This post is part of my partnership with the US Cellular Blogger Brigade Ambassador Program.
After listening to Little Red’s screams of “mama, mama” serenade me to the preschool exit, I finally find sanctuary in my car. Quickly I fumble for my phone giddy at the thought of finishing the next chapter of Notes from a Blue Bike.
No I’m not reading while I’m driving.
I’ve finally embraced the world of the audio book.
This has not been without some reservation.
As an English major and book lover, it was hard for me to ditch the feel of pages caressing my hand. A precarious mountain of paperbacks rest on my nightstand. Although the thick layer of dust on their covers means it’s more of a hibernation than a rest. As a working mom I don’t have time {or the quiet moments} to just sit and soak up a good book.
I’ve missed the words on the page.
The stories of fellow writers, adventures I’ll never experience except within the confines of a book jacket. The written word inspires me and makes me a better writer.
I’ve been missing my muse.
Quickly I realized that if I want to reignite my writing inspiration I’d have to change the way I think about “reading”.
I, of course, was a little late to this digital “reading” party. According to the Book Industry Study Group’s consumer attitudes toward e-book reading survey, nearly 70 percent of consumers say they now prefer e-books over print.
Yet again it seems my answer to finding my muse lies within the digital confines of my phone.
As you all know I can’t live without it.
There’s a plethora of “reading” apps to choose from.
After looking over my options I decided Audible was the best choice. I could “read” books during my commute. Immediately, I went to download the app, and soon realized it was already pre-loaded onto my US Cellular Samsung S4. Bazinga!
All I did was tap a couple buttons, search for a book and boom I started “reading” immediately. Luckily I never miss a word connected to my 4G LTE network.
With each book I “read” I feel more and more inspired, whether it’s my writing or just experiencing life intentionally. In the past month I’ve “read” three books, which is three more than I’ve read BEFORE using Audible.
The ability to “read” on my phone not only gives me another option to read anytime, anywhere, but also an opportunity to save money, explore and share books.
It’s safe to say I’ve officially switched to the other side, and I can’t wait to try out more “reading” apps.
I think next up is OverDrive. This app allows users to link to library websites to borrow new e-books or audiobooks from your local library, bringing the library to your e-device and saving you money from buying the latest book. You can log in to your library account and check out or download any available books to the app.
Anything that will save me money and support my local library sounds like a win, win to me.
Want to see what else your phone can do?
Visit a US Cellular Device Workshop in your area. You never know maybe your inspiration is just an app away.
Just in case you are curious here are the books I’ve “read” using Audible.
The In Between by Jeff Goins
Notes from a Blue Bike by Tsh Oxenreider
Carry On Warrior by Glennon Melton
