News Headline: Fight breaks out over e-books in Gaylord Michigan barber shop

While making the long trek north to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan last week I looked in the mirror and decided it was time for a haircut. Sixty miles south of the Mackinac Bridge is Gaylord which is a mecca for snowmobiles in the winter and golf during the warmer seasons.

Pulling off the Interstate I drove through the downtown and discovered City Barber Shop, an old fashioned barbershop that would remind one of Floyd's from the timeless Andy Griffith Show. I parked my car and went inside. There, sitting on their barber chairs, were three barbers: A young woman, a middle age man and a older man. The young woman showed me to her chair and we soon were all focused on CNN playing on a small TV at the front of the shop.

Soon we started conversing. The young woman asked where I lived and what I did for a living. When I told her I was in publishing immediately the three barbers began to banter. The middle age barber asked what I thought of Kindle. Before I could answer the young woman said there was no way she would ever give up printed books. That led to a full scale outbreak of back and forth, sometimes heated, conversation on the merits of e-books. I weighed in to say that I thought tablets such as the iPad were going to be bigger than the Kindle due to their ability to stream video and other technology innovations.

Two points were interesting about the exchange. First, it was taking place in a small town barbershop in northern Michigan. Second, the middle age man was so excited about reading using a electronic device while the young woman wanted to hold onto the printed book. Research has told us for years that the typical reader in the United States is female and that young women are far more interested in books than young males. In other words, since females are already reading they are showing their satisfaction with conventional books by their actions. Young men, on the other hand, are more likely to be interested in video games than books.

Therefore, if the tablet reading experience can duplicate some of the live action from video games then it is more likely young men will be interested in reading.

In marketing the goal is to widen or enlarge existing markets. We know women are already reading. To grow the book market the key will be making the experience more interesting to younger men through disruptive technology. The market is now wide open for those who innovate with the content available in their books. This year over a hundred tablet devices similar to the iPad will be introduced. Those authors and publishers who are early adopters in their respective niche will surely benefit.

Because it works so darn well

The other day I finally broke down and purchased a Starbucks travel mug. After trying several cheaper varieties over the years, and not being happy with any of them, it was time to buy something better. My new Starbucks mug is perfect for its intended use and I'm 100 percent satisfied with it.

I'm sure you can think of items you use every day that you may have paid a little bit more for but are so happy with its performance, you are glad you purchased it.

Looking around for other items that come immediately to mind would surely include my Mac and all the related Apple products, from the iPod to the iPad. When I purchased my first Mac it was in the mid 80s when the initial model was introduced. It was the first computer I could easily operate and remains the same to this day. In addition, every other Apple product seamlessly works with it. Sure, I could pay less for my computers and other electronics. But I can't believe I'd be as satisfied.

Another item within my reach is the case for my iPod touch from a little company in San Francisco called WaterField Designs http://www.sfbags.com whose tiny bag fits perfectly and is so functional.

The truth is that we rely on many products in our everyday life that help us in so many ways.

This is also true of the books we own. The books I turn to with regularity are those that reliably help or inspire me. I'm always picking up my copy of David Ogilvy's classic Ogilvy on Advertising because the advice he provided decades ago is still true today. Other books I've practically worn the covers off include Thomas Woll's Publishing for Profit (great information for budding publishers), David Burns' The Feeling Good Handbook (for help overcoming anxiety) and Roger Finke and Rodney Stark's The Churching of America (tells how the church spread from coast to coast as our nation grew).

What those and other books have in common is that the information they contain is as good today as it was years ago. They are timeless.

The point is that as formats change from printed books to electronic books, the same will always be true. A book that provides helpful information is valuable to its owner.

These are not books that one throws away. They do not grow old like bananas but instead age gracefully.

If you are a lover of books and the information contained therein, you can look to your bookshelf and immediately find those that have become reliable sources of information.

As an author it is vital that before you publish, you take another look at the contents of your book and ask the question: Is this information timeless enough to publish? Does it work darn well?