Some people know exactly what to look for at the bookshop - others spend hours without finding what they have in mind...

SPITTING IMAGE?
Did you ever mistake the body lotion tube for the toothpaste a sleepy morning? No? Good - it's not the best way to start the day.

PREDICAMENT
This might be an awkward approach if you're aiming at the problem of choosing literature, but frankly, haven't you too picked the "wrong" book by a random grab at the bookshop or the library? The book you put away with a sigh after three chapters.

STRUGGLE
It might have been the perfect choice for someone else. A woman I know reads nothing but books about women's liberation. I tried one. Though I don't mind the subject, I had a feeling of pedaling a bicycle with aleaking tire. You know how that is, you want to get as far as possible before you have a flat, but you know that if you speed up, it leaks faster.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
It was the wrong pick for me - not because I'm a man, but the style of writing was not in accordance with my personal taste. And in my opinion, the style of writing is as crucial as the subject is. It's easier to choose clothes or music than books; the eye and the ear are less critical than the mind. Okay, the first impression of a book is the cover picture, so the eye leads us to the next step - the time consuming intellectual process.

UNDER SURVEILLANCE?
At those rare occasions when we have that time we would really like to read full chapters from some books at the bookshop, but we know we would feel like shoplifters if we did. Besides, the book dealer might fear that a book looks used if too many pages have been turned. Not everyone is careful. This is why Internet is such a smart solution.

PLENTY OF TIME
Alone with our computer we can spend days reading free chapters if we like. And the writers/publishers who provide the service are happy if we do. The opportunity to form our own opinion gives us a freedom that older generations of book readers could only dream of. Of course, we can spend all the time we want at the public library, but these institutions are not likely to provide the new exciting writer we are looking for on the web. And when we eventually have found the book we want to read, we can still ask our local retailer to order it for us - unless we prefer the Ebook version.

CHOICE MADE EASIER
Being a thriller fan I love cruising around the web in search for new writers and new inspiration. When I make my pick, blood and action are less important than good dialogues and carefully delineated characters. And I don't mind episodes about that dear old game. But the book must be written in a manner that makes me feel comfortable. After all, the writer and I are supposed to spend a few hours together, exchanging thoughts and experiences.

MEATY VERSIONS
Except for being a door opener Internet is the perfect instrument for digging deeper into the literature world. Those of us who are in the habit of roaming around the web with this purpose know that there are different ways of introducing the books. One concept is extensive samples including long summaries, free chapters, excerpts and facts. This is what I like best, so - naturally - it's the way I present my books.

Thank you for taking your time to read these lines.

Albert Loren