Adventures in Self-Publishing – Reviews – Part 1

Reviews…writers crave them and fear them. Readers utilise them, write them, ignore them. So what is the point?

A good deal of advice for writers states solicit reviews at all costs, but it this good advice? Yes and No. Let me get this clear – a review is one person’s opinion of a product, be it socks, a movie, or a book. And this is where the issue lies. Every individual who reads a book views it differently. Each person has expectations of a book (possibly based on having read previous reviews), prejudices – and we all have an unconscious bias – experiences/education, and mood.

For example – I like world-building; descriptive prose; great, and believable characters; emotive and lyrical writing. I read: Fantasy, gothic horror, science fiction, historical fiction, classics, mythic, erotica, true crime, historical mystery, science and medicine books. The expectations I have for a particular genre vary – I want my science, history and crime to be well-researched and not dry, but not overly complicated as I am reading for interest not a profession. I want my science fiction believable, or at least consistent, but with an element of the fantastic. I want my fantasy to be rich, amazing and well-developed. I want my gothic horror to be creepy, dark and deadly but not terrifying. And so on. So if I review a book I have read I need to apply this – my expectations for say, Les Miserables or Tess of the D’Urbevilles are not the same as for Cadfael or Sacred Band.

And so you have an opinion by an individual with a mix of views, expectations etc. No review is right. And no review is wrong. They are all subjective. And that’s the point and the difficulty.

As a reader, I seldom read reviews for books – basically because they don’t influence my choice much.  However, I do read reviews for electronics, clothes, movies and pretty much everything else. Yes, I’m weird. Many readers aren’t like me, they put great store by reviews – looking for merits and flaws from like-minded people.

There are readers who have certain criteria:

Engaging characters, well written, free from errors, believable.

But then there’s too much description/not enough? Too much sex/romance/violence/swearing or not enough. How much IS enough? Not a clue. It’s subjective.

I posted on a facebook group – name a couple of books you thought you should like and didn’t. As expected the results were varied. Books I love were thought utter drivel, and books I hate were thought wonderful. This was the picture across the board.

There are a minority of readers who look for the errors in a book or take great delight in bitching about the book/author. It is a small, vocal minority.  But they are there. This is particularly the case for indie-authored books. I’ll discuss how to handle reviews like this in a later post.

I review books for many reasons: I have a bad memory and it’s a form of note-taking; I want to share what I think of a book, although given the fact I rarely read book reviews this is rather hypocritical on my part; I want to support an author.  But people review for many reasons, and in many ways.

Reviews are opinion, nothing more and nothing less.

I’d be interested in what criteria my readers use to review, and if they read reviews.

 

 

 

 

 

Writer Wednesdays – Guest Post – T. R. Robinson – Who Do Authors Write For?

Today we welcome Tanya Robinson – who discusses the following topic:

Who Do Authors Write For?

It would seem many authors and writers (authors to the extent they are authoring a product) forget they are not generally writing for themselves. Having said that, it has to be acknowledged there are a variety of different takes on the topic e.g. some feel it is only correct to write what they want without consideration of others; others say writing should be entirely geared toward the anticipated audience even compromising upon content to satisfy them; others suggest an amalgam of styles. Of course, in varying circumstances any of these, or a combination, may be appropriate. Nevertheless, this post is intended to be pragmatic and realistic.

When anyone writes, author or not, it is usually for others to read whether it be a book, letter, article, post etc. Consequently, authors/writers need to consider, phrase and frame their writing from the readers’ perspective. It is very easy for them to get so caught up in what they are doing as to forget who they are putting pen to paper/fingers to keyboard for. This, for the readers at least, can often lead to uninteresting, dry and irrelevant narrative, commentary and dialogue which will do no one any favours. Fundamental to authorship, which is what is primarily being discussed here, is the desire for others to read the end product. The author who writes purely for their own entertainment is truly a rarity, an inspiration and a challenge to most.

Despite the above comments and observations, when it comes to books, though other forms of writing may be included, all should, at least in principle, be writing because it is what they want to do and not because they seek fame or wealth. Naturally most authors would love their books to become bestsellers but to only write with that motivation can lead to distorted, poor quality publications. Make no mistake, readers, on the whole, are not ignorant, foolish people; they will quickly note when something is below par. Nevertheless, despite all that has been said, it must be acknowledged, as a general rule, authors want their books to sell; scriptwriters want agents, producers and directors to take up their ideas; newspaper and magazine columnists want their articles read; letter writers want the recipient to comprehend all they have to say; etc. Consequently, though they may be writing out of a genuine desire to do so, most will also, inevitably, seek to formulate their writing to achieve their aim.

Regrettably there are books where it is clear the author has got caught up in their own thoughts. They understand what they are writing and expect their readers to have the same comprehension without giving thought to whether they have the same background knowledge or experience. It is really easy for authors to fall into this trap; to get carried away with what they know forgetting others will be approaching the work with different perspectives, knowledge and experience. People’s comprehension of a phrase, idea, concept or word is frequently subject to their background; social, cultural, national, religious. However, it would be a minefield to try and take in all the various possibilities. Overall, authors and writers should constrain themselves to writing within their own national understanding. It is more than likely, if a reader has chosen their book, they are either from the same national or cultural background or have a good comprehension of it.

Now to the nitty-gritty of the subject. It is not easy for an author to step back from their ‘baby’ and view it from an others perspective. Most just want to get on with ‘their’ writing and not be bothered by such distractions. Some may even be so arrogant as to consider the requirement to consider others, primarily the reader, trivial; hopefully those who think like that are a minority.

So what does it take to write for readers?

• Research what readers want, whether it be in books, films, blogs or even letters.
• Consider the reader’s background, if possible.
• Authors should be aware of how things they read impact upon them; what they like and what they do not and why. They need to learn from this.
• Erase or limit superfluous words, phrases and descriptions, which may make sense to them and their circle of acquaintances but are not in wide popular use.
• Treat readers with respect: give them credit for being intelligent individuals.
• If the writing is specific, bear in mind the age, and as far as they can know it, the knowledge and experience of the people they are writing for.
• Avoid narrative or dialogue that talks ‘down’ to the reader.

These are just a few thoughts. No doubt readers of this post will think of other aspects that should or need to be considered.

One observation, regarding fictional works in particular, though the point may be extended to other genres. A book will distinctly benefit if the author is able to view the story as a film in their head. Characters, dialogue, scenery, etc. can all be based upon what they see and as a consequence may be more discernible for the reader. This is not something all writers find easy, though most, if they relax, are able to gain something from such vibrant imaginings.

The crux of the matter is simple: authors and writers should make time to stand back from their writing and take an objective view, endeavouring to see it as a reader will. If they really find they cannot do this, they should get a friend, acquaintance, editor (if they have one) or a reader to have a look. If they do not have anyone they could try asking their ‘friends’ and contacts on social media, perhaps somewhere like Goodreads. There are usually several people willing to participate in, and assist with, such ‘beta’ reading i.e. this is similar to testing  new on-line sites and systems but of course, in this instance limited to reading.

Naturally, as with anything, there are exceptions to the general rule. Some tales and stories need to be told in the author’s own style. The work may not become popular but it has to be acknowledged many interesting works would have been missed if some authors had not the courage and determination to write in the style they considered most suited their work e.g. James Joyce; William Faulkner, Jack Kerouac; etc. Sometimes a story has to be told in an individual style.

Whatever the circumstance, and no matter the style adopted, authors need to remember who they are writing for. They must avoid tunnel vision and accept, in most cases, they are not primarily writing for themselves.

T. R. Robinson is the author of memoir and biographical fiction. More about her, her writing and life may be found at https://trrobinsonpublications.com

Readers – How do you find your books?

As an author I am intrigued to know how readers tend to find most of their books? How do you know a particular book is out there? After all, you could spend the rest of your life scrolling through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, I-books or where ever and still not find all the books.

As a reader, I tend to find books via Facebook these days, or knowing the genre and hopping about on Amazon until I find something which takes my fancy (actually I do that FAR too much – which is why I have a humongous to-be-read list). Occasionally I’ll read recommended books, or see something in a bookshop (yes I still go to ‘real bookshops now and then).

I’ve been told Twitter is the best way. So is Facebook. Pinterest. Linked In. Tumblr. Reddit. Goodreads. Blogs. All of these. None of these.

Go for it and answer the poll. There are no wrong answers.

Reader Interview Number Nineteen – Jessica Jackson

Where are you from? (Country)

 -U.S.

On average how many books do you read in a month?

-I tend to read a book a day, so, at most, 31.

 

Where is your favourite place to read?

-Just at home, in bed, with my music blaring out of my laptop.

 

What genres do you prefer and why? Do you have any genres you avoid?

-Anything Young Adult. I will basically read anything in YA.

What medium do you prefer – e-books, audiobooks or paper books? Would you care to expand on this?

 -Paper! I love to have the actual book in my hands, and yes, I love the smell. I do like ebooks, though, as ebooks are generally very cheap and  it makes it easy for review copies, but nothing can beat Paper books. I do listen to audiobooks, but it generally takes too long and I only do it for multitasking.

 

How do you usually find the books you read? For example: recommendations from friends, promotion on social networks, your local library, following authors you already know?

-Goodreads and Blogs mostly. Goodreads is my favorite website and I follow numerous blogs that introduce me to new books.

 

When choosing a book what makes you stop and give it a second look?  What makes you turn away?

-I hate saying this, but the cover. The cover initially attracts me, then if the blurb features any unique ideas I’ve never seen before, I’ll want to read it. Especially if it includes parallel worlds.

-Things that are overdone, hints at love triangles, or forbidden romance. I’ll still read them, sometimes, but I’ve either seen them too many times or I’m just no longer a fan of the trope.

 

Do you read reviews by others and if so do they influence your choice?

-YES. I follow so many blogs, that I definitely read a lot of reviews. I try not to let them influence my choices, but if I see a lot of positive/negative reviews for a certain book, it will affect my reading.

Anthologies and short stories – do you write them and do you read them?

I have to admit I was a little sceptical when I started writing for anthologies, after all many don’t pay a lot, or indeed anything. Short stories are also a challenge in themselves as they require the writer to be reasonably succinct. I’ve never been good at sticking within a word count. With the exception of a few sci-fi and horror books I didn’t read many and most of those have a shared them. So why the change?

I’ve always written short stories for my own entertainment, or occasionally friends/small groups and so, I guess, it was just a step on from this. Often I have found a story to tell which is no way enough for a novel or longer work but is entertaining in itself. Short stories have their market and often lead to more, or come from more – for example the short story in my own Tales of Erana which came from a tale told in the Shining Citadel.  Short stories are also a good way to hone one’s writing skills.

For a reader it is a fine way to discover a new author, or read something complete on a coffee break or commute to work. With a selection of stories there will, hopefully something to please everyone and if the reader doesn’t like a story then it is easy to simply skip to the next and not lose anything from a plot. For an author it is a great way to find new readers, make new friends and contacts and use ideas which might not otherwise be used. On the down side – many anthologies don’t pay or have very strict criteria and obviously short stories still take time to produce – time perhaps taken from other writing or non-writing commitments. Then, of course if an author decides to write a short story how much is appropriate to charge? Free? 99c/77p? $2.99? What is a reader willing to pay?

I’m a member of the Indie Collaboration, a Facebook based group of authors producing a varied selection of free anthologies, including a horror based one, a romance themed one and a children’s storybook. The downloads for these have been in the hundreds and rising, and the reviews mostly good. Being free means of course the authors don’t get paid but that is not the point, which is establishing a wider readership for the authors and producing good quality indie reads available to all.

http://theindiecollaboration.webs.com/our-authors

Have I seen an uptick in book sales since I’ve been writing short stories? Yes, my own anthology has been nominated for book of the month on one of the goodreads groups. I have also been asked to write for a few more and hopefully this will lead to further requests. I would have been unlikely to have produced Tales of Erana had I not started writing short stories again, and that is doing fairly well. I would also have not written Just One Mistake which features in Nine Heroes, Coel and his friends will certainly have at least one more adventure. It is always hard to judge whether the increases are due to the anthologies or other influences, such as author interviews, general promotion or word of mouth but they surely can’t hurt.

As a reader I have bought a few, finding them a great way to grab a quick read and I have bought the books of their authors or added their names to my to-be-read list. So for me at least short stories work.

Below I have listed polls – one for authors and one for readers asking questions about writing/reading habits regarding anthologies.

 

Reader Interview Number Seventeen – Matthew Jacobs

Hi and welcome to the Library of Erana, a place of words and of their magic. Words are power, they are knowledge and they are freedom.  Readers play an important role in the life of books and words, for without readers books would sit unread, unloved and unknown.  What makes a good book, or for that matter a bad one?  Why do people read and how do they find their books?

Welcome to Matthew Jacobs

Where are you from? Minnesota, USA

Please tell us a little about yourself. 32, Male, 2 yr AAS degree, primarily audio book listener or normal reading so I can multitask

On average how many books do you read in a month? ½ a book paper, 4-6 audio books

Where is your favourite place to read? Read in bed, listen while driving

What genres do you prefer and why? Do you have any genres you avoid? Prefer: fantasy and magical realism. Because of the interesting situations and creative rules the authors put on the fantastic elements. I enjoy a creative set of guidelines the characters must face to use their magic that allows for interesting and honestly dangerous situations.

Avoid: Horror and Romance. Because both focus too close on 1 or 2 things and miss opportunities for wider ideas and interactions.

Why are books important to you and what does reading bring to your life? New thoughts, creative ideas, and new ways of looking at problems.

Do you have a favourite book or author, why do you think you like this book/author so much? I really enjoy Orson Scott Card, he has several series that I have or am enjoying. Including the Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow sagas, The Tales of Alvin Maker, and others. His characters maintain a very realistic balance of personalities. They feel like consistent people who have different moods. Some writers, when a character’s mood changes, don’t feel like the same character, but Card’s always do.

I also don’t know anyone who claims to like fantasy who doesn’t at least appreciate Tolkien. I enjoy his full word choices and deep descriptions. Along the same lines, Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson are both very enjoyable reads.

What medium do you prefer – e-books, audiobooks or paper books? Would you care to expand on this? I greatly prefer audiobooks as they allow me to enjoy more books because I can listen and enjoy the stories while completing other tasks that would be impossible to read during. Also, I have always enjoyed a good story telling and this is just a more portable form. Finally, because many fantasy novels use very uncommon names for people or places I don’t lose track of the story by trying to guess how the author meant the name to be said – I can hear it from a good reader.

How do you usually find the books you read? For example: recommendations from friends, promotion on social networks, your local library, following authors you already know? Following authors is usually a good way, but for new stuff I read interviews with authors I like and see who they note in their own reading pile. There is also the website SUVUDU that each year does an imaginary cage match between characters where you get short introductions to them and sometimes bits from the authors.

When choosing a book what makes you stop and give it a second look?  What makes you turn away? Take a second look: Interesting hook, or set or rules.           Turn away: Too much focus on one thing

Do you read reviews by others and if so do they influence the choice? Yes

Do you “judge a book by its cover?” What else can you do at a bookstore when your browsing for a new title?

What do you think is the most important aspect of a book for you? Plot, world-building, strong characters etc.? What turns you off? Plot is important, but if I don’t care about the characters (love or hate), then it won’t hold my interest.

Does the behaviour of an author affect your choice to read one of their books?Not unless they have made it clear they are using the books to push an agenda.

What are your views on authors commenting on reviews on sites such as Goodreads? They have every right to freely make any comment they like, but readers are free to choose to or not to read the book based on it.

If you had to pick three favourite books to take to a desert island what would they be?

Can I have 3 series?

1 Lord of the Rings

2 The Tales of Alvin Maker

3 The Wheel of Time

Do you think bricks and mortar bookshops are in decline?  Yes, as are almost every other kind of store.

Reader Interview Number Sixteen – Richard Meyer

Hi and welcome to the Library of Erana, a place of words and of their magic. Words are power, they are knowledge and they are freedom. Readers play an important role in the life of books and words, for without readers books would sit unread, unloved and unknown. What makes a good book, or for that matter a bad one? Why do people read and how do they find their books?

Welcome to Rich Meyer.

Where are you from? (Country)
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania (USA), a transplant from central Wisconsin.

Please tell us a little about yourself.
After being rocketed to Earth from the dying planet … no, sorry. That wasn’t me. I’m your typical comic book geek. I still say “Shazam” and “Kimota” during thunderstorms … just in case. I’ve been experienced. I play trivia a lot. I’m addicted to cheesy puffs, Words with Friends, and Facebook. The five people I’ve learned more about the universe than anyone else are Hunter S. Thompson, Steve Ditko, William S. Burroughs, Frank Zappa and Steve Nyman. I write quiz books, oddball fiction and a bit o’ non-fiction here and there. I live with my wife Mona and our fur children (Emiko, Maxwell, Luli, Liam, and Baby Ruby).

I also have the bad habits of singing to my cats in a Bob Dylan voice, and clicking my rings together and shouting “Thing Ring, do your thing” to no one in particular.

On average how many books do you read in a month?
10-40, depending on what else is going on.

Where is your favourite place to read?
Anywhere, but I prefer using my Kindle on my Recliner in the middle room. Take that, Colonel Mustard!

What genres do you prefer and why? Do you have any genres you avoid?
Science fiction, pulp adventure (Doc Savage, the Avenger, the Shadow), bizarro fiction, and classic literature. I also read a lot of non-fiction, primarily media history, biographies, and some historical accounts.

Why are books important to you and what does reading bring to your life?
I can’t understand how anyone COULDN’T have books as an important part of their existence. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. Sure, if you were stranded on a desert island, yeah you’d have other priorities, but if you can’t read, what is the point to life? New ideas, new stories are what keep people alive. Or at least they should. Unfortunately with the US school system, one has to wonder now…

Do you have a favourite book or author, why do you think you like this book/author so much?
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the America Dream by Hunter S. Thompson. It’s simply the best book you can read about the era I grew up in, encompassing a wide slice of culture in the United States. It’s funny, relevant, even poignant at times, and gives a new outlook on what journalism can and SHOULD be.

What medium do you prefer – e-books, audiobooks or paper books? Would you care to expand on this?
E-Books are my preferred form for textual books (novels, reference) because of their ease of use and searchability. Graphic novels and comics I prefer in hardcover (or trade paperback) form, simply because that’s the way I like reading them. Audiobooks are fine, but I tend to fall asleep while I’m listening to them, so I don’t really have that many. And I’ve got a vast collection of old radio shows to listen to for spoken word entertainment to begin with.

How do you usually find the books you read? For example: recommendations from friends, promotion on social networks, your local library, following authors you already know?
All of the above, really. Though I don’t get to my local library much anymore (I do use Overdrive, however) and I will NEVER download a book from someone who blatantly spams a book against a site or group’s rules. At least, I won’t use their affiliate link, and they better hope it’s a true five-star tour-de-force.

When choosing a book what makes you stop and give it a second look? What makes you turn away?
Genre and description, followed by price and content of low-star reviews. I don’t often go out of my way to read a romance novel, unless it’s to help out a friend with an honest review, so I don’t really care about too many books outside of my favourite genres.

Do you read reviews by others and if so do they influence the choice?
I often read the bad reviews, to see if they’re legitimate. Anyone can write a good review and it’s easy to glom loads of those 4- and 5-star beauties from friends and family. But the lower-rated ones tell a reader what he or she really needs to know about a book, providing they can wade through the competitors, trolls and asshats for the legitimate criticism.

I always tell people that most books are three-star books. Five-star and one-star books should ideally be few and far between. To me, a five-star book should change your life. A one-star should make you bring up your lunch again. But we all have to conform to the mediocre system we work in and use the guidelines set out for us on the sites we review on, hence a plethora of five-stars where they probably aren’t all that warranted.

Do you “judge a book by its cover?”
Nope. Well, I try not to, but there are some seriously crappy covers out there today, by those folks who don’t think they need any information or pointers on self-publishing. I’ve also seen some beee-yooo-tiful covers wasted on really crappy books.

What do you think is the most important aspect of a book for you? Plot, world-building, strong characters etc.? What turns you off?
A good plot, some humor, a good macguffin, and a world that you can easily fall into are all selling points for me. Bad formatting, poor grammar, and an obvious lack of editing turns me off in a major way.

Does the behaviour of an author affect your choice to read one of their books?
Definitely. I don’t care if you’re the greatest writer since Chuck Dickens, if you’re a jerk to people or act the git, I’m not going to bother with your books. To be fair, you’re also free of having to worry if I’m going to review one of your books, too. I’m not going to compromise my own integrity by reviewing something by someone I can’t stand as an individual.

What are your views on authors commenting on reviews on sites such as Goodreads?
Unless you are thanking a reviewer, or responding to a legitimate piece of criticism (such as saying “Yep, you are correct and I’ll try not to make that mistake in the future”, then you are playing a fool’s game. There is no way that any exchange about a review is going to make you, as an author or a person, look good to your prospective readers.

Please try to remember that no matter what emphasis Amazon or the e-Book Gods force upon reviews, reviews are for OTHER READERS – NOT AUTHORS!

If you had to pick three favourite books to take to a desert island what would they be?
Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs.
The Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus by Steve Ditko, et. Al.
The Number of the Beast by Robert A. Heinlein.

Do you think bricks and mortar bookshops are in decline?
Considering that we have one used bookstore in our entire country, yep. The only place to buy books here are in Walmart or grocery stores. In fact, I’d have to drive about 45 miles or so to find a proper bookstore.

In my opinion, it is their own fault they are failing. Far too many independent bookstores have followed the lunatic practices of Borders/Waldenbooks and Barnes & Noble and forgotten about both their customers on both sides of the table (readers and authors), and haven’t even begun to try to change their business plan to enter the 21st century so they could’ve competed properly with the new internet-based economy spawned by Amazon. Right now, it may be a bit too late for them to do anything about it. This is evident even at the local used bookstore: I can buy a beat-up copy of a used mass market paperback for $4.00 there. I can get a brand new one for the same price on Amazon for a couple of days of waiting. How can anyone with a shop compete with that?

Reviews – are they really influential?

Reviews can be a contentious issue. The scandal of sock-puppetry, Amazon not allowing authors to review other authors, reviews being removed seemingly arbitrarily and the whole value of the review system itself on some sites has brought them to the fore.  There are a good number of reviews which are, frankly, worthless. They say nothing about the book or are just someone’s opinion on an author, are so gushing they look fake (although may not be) or so spiteful it looks like a hate campaign has begun.

It must be remembered reviews are OPINIONS, with the level of reliability that offers. That said opinions can be influential – for example I belong to Goodreads and they have a pretty liberal review policy. Authors can review other authors (authors are readers too!) and even, in theory themselves although there is a flag marking it as an author review.  Groups review between friends and this CAN be influential, a shared interest might swing a sale or get an author on the do not read list. There are some who feel the Goodreads reviews are… not reliable and authors can get victimised. In part this can be the case, but it is a small part.  There are many who do use them to record their own thoughts on a book, even if that thought is “I loved it.” As I said reviews are opinions and thus the good has to be taken with the bad. There will always be someone who dislikes a book.

Many reviews can be less than helpful, simply stating “I loved it” is not actually that helpful for other readers. Many readers will skim the less than helpful ones to find those give a concise and well-rounded review.  I suppose it depends on why the reviewer has actually left the review in the first place.

So really are they THAT important?

I ran the following experiment on one reader/author group on Goodreads and the results say quite a bit…

The question: How important are reviews in influencing your choice of book?

Total participants 27

Answers:

A good synopsis is more important – 11 votes, 40.7%

Reviews and a good synopsis are of equal value to me – 6 votes, 22.2%

Reviews are the most important consideration – 3 votes, 11.1%

Recommendations are most important -2 votes, 7.4%

A good synopsis is important, but reviews help -2 votes, 7.4%

I read reviews but they don’t affect my choice – 1 vote, 3.7%

Cover art, blurb, friends’ opinions then reviews if I bother to look – 1 vote, 3.7%

I never read reviews – 1 vote, 3.7 %

Cover art is most important – 0 votes

I never buy books with bad reviews – 0 votes.

On a second poll reviews only came 4^th in the poll of how people find their books, after recommendations from friends, Books of the Months/ads and Listopia and other factors.

So although reviews are useful they are, perhaps, not AS useful as authors are led to believe in advice given. Reviews are predominately for readers, to praise or slate a book, as a reminder to check out that author again or to avoid him/her.

They are not the only factor but in combination with other considerations the results may vary… it certainly does not hurt to get good reviews.

There is a poll at the bottom of this post – feel free to vote.

http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/89612-i-am-trying-to-do-some-research-as-to-the-importance-of-reviews-do-they

http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/86593-how-do-you-find-the-bulk-of-your-books-please-note-which-option-applie

Reader Interview Number Ten – Anne Ullah

Welcome to Anne Ullah

Where are you from? I’m originally from Doncaster. I now live in Cyprus and East Sussex.

On average how many books do you read in a month? It very much depends on how gripped I am by what I’m reading. If a book has really captured my imagination I will make time to read it during the day as well as in bed and therefore finish it quicker and start the next one. And in the summer, which is lovely and long in Cyprus, I tend to read much more during the day anyway; lying in the sun. I can easily get through four books a month. Five even.

Why are books important to you and what does reading bring to your life? I loved reading from the minute I learned how to. It’s always been very important to me. It brings another dimension to my life by allowing me to experience other people’s lives…if that makes sense.

What genres do you prefer and why? Once again, it depends on my mood. I absolutely love humour and chick lit but I also enjoy a grisly murder mystery and occasionally something spooky, or historical…or a rambling family saga…I have many moods!

Do you have a favourite book or author, why do you think you like this book/author so much? My favourite authors are Wendy Holden (especially Simply Divine which is hilarious and I love the main character), Helen Fielding (I can definitely relate to Bridget Jones, pure genius), E F Benson (I adore the subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, rivalry between Mapp and Lucia) and Keith Waterhouse (Soho is a firm favourite for the way he wrote some of the dialogue in a northern accent – inspired). In fact, almost without realising it, I channelled all these influences into my own book, Trouble At Toff Towers. Oh, and I musn’t forget Stan Barstow and Alan Sillitoe for their gritty northern stories; they are firm favourites too.

What medium do you prefer – e-books, audiobooks or paper books? Would you care to expand on this? I love my Kindle and when I first started using it I thought I had waved paper books goodbye forever. However, I soon realised that there were particular books that I simply had to own a physical version of so I flit between the two. I’ve never tried an audio book.

How do you usually find the books you read? For example: recommendations from friends, promotion on social networks, your local library, following authors you already know? Historically a review in a newspaper or magazine would usually have been the thing that prompted me to buy a book. Recommendations from friends are always worth following up too. More recently I have read several books written by indie authors I follow on Twitter. They’ve been very good books too and lately I have been making the effort to review them. I have found that when I have had some personal interaction with an author I am more inclined to want to write a review for them.

When choosing a book what makes you stop and give it a second look?  What makes you turn away? Do you read reviews by others and if so do they influence the choice? An eye catching cover is like a magnet to me. I turn away from any book with a picture of an unhappy child on the cover. Yes, I do read reviews and, yes, I am probably influenced by them.

What is the most important aspect in a book for you? Plot? Characterisation? Well written etc.? All the above.

What aspects turn you off from a book? Are there things you avoid? The most recent thing that turned me off a book was that it put me off someone I have always been a fan of. It was a biography of Marc Bolan. I put it to one side and probably won’t finish it. I have never read a “misery memoir” and never will. The thought of reading about a child suffering is unbearable.

Do you think bricks and mortar bookshops are in decline? I realise the world of publishing is changing dramatically but I hope not. I do love browsing in a book shop. It’s one of the best things in life.

 

 

Reader Interview Number Eight – Heather Heffner

Welcome to Heather Heffner.

Where are you from? USA

On average how many books do you read in a month? On average, 5-10 if they are YA Books, 1-2 if they are Adult.

Why are books important to you and what does reading bring to your life? I’ve always felt “on the periphery,” so to speak, when it came to growing up. I loved my life, but I was constantly driven to search out alternative ways of living, new horizons, and other peoples’ experiences, whether across the sea or in a completely made-up world. Books helped me make sense of growing up, like Judy Blume’s Beverly Cleary books, and others enchanted my imagination, like the Redwall series by Brian Jacques or the Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Reading brings a sense of wonder, a sense of clarity, and an opportunity to view the world differently.

What genres do you prefer and why? Fantasy and science fiction, which includes all of those little sub-genres like dystopia, paranormal, urban, and noir. I love anything with a surreal edge to it—a book that turns the world on its head in any bizarre or imaginative fashion makes life feel like it has more magic to it. Fantasy/Sci Fi are also highly effective genres to explore the implications of genocide, bigotry, and alternative forms of government because they are “pure fantasy”—but the consequences they uncover (Ender’s Game, or the Hunger Games) make them very relevant to our daily lives.

Do you have a favourite book or author, why do you think you like this book/author so much? My favorite book of all time has to be Roger Zelzany’s The Great Book of Amber series. In fantasy, we know the greats like Tolkein and George R.R. Martin because the world they’ve created feels authentic enough to lose oneself in. The Great Book of Amber introduces an equally nuanced and complex world, woven on so many different levels with King Arthurian mythology and contemporary, that you can get lost in it for days. For people who like dysfunctional families: Amber is ruled by the ultimate backstabbing, scheming, loveable band of royals.

What medium do you prefer – e-books, audiobooks or paper books? Would you care to expand on this? Paperback still takes the cake for me. When it’s hot and gorgeous out, do I want to take my e-book out to the backyard where the monitor gets hot and sweaty and dim under the sun’s brilliance? Or do I want a good old dog-eared paperback that can get a little grass stained and it’s all okay?

How do you usually find the books you read? For example: recommendations from friends, promotion on social networks, your local library, following authors you already know? Usually through social networking sites like Goodreads or Amazon.com. Those little recommendation lists are gold. However, with money being tight these days, I get most of my books from the library.

When choosing a book what makes you stop and give it a second look?  What makes you turn away? Do you read reviews by others and if so do they influence the choice? A flashy cover and an enticing description lure me in—but then I always, always read whatever chapter preview is available (if it’s online). For example, many YA books these days have the most gorgeous covers—but they hide a bare-bones story. If the first few chapters sound derivative of what’s been done before—paranormal activity at a high school comes to mind—then I’ll most likely stop reading. I know the substance I crave won’t be there in the end. I do read reviews by others, and usually the lower-star ones—but bad reviews don’t necessarily mean I won’t give the book a shot. Someone who’s rating a book low because the book challenges their religious beliefs doesn’t disqualify it from my list. I always look for the reviews that are constructive—then it’s not to say that the whole book is bad, but there are parts that could be more fleshed out. I weigh that with what attracted me to the book in the first place.

What is the most important aspect in a book for you? Plot? Characterisation? Well written etc? Characters, hands down. I want characters I can fall in love with, characters I can root for, characters who inspire. For example, I could never get into Dan Brown’s books, as twisty and curvy as they are, because the characters felt so lifeless to me. With George R.R. Martin’s Song of Fire and Ice series, there are so many competing storylines that sometimes the plot gets out of control—but I don’t mind, as long as I can flip to Arya or Jon Snow’s viewpoint and see what they’re up to. Dynamic characters keep me riveted to find out what they’ll do next.

What aspects turn you off from a book? Are there things you avoid? Wimpy heroines, passive characters who don’t take an active stance in their own fates, villains with no dark lurking presence, world-building that feels forced and not authentic, love triangles with no tension, plots with no urgency, vampires/angels who for some inconceivable reason remain in high school.

Do you think bricks and mortar bookshops are in decline? As we know them, yes. However, that isn’t to say they can’t transform and create a new prosperous identity for themselves.