us today, JL. I, too, have similar childhood memories and will be sad to see the fading of paperback books from our lives. I hope that it is still a long time coming but none of us can ignore the fact that the digital age is upon us. Please tell us more about your latest release!


Blurb:

When Celeste Drain attempted to make a break from an abusive relationship, she never dreamed she'd fall into an erotic ménage with two extremely hot strangers. Their one-night stand was the beginning of her new life, a life of self-reliance and inner strength. Now six months later, Celeste has a steady job at the same bar where she met her lovers, a home, and she's building a new existence.


Justin and Craig are part of the guard force known as the Keepers, men charged with protecting the human topside world from the violent monsters that live behind one of the gates to hell deep beneath Death Valley. Given little time topside to relax, Justin and Craig stumble into a one-night stand with a beautiful woman who challenges them not only physically, but also with her quick wit and intelligence. When a large breakout at the gate allows a group of vile Adze to escape to the topside world, Justin and Craig are mortified to discover the woman they thought was just a one-night stand may be a whole lot more and worse, she's smack dab in the middle of what might just become hell on earth.



Excerpt:

Craig crouched down beside her, wrapping one arm across her shoulder to support and gain her trust. Justin knelt before her, raising her face to see the damage inflicted by the ignorant human male. Her right eye was already swollen, a dark bluish purple arch under it. It was the only obvious injury and for that, Justin breathed a sigh of relief. He felt the need to gather her tightly, to promise that she'd never be injured in such a way ever again. However, they'd be returning to their post in the morning and as such, there was no means to protect her from that distance, let alone time to convince her to join them.

“Let's get you off this cold ground and get something on that eye.” Craig spoke softly while scooping her up into his arms. Standing, he marveled at how good she felt, the trusting manner in which she laid her head against his chest as they strolled back into the tavern.

“Robert, get me a bag of ice,” Justin called to the bar keep as Craig sat her gently on one of the high backed bar stools. Brushing back the fall of hair that covered her face, he took a good look at the damaged eye as she watched him closely from the other.

“Thank you,” she told them as she lifted a hand to touch her face, pulling it back fast.

“I’m Justin, the big guy here is Craig.” Both men looked at her and waited for her introduction.
“Celeste, Celeste Drain.”

“Here,” Craig lay the bag of ice against her eye and cheek, cautious not to cause her any undue discomfort.

“I could really use a drink,” she told the bartender who hovered nearby.

“Give us three shots of tequila,” Justin told the man, tossing a twenty on the bar.

Celeste watched through her good eye as Craig pulled two stools forward, placing one to the right of her for Justin. The other he slid close for himself. This wasn't the way she wanted to get either mans attention though it made her feel good to have both of them flanking her.

“You fellas from around here or just passing through?” Celeste managed, downing the shot of liquid courage in one gulp.

“We...” Justin paused, looking as though he had to consider the answer. “We're from someplace else, but visit here every time we're in town.”

Celeste figured two men who looked like Justin and Craig had to be from out of town. So that ruled out anything beyond a one-night stand, which didn't sound too bad at the moment, even though it wasn't her style. But which one? She'd never done a double. Of course, there'd never been opportunity to have such tasty teachers either. With that thought, Celeste motioned to the bartender for another shot, needing the courage it provided.

“Are you from around here?” Craig asked as he wrapped his hand around the second round of shots.

“Down the road about ten miles or so.” Celeste downed the sharp, biting liquid, slamming the empty glass on the bar. “Guess I'll need to call a cab later.” She didn't mention she was planning to stay at the little hotel down the road and sneak back into the apartment she and Cliff shared once he'd gone to work. Where she'd go until she managed to find a new job and a cheap apartment was still a mystery.

“We'll make certain you get home safe,” Justin offered.

“Are you sure?” she asked, trying not to sound pleased by the idea.

“Certainly,” Craig said with a wink and a smile. “We don’t go around saving beautiful ladies then leave them to the wolves.”

“Nice to know there are still gentlemen out there,” she smiled back.

“We never promised to be gentlemen,” Craig said, laying his arm across the back of her stool.

“Good to know.” Celeste fully understood the meaning and it left her panties wet at the thought.

Half a dozen shots later, her bag of ice had melted into a bag of water. Luckily, the liquor made her numb to any pain from Cliff's left hook. Stretching, she relaxed back into Craig, propping her scuffed brown boots on Justin’s leg and laughed as he stroked her sun tanned leg through a hole in the material of her slacks a few inches above the top of her boot.

“Are you two related?” Celeste asked, tracing the intricate weave of the dark tattoo that circled Craig’s bicep while looking pointedly at the matching ink that graced Justin’s arm.

“Not exactly.” Justin slid forward, allowing his hands to run the length of her long legs. “I think we should move this conversation somewhere else. They're getting ready for last call.”

A large lump sat in her throat making Celeste feel as though she couldn't speak. This night was definitely not what she'd expected and she couldn't deny the arousal that coursed through her at the thought of being with both these gorgeous men. She responded the only way she could, with a nod and a nervous smile.

The rumble of the engine hummed through her as she straddled the motorcycle and sat behind Justin, her hands wrapped about his waist. The wind whipped through her long hair as they moved down the nearly deserted street. Celeste didn't know their destination and leaning her head back, she allowed the feeling of flying to wash over her. She didn't care.

Craig revved the engine of his bike and moved up beside them. Raising her head, Celeste smiled over at him. Damn these two were gorgeous! Was she up for an all night rodeo with these two? She was about to find out as both bikes slowed and turned into the lot of an upper class hotel. At least they'd opted to spend a little green instead of grabbing a roach infested no-tell-motel, which put them in a class ten times higher than that of her recent ex.

“Your palace, my queen,” Justin said with a sweep of his arm toward the side corridor entrance, a pass card in his hand.

“I'll serve as your chariot,” Craig announced, sweeping her up over his shoulder and heading for the door while Celeste giggled.

Craig didn't slow down or return her to her feet until Justin opened the door and they were in the center of the large room. Slowly he allowed her body to slide down his, enjoying the way the action made his flesh jerk in anticipation. Even with one eye swollen and discolored, Celeste was perfect. Womanly curves, full lips meant for kissing and enough of an attitude not to leave him bored.

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