A reader review blog { of genre fiction }
Questions for your Average Reader
I’ve been reading since high school and some of you, probably longer than that. I just have a few questions for the readers and if your an author who wears her “reader hat”, by all means answer these questions, too.
1. Does it bother you so much if the couple represented by the author do not seem compatible together yet the author ends their story with a happy ending?
2. What type of endings are over the top for you? Having them get married and seeing that they’ve had five kids with one on the way?
3. What are some of your likes and dislikes about the romance genre? Do you really enjoy the trilogy?
4. What authors—-to you—nail down the journey or the exploration of the relationship that is somewhat realistic?
5. Why do you like Catherine Anderson?
6. How are you offsetting the high costs of paperback novels? Buying used? [hand raised]
7. How important is word of mouth? Does it only apply only to new authors?
8. Does an author’s behavior online turn you permanently off to their work?
9. Do you think publishers do sacrifice quality for quantity?
10. Do you find publisher’s deceptive? Out to get your money by any means necessary?
11. Are you interested in ebooks? Or you hope the trend dies a lonely death?
12. Name some top writers for you that are not blockbuster names.
13. Will romantic suspense authors ever balance suspense and romance?
This is just a fun exercise as I have nothing else to blog about right now.
About the author
My name is Keishon and I'm an avid reader of romance, crime fiction and graphic novels. I tend to read all over the map and prefer the older romances from the 90's rather than the new romances of today. I enjoy reading and discussing books and I hope you enjoy your visit here. Some of my favorite authors include but are not limited to Laura Kinsale, Penelope Williamson, Kathleen Eagle, Michael Connelly, Julia Spencer-Fleming and my latest crush is on Nordic crime novelist, Jo Nesbø (start with The Redbreast if interested).
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about 4 years ago
This was a fun excercise and thanks Karen S for directing more than half the traffic over here! I did find and highlight some interesting comments:
True and I wouldn’t disagree there. I just wish those authors would focus more on romance if romance is more of their strength.
Dylan said:
I agree here too that speedy romances are not my favorites. In some rare instances I can believe a romance that is pretty fast and some not. Depends on the skill of the author. Most gothics feature speedy romances and I enjoy those a lot.
Tilly said:
I’d like that ending, too. Few do this as most readers want to know what happens several years down the line, not several decades. It reminds them of death for some reason.
Rosie said this about the balance of romantic suspense:
Well, Rosie, some authors don’t do such a good job of blending the two genres together and some do and obviously you’ve found some authors that has the right combination for you. Good for you. I like Tami Hoag, too.
Well, there were more interesting comments and such but not enought time to respond to them all. I was having fun with Catherine Anderson’s fans and as one other reader stated: her stories are just too perfect and too sweet and that’s just the way some readers like it. Nothing wrong with that.
Anyway, I thank each and every one of you for dropping by and answering most of the questions. There were indeed some very interesting answers as well as interesting authors listed as favorites. I don’t think I’d agree with more than half (that’s just moi) but I do agree with some of you. Anyway, thanks again. You inspire to come up with another fun excercise. Don’t look for anything anytime soon.
Take care.
about 4 years ago
1. Not really, I can get over a lot of things by rewriting them in my head…I try not to get too pissed about the way books are written because then it takes the fun out of reading for me, but sometimes I just can’t help myself…
2. I’d have to agree with Karen S on this one, the ones where they’re deliriously happy together after having met 2.5 weeks before, it’s very hard to believe.
3. In Romance, I like the happy endings and the journey we read to get to the happy ending, yes I do like trilogies, what I hate is the wait in between books. LOL.
4. Hmm, realism isn’t important to me, so I can’t think of anyone right now, oh wait, I think Jennifer Crusie does a good job of keeping it real with her stories.
5. I’ve never read anything by her so I don’t know if I like her or not.
6. I buy books from UBS…but I’m not doing much to offset the cost of books because I’ll pay full price for a book if I really want it, I know, shame on me.
7. Word of mouth is important to me beause if enough people don’t like it, something must be seriously wrong with it, so I’ll be wary to try it…but eventually, like years down the road, I’m known to try things out for my own.…and regret that I even bothered. LOL.
8. For a little while, I’ll get hecka pissed if an author is rude or snobby to their fans and I probably won’t buy their books…until they come out on paperback. LOL.
9. Heck yes, because JG is still writing contemps, the quality of her writing is going down the toilet.
10. I don’t care one way or the other because I love to read so they’re going to get my money regardless, rotten bastards.
11. Hmm, I don’t think I have any…all of the authors I really enjoy are big names, although I really like Rene Lyons, who isn’t a big time author and I haven’t read anything by her, but I will soon…
12. Hmm, I don’t think so because some authors are good at one and only mildly good at the other, very few authors can balance that and if it hasn’t been done by now, I doubt they ever will.
about 4 years ago
1. YES — if it won’t defy the odds and last, why write it as a romance!
2. Weddings, babies, as an older couple at the end of th HEA…why can’t I have them walking into the sunset and imagining their future?
3. Hmmm, like the HEA, whoever it may be, dislike the pushing the bar to shock. Trilogys, series, they are great as long as I like the story, if I am not interested, I want to tell the author to move on to something else.
4. Boy, isn’t it sad…no name jumps out in my mind and says ME!
5. Sorry, don’t read her.
6. Honestly, I am struggling to find reads right now but give myself a book budget each month and after my automatic purchases, I am hitting the epubs looking for new authors…someone fresh and worth the hard earned pennies I am spending.
7. Some, but not all that much. I get tired of the same old authors and find that many readers like their ruts.
8. Oh yes! Most definitely!
9. Some do and others have the bar placed in a different area.
10. Again, in some places. I don’t particularly like it when they take an authors backlist and republish under a new title. Yes, it is great when they are expanded but if I didn’t like it the first time around don’t try and sneak it out there like something all new.
11. I am a self-confessed book addict. Thousands in the attic and on the bookshelves and many more in ebook form…a book, telling a great tale is not, nor should it be, limited by its format. In fact, I find myself now leaning more towards the ebooks because they are so bloody convenient to take with me on a trip [almost a 1000 ebooks vs less than a dozen in paper], the dentists, on a bus going into the city…no bulk and if I am in the mood for something else, it is there as well. So, no, I don’t want them to die out, I hope they are here to stay!
12. Oh boy, don’t like pointing fingers, they all work hard so I will leave it at that.
13. It is possible but doubtful, authors are human and have one strength more dominant than another and it can’t help but overpower the other.
about 4 years ago
1. YES!!
2. I have issue when the couple fights & is nasty to each other for the entire book & then suddenly it’s all lovey dovey in the last few pages for the HEA.
3. Trilogies are ok, series can get boring. I prefer character driven romances– so everything hinges on the couple for me.
4. This changes from book to book for me– it depends on the characters involved & what their circumstances are.
5.???
6.I buy quite a bit from the UBS. I have also pruned my romance TBB list quite a bit. I’m getting bored with romance (as opposed to burned out).
7. Word of mouth is important to me only if it comes from people whose reading taste is known to me.
8. Sometimes. Maybe. If I’m on the fence about an author or if their work has been uneven for me, yes I’m likely to drop you. Otherwise I’ll just continue to think you’re an uninformed troll.
9. Yes
10. Not more than any other business
11.No, but I’m sure ebooks will grow. I’m waiting for the prices to drop.
12. Shana Abe, Melanie Jackson, Susan Squires
13. Don’t read them, I prefer straight mystery/thriller to this hybrid.
about 4 years ago
1. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! Looming divorce or AVO’s are terribly unromantic.
2. Situationally, probably not much. Babies, marriage, threesomes — bring it on! It’s more about characterisation for me. Although when the world stops turning to accommodate the lucky couple, my eyebrows tend to rise.
3. Likes — HEA’s, spine tingles, well written love scenes that I can read out to shock my hubby (“What are you reading?!?”), old plots written in a fresh way
Dislikes — predictability (except for the HEA), category titles that should never have seen the light of day, stories suffering from a genre identity crisis, godawful covers
Trilogies — Love them if they live up to the hype.
4. I’m not a big fan of realism. Or at least, I don’t notice too much when the plot is over the top as long as the author nails the characterisation. I’ve ended up loving stories I never would have thought I would.
5. Huh. Maybe I should try one of her books.
6. Swapping with a friend. Borrowing from the library. Returning badly written ones to the bookstore (I don’t apologise — selling me something for $16.95 a pop when you haven’t put in the good work you’re charging me for is not a fair deal). Buying used — but usually only old titles. Entering author comps in the hope of scoring a few freebies to try. Volunteering to be a reader judge for the R*BY awards (we get to keep the books).
7. I can’t afford to pay for a dud book so word of mouth is about the only way I try new authors. That, or the library. I agree with Karen in that the referrer has to be someone whose taste in books I can relate to.
8. Oh, yes! Both good and bad…
9. I subscribed to category romance for a looong time so yes. I don’t begrudge experimentation but there’s no excuse for plain, bad writing.
10. No, but I’m not that familiar with this issue.
11. Death, unless they come out with a printer that can print them like books. I like the feel of paper, the page turning, the bookmarking, the way I can carry it around with me. Oh, OK, I don’t begrudge other people their e-books. Printers just need to catch up. Also, I wish more out of print books were available as e-books.
12. Kathleen O’Reilly, JR Ward (although i think she’s quite well known now, I just discovered her)
13. It’s hard to serve two masters. I read an Intrigue where the heroine was tortured and she didn’t even end up with the guy at the end. To me, that was just too revolutionary for the genre. Most of the ones I’ve read are either good at one genre and average at the other, or balance the two but not in a stand-out way.
about 4 years ago
4. Lisa Kleypas does a wonderful job of this.
5. I’ve read two books by Catherine Anderson and I honestly am not sure if I’ll be able to pick up another. They were to sweet and perfect to me.
6. I try to find new books at Costco or Walmart — never the bookstore itself if I can help it. I visit the used book store often, trade and borrow from the library.
7. Its extremely important to me. I’ve found alot of new books and authors from word of mouth. I’ve also put books at the bottom of the TBR based on word of mouth.
8. Not so far it hasn’t. I could forget who’d written the story if it was good enough I think.
10. If the rising costs of paperbacks and the introduction of premium sized books are any indication, then yes.
11. If I’m going to spend money on a book, I prefer to be able to put it on the shelves with the rest of the collection. But it still doesn’t stop me from buying ebooks that have been highly recommended to me.
12. Lori Devoti, Sandy Blair, Dixie Cash, Rachel Gibson, Janet Chapman, Jennifer Skully, Kathleen Long,
about 4 years ago
5. Why do you like Catherine Anderson?
One of the first romances I’ve ever read was Comanche Moon and it’s still one of my ultimate favorites. The book was amazing and that is why I love Catherine Anderson.
about 4 years ago
1. Yes and if the HEA is too quick or too pat I actually want to set the book on fire…if I even made it that far.
2. I don’t need an epilogue seeing far into the future. I don’t need to know they had kids or got pregnant…just resolve the conflict in a way that is true to the characters.
3. The trilogy…while I don’t mind it, I do think it is over done. I’ve read my share of them, but I’m very particular. I read romance totally for the escape. While I love to have a book or stories touch me and relate to my real life, it’s not necessary to be absolutely true to life for me to enjoy the book. What I dislike most is the petty discord about things like who belongs in RWA and who doesn’t. Dumb. Also, there are more awards and groups/reviewers who give them that now when I see an author post they got this or that award on the book or their author site it carries no impact.
4. As I said earlier realism isn’t that important to me. I’m partial to character driven stories rather than plot driven. I’m also partial to the enlightened but definitely alpha so I like Linda Howard, Christine Feehan, Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunters, Sarah McCarty, Nora Roberts (who doesn’t like Roark).
5. Ummm…I like her early Comanche books. It’s sort of a guilty secret.
6. I work and have a pretty generous book budget. But it hasn’t always been so. I’ve always been a used book purchaser and still do when I’m trying out someone new. While this bothers some authors, I can only say my first Nora Roberts book was a used copy of a Silhouette and now I buy her books new in hard cover.
7. Heck no…if I’ve been waffling about a new release of a book by an author that has been hit or miss for me, positive or negative buzz in the bookstore and/or the blogosphere will very much influence my purchase.
8. A single isolated incident…probably not. But say if there are repeated rude comments on a board or blog site…then hell yes. I must confess though that I have read perfectly innocuous interviews that while the author didn’t say anything inflammatory the tone and attitude turned me off and certainly has colored my desire to purchase any more of their books.
9. Yes. Just look at how the Romance section has grown over the years. There simply aren’t that many “good” romance authors out there.
10. Yes, I believe there is some deception. As far as out to get consumer’s money by any means, most retail businesses are…that’s their business. IMO the publisher’s deceptions about reissues and covers to try and trick the consumers are completely unnecessary. Most reissues the public are waiting for and anxious to receive and purchase or update their copies.
11. I love, love love e-books!!! I love the instant gratification of looking for a book and being able to purchase and download immediately. However, nothing will replace the experience of holding a book in my hands. I can’t imagine giving that up.
12.. Sarah McCarty, Marjorie Liu, JR Ward, Anne Stuart, Iris Johansen, Deborah Smith, Lora Leigh, Jessica Hall, Susan Anderson
13. Hmm…I don’t know exactly what you mean by this one. I’ve read some that do. Jessica Hall, Annie Solomon, Tami Hoag, Catherine Coulter
about 4 years ago
1. No, that doesn’t bother me, but a romance book WITHOUT a happy ending does.
2. I haven’t had any over-the-top ones so far… I guess if I had to pick one thing, it would be a H & H who fall in love quickly and marry before really getting to know each other yet live HEA. That’s unbelieveable to me.
3. I love trilogies… and series. The more the better, so long as they come to an end within a reasonable time frame… unless it’s like Stephanie Plum and In Death series’.
4. Sarah McCarty, Shelby Reed, Cindy Gerard, Nora Roberts, JD Robb.
5. Why do you like Catherine Anderson? Don’t know why, I just do, but she’s not one of my top 10. LOL
6. Buying used, sharing with friends online and offline, reselling books that aren’t “keepers.”
7. It’s very important. If you’ve never heard of someone and all of a sudden you hear Author X has a fabulous book out, you’re gonna wanna try it. BUT, then there’s the negative with word of mouth. If you hear of an author saying negative things and being a general bitch/ass, it will impact the author negatively through word of mouth. So, again, it’s very important.
8. YES. I could give you a specific example of an author whose books I enjoy immensely but will NEVER buy again because of her personality and bitchiness. I will NOT fund her snark. *G*
9. Sometimes, yes. It depends on the publisher though.
10. No.
11. Love ebooks, used to buy more ebooks than print books, mostly from Ellora’s Cave but as of late, their editing isn’t the greatest and the books are pretty sucky, so once again I am reading more print books than ebooks.
12. Sarah McCarty, Shelby Reed, Cindy Gerard, Susan Mallery, Judy Duarte, Kristi Gold, Christine Rimmer, Marie Ferrarella, Laurie Paige, Christie Ridgway, Bronwyn Jameson, Heidi Betts, Joan Elliott PIckart, Brenda Jackson, Emilie Rose, Maureen Child, Amy J. Fetzer, Anna Jeffrey. I could go on, but I won’t. LOL
13. Probably not, and that’s a good thing. Heck, three genres instead of two can only mean one thing. MORE BOOKS! LOL
Fun exercise! Thanks!
about 4 years ago
Okay, here goes…
1. Does it bother you so much if the couple represented by the author do not seem compatible together yet the author ends their story with a happy ending?
It depends on how the compatibility is handled, if it’s a fun opposites attract, okay, but if we’ve got brawling up until the last chapter an wham, we’ve got HEA, it’s going to the UBS.
2. What type of endings are over the top for you? Having them get married and seeing that they’ve had five kids with one on the way?
As long as the ending fits the book and the storyline, I’m okay even with the 5 kids and 1 on the way thing.
3. What are some of your likes and dislikes about the romance genre? Do you really enjoy the trilogy?
likes–HEA, that’s why I read romance, I like to see relationships build from nothing and see where they go, and the escape it provides from everyday life.
dislikes–amnesia stories, I don’t care who does it, I’m going to hate it. Two year olds that sound like young adults, and the never ending series, can anyone say Brockmann.
Trilogies are fine, the first is usually great, the second sucks and you hope the last ties everything up.
4. What authors—-to you—nail down the journey or the exploration of the relationship that is somewhat realistic?
Since every relationship is different, the journey is also different, so I’m not sure any one author is necessarily better because they’re creating the journey, so you hope it’s realistic.
5. Why do you like Catherine Anderson?
I don’t see the draw, her melodrama is way over the top for me.
6. How are you offsetting the high costs of paperback novels? Buying used? [hand raised]
So we don’t eat this week, not really, I buy used and spread out the new books over the month.
7. How important is word of mouth? Does it only apply only to new authors?
If it’s someone I trust, I’ll take word of mouth over any review site, especially for new to me authors.
8. Does an author’s behavior online turn you permanently off to their work?
This is the magic question this week isn’t it? On-line behavior really doesn’t impact on what I read, though if it’s someone I don’t particularly like it may keep me from buying again.
9. Do you think publishers do sacrifice quality for quantity?
Realistically, publishers are in business to make money, if they’re smart quality will bring quantity.
10. Do you find publisher’s deceptive? Out to get your money by any means necessary?
Probably, but what can be done about it?
11. Are you interested in ebooks? Or you hope the trend dies a lonely death?
I’m okay with ebooks, I need a good reader, sitting at my computer reading is not comfortable.
12. Name some top writers for you that are not blockbuster names.
Lynn Viehl, Susan Squires, and some oldies: Marsha Canham, Megan Chance, Candice Proctor, Maggie Osborne, Mary Spencer.
13. Will romantic suspense authors ever balance suspense and romance?
Nope, I think Linda Howard comes real close, but then I’m a fangirl and don’t trust my judgement–LOL.
about 4 years ago
1 — If the author can make me belive they’ll be HEA even if they don’t seem at first to be compatable, that’s a plus for me.
2 — An over-the-top ending? Can’t think of one, lol.
3 — I like series, and I like trilogies. I don’t like TSL heroines or neurotic heroines, or alpha heroes that border on the psychopathic.
I really have to identify and like the heroine and the hero. If I don’t have sympathy for one or the other, I don’t enjoy the book. Otherwise, I’m pretty easy for plot and setting — I’m not very picky about dialogue and although I enjoy historical accuracy, I won’t nit-pick a book I like to death.
4. Jennifer Crusie (VBG)
5.
6. Paperback books, public library, borrowing and swapping with friends, e-books.
7. Word of mouth and reading the blurbs on the back covers. I love to read blurbs.
8. I don’t hang out on enough sites to really be affected by that. I see and hear gossip but try not to pay attention to it.
9. Yes, unfortunately.
10; Yes
11. I love e-books.
12. Madison Hayes, Ruth Kerce, Beverly Haviler, Dakota Cassidy, Shelby Morgan, Treva Harte, Ann Jacobs
13. LOL — who knows?
about 4 years ago
1. It depends on how they end up together. If it’s realistic enough, they balance each other out or realize that their incompability is more frustrated love/lust then, ok. If it’s unrealistic then yes it does bother me.
2. I can’t think of an over the top ending with HEA in romance.
3. I dislike how varied some of the plots are. Seriously, I think romance is getting a bit boring which is why I’m more eager to read romances that mix other genres — horror particularly because at least it’s not something I’ve read before. if I read another story about next door neighbors getting together I’ll barf. Trilogies are smart move by authors, they draw readers in because we like to read a story where the characters are familiar, they also let the author build unique worlds.
4. Nora Roberts — although her books are bit redundant, but her J.D. Robb books with Eve and Roarke are great. Lena Matthews is one of my favorite for realistic dialogue and growth between characters, Ann Vremont and Sarah McCarty both use their sex scenes as places where the characters explore each other and not just relieve an itch. Emma Holly is also good for exploring character growth in a more subtle way because she deals with actions more so than explicit words, I can re-read her stories and see something different each time.
5. Haha, why do people like American Idol or Hollywood movies? Her books are brainless and entertaning in small doses, of course.
6. I don’t buy paperback anymore because I’m South Africa now and it’s hard to find them here, not everyone lives in areas where romance novels are easy to find. I shop in the ebook world but I do find those prices also increasing, it’s a bit ridiculous. $5.95 for a 80 page book, I’m about to start writing myself for entertainment (just kidding).
7. Word of mouth is extremely important, I’ve found many of my favorite authors that way. It definitely applies to new authors, but if someone is new to a genre it can also help that way as well. For instance, I found Christine Feehan through word of mouth.
8. Sometimes. For instance, authors that pimp themselves all over other authors’ sites are tacky (shameless plug for my blog), however those authors tend to be wack anyway.
9. Yes but I think part of that is reader’s faults as well. I can’t hate on a publisher, they are trying to make their money, and if readers are going to play $6.00 for crap, I’d sell it, too. As readers we need to exercise our rights not to buy crap, but as long as we buy it, they’re gonna publish it.
10. Hahaha, no! Publishers are a business, just like any other business and the bottomline is money. Also, I don’t know that many readers are that interested in quality books as much as quicky, candy reads. That’s what publishers are gonna give us, then.
11. Vive los ebooks! I love them and I think they are the future of reading, publishers are smart to offer their books electronically, it exposes readers globally to stories and authors they’d never meet.
12. Ann Vremont, Susan DiPlacido, Portia DaCosta, Sarah McCarty and Lena Matthews.
13. Sure, don’t you think Elizabeth Lowell does that with her Rarities series?
about 4 years ago
Hehehe, I already read the first 3, and yes, flawed though they were, I loved them! Actually, Shannon McKenna’s books are also a good example of this.
The thing is, I love suspense books, and when they are coupled with romance, I’m in heaven.
about 4 years ago
Me I just like the shagging that goes on in between the bombs going off, and the dead bodies piling up. That’s true romance.
May I recommend — Tara Janzen’s novels for you Karen S?
I tend to like more suspense (if the plot’s any good) with a couple of shags along the way. Nothing wrong with liking Catherine Anderson. I’m just curious as to her popularity. That’s all. Plus, I was being funny. I’m sure she’s a great writer, I’ve read two of her books but I just don’t care for what she writes about these days. I find her characters pathetic while others find her work inspiring.
about 4 years ago
1. If I’m thinking that the couple aren’t compatible, then it generally means that I haven’t enjoyed the books, so I guess yeah.
2. Endings are only ever over the top if the couple have gotten married after knowing each other for 2.5 weeks.
3. I don’t mind trilogies, as long as they are all good. I recently read Cindy Gerard’s Bodyguard series (though I suspect, there’s another coming out soon) and whereas, I enjoyed the first and third book, the second was a bit blahhh for me. That happens a lot. My pet peeves are slack bitch heroines, who are too stupid to be left alone. I also hate whiny heroines/heroes and über alpha heroes. Virginal heroines piss me off, heroines who have never had good sex before the hero turns up, piss me off
4. Sarah McCarty is fab at relationship building in books. Shelby Reed too.
5. Is it wrong that I think Catherine Anderson is great? Then I am just wrong I’m afraid!
6. If I like the book, I’ll pay. I rarely have time to hunt down used books these days.
7. Word of mouth is only important if I know that the person spreading the word has similar tastes to myself.
8. Authors online behaviour does turn me off their books. I have stopped buying books from a couple of authors, after witnessing their online behaviour. I’m not into the ‘but you’re cutting off your nose to spite your face’ theory either. I’ll spend my money, where I see fit, and if I should miss out on some literary gems along the way, so be it. Shit happens.
9. Yes publishers can be deceptive, not all I guess, but some certainly can be. *coughvenuspresscough*
10. Yes, some will do anything to get your money.
11. Love ebooks — don’t have to wait to get them.
12. Katherine Allred, Sarah McCarty, Shelby Reed, Barbara Sheridan
13. Romantic suspense authors wont ever balance the two, plus I guess it’s pretty subjective anyway, some people like lots of romance and little suspense, others want lots of suspense, little romance. Me I just like the shagging that goes on in between the bombs going off, and the dead bodies piling up. That’s true romance.
about 4 years ago
1. Yes. Big time.
2. I don’t really like epilogues. They look like they’ll live happily ever after, that’s more than enough for me.
3. Enough with the trilogies, and do try to be less blatant about sneaking the h/h of the next book into the current one.
6. I do buy used, but the library helps lots.
7. Quite important.
8. Depends on what it’s about. She/he is welcome to her own religious/political views, but reader bashing means I’ll be voting with my money.
10. I don’t buy books because of advertising, blurbs etc. I buy because I liked the blurb, the excerpt or word of mouth. So yeah.
11. Buy ebooks, save the environment!
12. Second Jane’s Bookseller Chick recommend.
13. Some can, some won’t ever make it. And Allison Brennan is up to the hype.
about 4 years ago
1. Yes. I don’t believe that the couple can be happy in any story with a hardcore rake.
2. It depends on the couple. With some couples it seems right that they would want that many children. But if there’s no mention that either of them want that many children it just comes out of nowhere. Either way, children are usually part of that tacked on HEA that I sleep through. Endings aren’t all that important fo me. I get bored after the couple gets married.
3. I guess my #1 dislike would be all the rake characters. I also hate that so many romance novels seem too similar. What I like about the romance genre is that it focuses on characterization. I love a story with great characters. If I had my way, every romance novel would be a stand alone. Except paranormals that have world building.
4. Patricia Gaffney and Laura Kinsale are the only two that come to mind. I haven’t read a whole lot from those authors so I can’t be sure. I don’t usually find the relationships in romance novels very realistic.
5. Who?
6. I’m really broke right now so the only new paperbacks I’m buying come from Wal Mart. I have been going to the thrift store a lot more and I’m buying used off amazon. Buying trade paperbacks and hardcovers new is out of the question for me right now.
7. Very. Especially for new writers. I tend to stick with authors I like but I won’t pick up a book by a new writer if it doesn’t get good buzz in blog land.
8. Nope. I don’t care what they say. If I like their work I’m still buying it. I’m also really hard to offend. The only author that’s managed to do it is Anne Rice with her complete disdain for her fans. But I only stopped reading her because her books got terrible.
9. Probably. Read any Laurell K. Hamilton lately?
10. Sure. Which is why I get books because of blog reviews and not marketing.
11. Love the format itself. The ebookwise is the best purchase I’ve ever made. I have yet to read an epublished book that wows me but I’ll beep trying.
12. I haven’t read enough by any of these authors to completely write them off as overrated. I will say that none of my favorite romances are by big name authors.
13. I haven’t read a lot of romantic suspense, just Jayne Ann Krentz. My guess would be that you’re more likely to find a balanced romantic suspense in the mystery section than the romance.
about 4 years ago
1. Does it bother you so much if the couple represented by the author do not seem compatible together yet the author ends their story with a happy ending?///
I think it would contribute to my overall dissatisfaction of the book. I don’t think the author did a good job in selling me on the romance.
2. What type of endings are over the top for you? Having them get married and seeing that they’ve had five kids with one on the way?
my least favorite ending is where the barren woman finally has children from the supersperm of her Troo Love.
3. What are some of your likes and dislikes about the romance genre? Do you really enjoy the trilogy?
I like trilogies better than the never ending series. I think they are better plotted. And dislikes. I think that is a separate blog post.
4. What authors—-to you—nail down the journey or the exploration of the relationship that is somewhat realistic?
Kathleen Gilles Seidel. I liked both Marianna Jameson’s My Hero and Deidre Martin’s Body Check and Penalty Box.
5. Why do you like Catherine Anderson?
I don’t.
6. How are you offsetting the high costs of paperback novels? Buying used? [hand raised]
Library.
7. How important is word of mouth? Does it only apply only to new authors?
Very. It applies to any book/author not on my Autobuy list.
8. Does an author’s behavior online turn you permanently off to their work?
Sometimes but admittedly when I am wavering as to whether to buy them — MJD and LLG — both had stinkers for me in their last effort and I was real hesitant to buy the next ones so I am grateful that their online behavior is helping me steer toward other authors like Karen Chance or Jennifer Armintrout . Might as well take a chance.
9. Do you think publishers do sacrifice quality for quantity?
No, I think publisher’s sacrifice quality for money. I don’t think that they necessarily want to put out more books. They just want the ones on their slate to do well or if they don’t, they increase the margin on the books in another way.
10. Do you find publisher’s deceptive? Out to get your money by any means necessary?
Yep.
11. Are you interested in ebooks? Or you hope the trend dies a lonely death?
Am interested in ebooks and hope to spread the gospel of ebooks in an overall goal to see all books available electronically. I mean, what is the hold up?
12. Name some top writers for you that are not blockbuster names.
Check out the BooksellerChick’s In Praise of Midlist Authors.
13. Will romantic suspense authors ever balance suspense and romance?
Depends on the skill of the author and the type of suspense. I thought Michele Albert did a great job of balancing the two.
about 4 years ago
#1-Yes…but I don’t usually finish them. If they aren’t connecting with each other then they aren’t connecting with me either.
#3-Yes, I really enjoy the trilogy.
#6-I trade in books that don’t make the keeper shelf to my UBS and I use my credit to find new-to-me authors.
#7-Very important. All of my books come from blogger or bookseller recs.
#8-Not their behavior. I have atrocious behavior so I wouldn’t hold that against anyone. I hold their words (or abuse thereof) against them.
#11-I’m trying, I’m really trying but not having much luck.
…Fiona…