I spent the majority of my thmghty eghb years in the greater Seattle area. Those of you from Seattle know that that means I probably have: webbed feet, a pale un-tanable complexion, an unusual appreciation/obsession with slimy garden mollusks (see my other blog for proof) and an intimate understanding of the nuances of Italian coffee drinks.
The point of which, is that I appreciate a good latte reference.
I'm also a science fiction fan, though not tech-savvy enough to qualify as a techno junkie. I do enjoy an innovative, high-tech gadget--especially if it's book related.
Let's put those two together, shall we?
Enter the Espresso book machine. The name alone gives me goosebumps.
I discovered this little magic book machine at Norwescon when a gentleman in the ebook panel audience ignored the demand for "no audience comments" and waved a small trade-paperback over his head, triumphantly announcing that he'd written it and that it had been printed POD style by a vending machine.
.....
Seriously. A vending machine that prints out little trade paperback books while you wait.
He was quickly silenced, however, and I was left thinking, wait! and what? but how? where? to no avail. The book disappeared back into his coat and the panel went on. And on. And on.
But I kept thinking about that little book. I imagined the hulking machine, standing like some retro-fitted coffee dispenser crossed with a juke box. You know, a juke box. They play music? Pizza joints used to have them? never mind.
I imagined this book dispensing machine where patrons dropped in coins, flipped through the loaded library ( you really have to be able to picture the juke box here ) and chose a book. Then, to the whirring of gears and the crunching and humming of arcane mechanisms hidden inside the depths of this thing, you wait. A bell goes, "ping." Out pops your book. voila!
I still get goosebumps.
So I did what any wanna be technophile would do. I Googled it. There on my computer screen was the Espresso Book Machine. Okay, it doesn't look like a coffee machine...or a juke box. In fact, it looks kind of like a Xerox machine. Well, I can live with that.
It still spits out books. Yes, it does. While you wait. I love this thing.
I may be obsessed with it. I want my books in there. I want to drive over the mountains and go play with it. Maybe...
Anyway, go check it out. You know where Google is.
maybe it's just me, but this thing is pretty darn cool.
~Frances
award-winning animal stories