Diana McCollum-- Life is often chaotic in our home, but when I have a few hours of uninterrupted writing time, I use it, as it is a precious commodity.
I read a lot of different genres. Straight romance, Regency’s in particular, I find highly entertaining. However, they are books I can read a chapter and put the book aside. I tend to read these types of stories in the evening, in bed. I’m “lost in the story” enough to enjoy, but not enough to keep me awake.
Paranormal, Romance and Suspense author Nora Roberts’ story lines are fast paced, cover tough topics and are good, because of that I do have a hard time stopping at just one chapter. If I sit with one of her books, I’ll be ‘lost in the book’ and reading for a couple of hours. Her stories come alive, and I have to find out what happens.
For me most romances and some romantic suspense books are ‘slow paced’. When they are not fast paced I tend to get bored, and can easily put the book aside for a day or two. I usually read this type when I take a break from household tasks.
I don’t know if it is because I’m a mature reader now, but I seem to be pickier about how I spend my time reading.
Now a good thriller, like the one I’m reading right now by Harlan Coben, “Missing You”, will keep me reading straight through to the end. With three interlacing plot lines and fast pacing I’m intrigued to the very end. No reading one chapter at a time with his book!
I know this probably seems strange to enjoy thrillers most of all when I write paranormal romance! Hey, each to his own choices. That’s what entertains me!!
Do you read certain books during the day, night or. .?
4 comments:
Diana, although I write contemporary I mostly read historical which includes, for me, Regency, Victorian, WWII, Scottish, Georgian, Medieval and a smattering of Western. I was a big history buff and used to read everything I could find on The U.S. Civil War. Unlike you I don't want to be up all night reading a thrilling book that has my heart beating faster along with tense muscles and accelerated breathing. For me that isn't relaxing and that why I read unless it is a craft or research related book. Excerpts from Coben's books are enough to give me nightmares! Good for you that you have the ability to keep reality and fiction separated.
Judith,
I don't read thrillers at night, I'd be awake all night. I read Regency and historical at night.
Thanks for commenting.
HI Diana, Since writing mysteries, I tend to read more mystery/suspense books than romance. I pick up a romance now and then, but I prefer the fast pace of a mystery/suspense to knowing how the romance is going to end. With an HEA. The mystery suspense most times I don't know who the bad guy is until the end. But I love trying to figure it out as I read. I have been reading at night because there hasn't been anything good on the television.
Diana, I love a multli-genre reader. It shows you have lots of interests. Your breakdown of which books are read at which times was really interesting.
I've found I just don't have much time for leisure reading anymore. Part of it is that my way to relax is with the television, watching a show that doesn't require too much thinking (like an HGTV show) and leaves people at the end very happy and smiling. At the moment I'm reading a lot of research and nonfiction to try to catch back up in my field of e-learning.
Every once in a while I begin something a friend has written and then read straight through without intending to. This is one reason I usually refuse to read friend's books. Recently, someone who I gave a great deal of feedback early in her writing in a new genre (erotic romance) had tole me she'd incorporated mine and several other people's feedback.
She sent me her two published books. Because they didn't really hold my attention before, I thought: "Okay, I'll just check out the first couple of chapters to see if she improved." Four hours later, I finished the book. It kept me glued from beginning to end even though I knew the plot. She had tightened her character's trajectory, changed up several love scenes, and made the movement to climax and denoument seemless. And I don't like reading erotic romance at all. :)
So, I agree that for a book to keep me it needs to be done well. Once I stop reading, the chance of me finishing is small. I'll put it aside and after a couple weeks forget a book exists. That is even easier to do with ebooks.
Thanks for sharing your approach. You read a lot more than I do and I admire you for that.
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