I am of an awkward tech generation. I am young enough that I am not only not afraid of technology, but I truly embrace it and believe that it has enhanced my quality of life. But I am not so young that I don't remember life without it. I'm not so young that my smart phone (my phone is dumb, btw) is surgically attached to my ear/thumbs. I'm not so young that I don't remember how to use the Yellow Pages or an atlas.
That being said, I am young enough-- and enough of a tech cheerleader-- to frequently have to play the role of "Tech Defender" when in conversations with my elders. It happens way more often than you think. And as someone who spends a decent amount of time with-- older-- writers, the conversation often goes something like this:
Older writer: The interwebs is killing our artform! Now anyone can be published! Anyone! Why have I worked all these years to hone my craft when a thirteen-year-old from Pine Bluffs can now publish her zombie-smurf mash-up porn on the interwebs after one night of Red Bull-fueled brain-dumping?
Me: Calm down. It's okay. People will still seek out and read good books by talented writers. Always.
Older writer: Are you crazy?? Haven't you heard?? Everyone is saying that there will be NO MORE BOOKS soon! NO MORE NEWSPAPERS! The INTERNET IS KILLING BOOKS!!
I will not further the debate here. But if you didn't already know that that debate is out there, well there you go. It is. There are a whole bunch of people in the world who really truly believe that we will wake up some day in the near future and there will be no. more. books.
So it's kind of funny that the most book-supporting, literacy-loving people I know are the two most popular local bloggers. Interwebs people! The very people who are purportedly killing our books!
Michelle at Consuming Louisville had a smashingly successful book drive for the Louisville Free Public Library last year, collecting just around 200 books for their flood-damaged inventory.
Now it looks like Jake at Page One Kentucky/Ville Voice has a little something up his sleeve book-wise. Sez Jake: I’ve been working with funders and educators to develop a program that puts 10-12 books in the hands of a few hundred kids in rural areas of Kentucky. Normally don’t speak of things before the dotted line is signed, but I’ll buy the books myself if I have to. ... I want your input on stories about Kentucky or books (fiction or non-fiction) by Kentucky authors to be considered for purchase.... What are your suggestions? Any great, interesting, exciting or essential reads for Kentucky youth? Probably high school sophomore-aged, so not stuff for kids.
Send your comments and suggestions to Jake @ pageonekentucky.com or comment directly on the blog post. If you want to help financially, drop Jake a note. Hopefully (??) Jake will set up some way for us to donate to this awesome cause directly online. I'm not as up on Kentucky authors as I should be. I bet you high school sophomore kids would be into local author Brett Witter's DEWEY, though. And it's about libraries... so there you go.
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