Book buzz

Over at Romancing The Blog they're discussing shrinking the TBR stacks. Hmmm, novel concept. Not gonna happen for me. Book lust is a consuming addiction. Even as the shelves groan with books awaiting lap time I count the days to the release of a favorite. I even pant over author's I've never read.

What gets me excited about new author? Buzz is a factor if I read about an author on blogs, message boards, community forums, friends and trusted fellow readers all move me to want to read the book. Not a tough sell in my case, but I maintain some standards.

Actually, I'm a picky reader. I may sample lots of different books and genres but how many send me searching for an author's backlist or scanning for news of her as of yet unreleased titles? Sadly, very few. In this I'm convinced I'm just like the average editor. She loves books, she looks forward to having an hour to read. She races through the opening lines hopes soaring to crash a few pages or chapters in.

I'm a patient reader. In general, I'll give an author fifty pages to pull me into her story. I'll overlook technical flaws, plot holes, repetition if I'm entertained or enlightened. Thrill, me chill me, teach me, tease me - make me want more. That's the writer's job.

I've made exceptions to the fifty page rule. First lets talk about why I sometimes give an author more leeway - it's a classic, three trusted sources recommended it, I promised to critique it. In the last case I'll read the whole thing. Now for the other exceptions the kind of stories I've cut off in the first twenty some pages - an ick factor so severe it made me gag, truly egregious writing with no redeeming factors or boredom, the most deadly of all the writer's sins.

End of rant.

Who am I looking forward to reading that's not even out yet? Karin Tabke's Good Girl Gone Bad, this is one reader's highly subjective opinion.

"IN HER SIZZLING DEBUT, KARIN TABKE SETS THE SCENE WITH HARD-HITTING COPS, A SCANDALOUS CRIME, AND UNINHIBITED PASSION THAT CAN'T BE DENIED...."

I'm so there, I may have to pre-order. There's everything I want in a book, romantic suspense, scandal and passion. I really hope she can write. She'll have fifty pages to hook me.

Link included just in case you're led astray as easily as I am.