Can you afford new books?

I feel like a new mommy with these puppies, showing everyone their pictures and gushing, "aren't they cuuuutte?" LOL. Here's a few pictures of them.

Had a busy weekend attending the Hispanic Lifestyle Latina Conference in Ontario and then a book signing event in Palm Desert. My family went to see the Chronicles of Nardnia. Although it's been out for a long while, the kids hadn't had a chance to see it yet. In Palm Desert they have a dollar theater. The kids and my husband got in for three dollars! Can you believe that? Cheaper than renting it a Blockbuster. Got me thinking about how ridiculously expensive it is to go to see a movie these days, and probably why we don't go very often anymore. When most theaters charge about $10 a ticket, you've spent $40 before you've bought soda and popcorn. That could add another $40 to the night. Crazy. But at the dollar theater they had a great time for about $20.

On the other side of town my book event didn't go well. I wondered if the cost of the book was like the movies, simply too much and people could not afford to pay $14 for a book. Maybe. But when compared to a $10 movie a book is still a bargain for me. You actually get to keep it and read it over and over again. Or pass it on to your family and friends and let others enjoy the story.

Still the cost of entertainment is astounding! Buy a couple of books and a cup of coffee and you've easily shelled out $50! Ouch. Does anyone else out there find these numbers crazy!? When I think I've make less than a dollar a book; or less than $100 when I substitute teach for a day, I sure think it's nuts to spend this much on entertainment.

I know that I'm not alone in feeling like this. Which is worrisome because I'm in the entertainment field. I want to be able to afford to buy books and I want other to be able to afford it too. Hopefully, the price of movies and books and music will stay put for a while and our incomes will catch up. Wishful thinking?