STILL LEARNING

Can your internet bill be tax deductible?

My expectations are different for different genres of books.  Basically, I read romance with a little biography (or autobiography), maybe a bit of history, and a smidgeon of true crime thrown in.  In a biography or autobiography, I am looking for an insight into the person, not just facts about the person's life but a kind of psychological insight into what makes that person tick and what makes him or her uniquely s/he is (or was).  For example, after having seen the movie "Julie and Julia", I realized that Julia Child had facets of her person and personality about which I'd never heard so much as a suggestion, e.g. that she was a rather passionate woman with a bawdy sense of humor.  I knew she was rather tall, but I had no idea she was 6'2" tall.  So, I immediately rushed out to buy My Life in France to learn more about this very interesting woman (whom Meryl Streep played ingeniously, BTW.)  Same with history, only I'm interested in learning more about a place or event.  Only when I'm reading history, the style of writing about it is crucial to what I take away from it.  I despise the cut and dried style of my high school history books where facts, names, and dates are just basically listed.  I far prefer a style that paints a picture of the people involved.  With true crime, I'm looking for the psychology behind the crime as well as the forensic details.  I guess I want to understand it and play detective, too.

With romance, though, I'm expecting to find a hero that I will absolutely fall in love with, sometimes against the odds.  Typically, powerful and arrogant men don't appeal to me, so in stories that contain them, I expect the author to really show me their tender and vulnerable side, which, of course, should always involve a worthy heroine.  I expect to see them hopelessly and helplessly fall in love with the heroine.  Since I'm a hopeless romantic, a book that does this well means absolute enjoyment for me.  So, I suppose I expect that, too.

In all reading, I look for the poetry behind the words.  Some ways of phrasing a passage are just more compelling, emotionally evocative, and purely beautiful than others.  For example, in the typical wedding ceremony, I far prefer the phrase, "What God has joined together, let no man put asunder," over the more direct "No one should divide what God has joined."  It just lacks the poetry.

Even we,  the non-author readers,  are given the opportunity to learn from you, the authors in many 

ways.  One of those methods, IMHO, is through the actual reading of your books as you have 

mentioned.  Can't say that I'm ready to start writing a romance novel,  just  that I have a tiny bit of an

insight into the writing world after more than fifty years of reading romances!

Pat Cochran

You are not weird... I loved school too... history, english, spanish, french, even math. I honestly believe reading romance novels helps me learn new things... and I even say it makes me feel more romantic.

Ok, I tend to read a little bit of everything, but to me the attraction about Harlequin romance (I'm a Desire / Presents kind of gal -- though I intend to diversify!) is that I can read the whole story in a short period of time. I am impatient when it comes to books, so reading volumes and volumes of pages will take me weeks and I prefer having the resolution right away. And I love HEAs too.

I love the sensation of a new book. Getting to know the characters, their backgrounds and how they meet (always my fav moment in the book). Then the conflicts, the things that I know, but are unsaid. Sometimes I am frustrated with them and wished I could smack them around a bit... sometimes I shed a few tears with them. And lets not forget the Happy Ending. It all has to be the proper mixture of fantasy and realism, I guess that's what I love the most.

I really do not look for something 'specific' in a book. I do like Italian heros, but it is not a must. I also tend to be addicted to mini series... but that's because I just gotta have them all! There are also authors that never disappoint... sadly, for my wallet that is, I am getting to know these new authors HERE and they are ALL good, so now I spend time looking at the author's name as well and not only the titles.

(rolls eyes) I just love reading romance, if it's out there, I will read it...

Congratulations on getting to write Book #3 for Desire.

Have you looked at this~~~http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=106619445155619401230.00046a5f011f51c8b972e&ll=52.908902,54.140625&spn=120.118052,360&z=2

Awesome news on making your 3rd sale to Desire!!!

<Can your internet bill be tax deductible?> LOL Christa! Now that would be something!

I read anything (when I have the time) but it totally depends on what I'm reading as to what my expectations are. If I'm reading romance then there had better be an HEA or else! I think I'm a little unforgiving. But I love to find out about places and real people who have made an impact on the world. I guess the end result just has to be worth the time I've invested. 

I am sure it feels good to make that next sale.

The hour away from a book store would be hard for me also. 

I loved school too. Maybe that's why I am a teacher...I get to still be the place I love and get paid for doing it...thought that's definitely not my main motivation.

Wayne