Last week I told a breakfast club that when I started in the newspaper business, we still banged out most of our stories on typewriters. (Our newsroom computer system consisted of just a half-dozen monitors and keyboards.) The photographers used black and white film. And the only way to get a copy of a public document quickly was to drive to the government office and pick it up. We didn’t have fax machines, let alone email.

A book author from that era similarly would note that there was no Amazon, no iPad and the first personal computers were just starting to hit the market.

Yes, so much has changed. And while the newspaper industry and the book industry still struggle to find their way in the Internet era, I’m grateful for their willingness to try new things.

The Press Democrat, for one, has graciously run a series of full-color advertisements announcing four benefit book signings tied to the release of my fantasy novel, “Horse Stalker.” For each copy of the book purchased in September and October, I’m donating $1 to local schools.

Similarly, Sebastopol-based Copperfield’s Books has been willing to host this series of book signings at its four Sonoma County stores.

The last such event begins at noon Saturday at the retailer’s Healdsburg store, 104 Matheson St. The book signing benefits the Healdsburg Education Foundation.

I’d love to see you there.

And thank you to both this newspaper and to Copperfield’s for supporting both me and local schools.

— Robert Digitale