Sunday, August 16, 2015

Shelf Life, Books, and Oreos

Stealing Jake released in print on August 1st!!! I'm so excited, probably even more than normal because my debut—which has only been available as ebook—is now in print!
Which brings me to the subject of today’s post in a strange, round-about way.
My cowboys are sticklers about the dates on food--which is odd, if you think about it. I thought rough-and-tough cowboys would eat anything! If the date is expired on a can of vegetables, they won’t eat them. 

Expired ketchup? Fuh-get-about-it! But don’t expect them to actually search out and open the oldest ketchup bottle first. Oh no! That would be way too much trouble. Salsa? Chips? Canned goods? If I don’t want to throw it out, I make every effort to arrange the pantry with the oldest dates to the front. Or at the very least dispose of the can/jar without their knowledge. Ahem. And don't even get me started on the expiration date on the milk.

Pretty much anything you can think of has a shelf life, and modern technology has extended that life.

Preservatives have been used since prehistoric times. Some cavewoman probably fell asleep with a hunk of woolly mammoth spitted over the fire, and when she woke up she realized that the smoked, charred shell preserved the meat longer than normal. Eureka! Smoked meat was discovered.

Before canning and freezers, dried vegetables and cool, dry root cellars provided ways to preserve some vegetables to a certain extent. But still, starvation might be eminent before the Spring thaw. The use of preservatives other than traditional oils, salts, etc. in food began in the late 19th century, but was not widespread until the 20th century.

Even in this day and age, the use of food preservatives varies depending on the country. Many developing countries without strong governments to regulate food additives face either harmful levels of preservatives in foods, or a complete avoidance of foods that are considered unnatural or foreign. In urban slums of highly populated countries the knowledge about contents of food tends to be extremely low, despite consumption of these imported foods. And, let's be honest: when your family is starving, you're not going to throw anything out if it's edible.

But books are the topic here, so let’s narrow our focus to books. Print books can have a long, healthy shelf life if properly taken care of, but they do age after time. The pages become brittle, the binding loose, the spines stiff. Hardback books have a longer shelf life than paperbacks, but still they don’t last for ever. So, yeah, sad to say, but print books do have a shelf life.



Ebooks have burst on the scene in the last few years, so it will be interesting to see what kind of shelf life they have. They won’t face the same decaying forces of humidity, dry (or damp) air, or neglect that cause print books to decay, but they will encounter changes in software and hardware that might make them obsolete over time. Looking at it from this side of the fence, it looks like ebooks will have a long and productive shelf life.
It’s exciting to know that our stories can continue to thrive and draw new readers even after the new release excitement of our print books has waned. Because, let’s face it—it’s a lot easier for an online retailer to “stock” ebook inventory for an extended amount of time than it is to warehouse thousands of copies of an author’s backlist.
And even more exciting is how a story can morph from one format to another, kind of like Oreos. Speaking of Oreos, did you know there are over FORTY different kinds of Oreos? Who knew??? Watermelon Oreos? Ewww! Gingerbread Oreos. Pumpkin Spice Oreos. Personally, I’m a plain, original, traditional Oreos kind of gal. But Cookie Dough Oreos sound mighty tasty, though...

[About Oreos: Oreo has become the best-selling cookie in the United States since its introduction in 1912. The origin of the name Oreo is unknown, but there are many theories, including derivations from the French word 'Or', meaning gold (as early packaging was gold), or the Greek word 'Oreo', meaning beautiful, nice or well done. Others believe that the cookie was named Oreo because it was short and easy to pronounce.]

Sorry, Oreo-Rabbit trail.... Where was I? Oh, yes, books, or more accurately, stories

A story is the same—has the same ingredients, if you will—regardless of the format it’s in. So, the shelf life of a story is … is… just …infinite.
Whoa! That’s what I’m talking about!
So, there you go. Stealing Jake released as an ebook in July 2011. FOUR years later, it’s getting a new lease on life in print form, plus the ebook version is still happily clicking along entertaining readers.
Conclusion #1: I submit that stories – unlike Oreos – do not have a shelf life. 

Conclusion #2: Come to think of it, Oreos don’t have much of a shelf life at my house either. Just sayin’ 

Are you an Oreo fan? Classic or one of those newfangled flavors? And books: print or E, or somewhere in between?

Giveaway: In honor of milk and cookies and fresh off the press books everywhere, I'm giving away a print copy of Stealing Jake today. So, throw your name in the hat (that means leave a comment! :) if you want to be included in the drawing.


STEALING JAKE by Pam Hillman. When Livy O’Brien spies a young boy jostling a man walking along the boardwalk, she recognizes the act for what it is. After all, she used to be known as Light-Fingered Livy. But that was before she put her past behind her and moved to the growing town of Chestnut, Illinois, where she’s helping to run an orphanage. Now she’ll do almost anything to protect the street kids like herself. Sheriff’s deputy Jake Russell had no idea what he was in for when he ran into Livy―literally while chasing down a pickpocket. With a rash of robberies and a growing number of street kids in town―as well as a loan on the family farm that needs to be paid off―Jake doesn’t have time to pursue a girl. Still, he can’t seem to get Livy out of his mind. He wants to get to know her better . . . but Livy isn’t willing to trust any man, especially not a lawman.

CBA Bestselling author PAM HILLMAN was born and raised on a dairy farm in Mississippi and spent her teenage years perched on the seat of a tractor raking hay. In those days, her daddy couldn't afford two cab tractors with air conditioning and a radio, so Pam drove an Allis Chalmers 110. Even when her daddy asked her if she wanted to bale hay, she told him she didn't mind raking. Raking hay doesn't take much thought so Pam spent her time working on her tan and making up stories in her head. Now, that's the kind of life every girl should dream of. www.pamhillman.com

25 comments:

  1. There's nothing I love more than some Double stuf oreo cookies n milk. I prefer print books to books but I love to read so I read both!! I'm so excited for a chance to win this book!! Thank you!

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    1. Good morning, Christina! Oreos and milk. Yes, I'm right there with you. :) I'm probably about 50/50 on reading print vs. e these days. But before I got a Kindle 5-6 years ago, I didn't think I'd like it at all.

      I love the aesthetics of books, but the ease of ebooks. Isn't it wonderful to have both options? :)

      Your name's in the cowboy hat for the drawing.

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  2. I prefer print copies because I like to flip through book before I read it and read acknowledgements etc. I like to hold the book and enjoy the cover too. I do have books as well. My Kindle is full and I need to purge it of books I don't think I'll ever read.
    Love most any kind of Oreos! sm wileygreen1(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Sharon, the thought of my Kindle getting full and having to decided which books to purge gives me hives! Yikes! :(

      Here, have an Oreo. Surely that will make us feel better.

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  3. I know that ebooks are very convenient and very popular but I still prefer print books so I am glad that Stealing Jake is now available in both options.
    Thank you for this giveaway and yes, Oreos are good!!
    Connie
    cps1950 AT gmail DOT com

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    1. Isn't it exciting, Connie? Makes me smile every time I think about it, which is so frequent, it's embarrassing, to tell you the truth. But the writing process is a bit of a long journey down quiet backroads and seeing a whole box of your fresh off the press book is like making it to your destination.

      Then the fun really begins...sharing that book with readers! :)

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  4. I love Oreo's . . the original.. . . 40 kinds??? Wow, that's extreme. I love print books . . .love the covers and holding the book while I read. Thanks for an opportunity to win this one! christinedavidbures@gmail.com

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    1. I know, right? I kinda lean toward one name for something. Yesterday, I was in the grocery store and needed Club crackers for a party. There's original, wheat, low fat, low sodium, and who knows what else. And the packaging is almost the same on some of them.

      Coke. Classic Coke. Coke Zero. Has using the same basic name for something only become popular the last 10-15 years? lol Sounds like another great HHH blog post. :)

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    1. Thank you for stopping by, Danielle. Glad you enjoyed it. :)

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  6. HHH friends, I'm headed out to church shortly and have a busy afternoon. I'll be back as soon as I can. I'm leaving PLENTY of Oreos and there's milk chilling in the fridge. Help yourself! :)

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  7. Of course I am throwing in my hat. This looks so good.
    Thereadmaster@me.com

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    1. Hey Virginia, Thanks so much for coming by. I'm feeling the need for some Oreo's. :o)

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    2. Got you down, Virginia! Thank you for stopping by. Hope you're having a most relaxing Sunday afternoon.

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  8. Yep, gotta love Oreos. I like those mini ones you can plot whole in your mouth. I also enjoyed the mint flavored ones, but my preference is the regular ones. I have a theory about the name. You said the packaging was gold at first so maybe they got the name from "ore" + "o," which is the shape of the cookie. An ore o. At least they aren't as hard as gold--unless maybe they're past the expiration date. :) And to answer your question, I still love my paperbacks, although I have a feeling I may one day have to make the shift to ebooks so I can enlarge the font and don't hurt my hands and wrists holding a book for hours on end.

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    1. Vickie, I like your explanation of how Ore-O came to be. And, yes, I agree.... ebooks are really nice for my eyes!

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  9. I have to admit that at my house, Oreos would well exceed their shelf life. However, when I do eat them, the original Oreo is the only way to go. --The book sounds awesome!

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    1. Hey Dali, Thanks for coming by. I love double stuff oreos. But never buy them. Pam a fabulous author, hope you get a chance to read her books!

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    2. Dali, I'm right there with you, original all the way. Except my DIL made an awesome dessert today with Golden Oreos, cream cheese, pudding, whipped topping, and white chocolate chips. After tasting that, I could be persuaded to the ... uh... golden side! :)

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  10. I would love to win this book - thanks for the giveaway :). We do have Oreos in our house every now and again - either original or double stuff for us.
    bettimace at gmail dot com

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    1. Betti, I buy less than I'd like, more than I need. ;) Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week!

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  11. Double stuffed Oreos are the best!

    Old books are so near, I have several old hardcover books that are probably close to 100 years old.

    I think I have a copy of Stealing Jake on my Kindle, but find myself reading paperbacks much more often, so I would love to win a copy!

    pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Patty. I love old books. I have some really old ones, too. One of these days I'm going to have to sort and decide what to keep. But the old ones are SO hard to part with!

      Got you in the drawing!

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  12. Hello Goldie. I loved this post. very interesting. As to the Oreos, I'm with you on liking the originals. I would sure love to win your book. And, that you live near the place I grew up. Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <

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  13. Hello everyone! I've been on a deadline and at a book festival and just now had a chance to draw for the winner of this giveaway offered on the 16th. The winner is Virginia Winfield!

    Thank you ALL for stopping by and commenting.

    You guys are the best!

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