‘Tis a familiar refrain:
“I just don’t like books with that storyline/premise/kind of character.â€
Granted, everybody has preferences. You’d have to cough up some serious big bucks to get me to eat liver, for instance. Or canned peas. However, unlike my children who obviously possessed some magic ability to ascertain whether or not they liked something simply by looking at it, at least I can say I detest liver and canned peas because I’ve actually tasted, and subsequently gagged, on them. I will also go out on a limb and say that no matter how much one might try to disguise liver or canned peas, I will still hate them. Since I will, however, eat frozen peas and liverwurst, the issue is more complex than it might seem at first glance.
Reading-wise, paranormals, Inspirationals, suspense/thrillers (romantic or otherwise), and stories in which sex is the raison-d’etre, are my literary liver and canned peas. Obviously, a lot of people love them (which is probably more than can be said for canned peas). But I just can’t buy most paranormal premises, I avoid reading stuff that creeps me out, my personal religious beliefs rarely jibe with the particular slant of many Inspirationals, and while some of my favorite authors write some pretty hot love scenes, there’s a point beyond which I either become bored or turned off. Which kinda defeats the purpose, no?
However. Between being buddies with lots of writers who work outside my personal comfort zone, and being a sucker for a book that gets great word-of-mouth, I often find myself cracking open a book I wouldn’t normally read. Because I should at least taste it, right?
And sometimes, I not only clean my plate, but find myself asking for more. For instance, there was WICKED AND WILLING, a Temptation from last year by Leslie Kelly. One sex scene after another – one terrific, character-driven, innovative sex scene after another. I’m still fanning myself.
Then a barrage of enthusiastic reader reviews prompted me to give UNDEAD AND UNREAD by Mary Janice Davidson a try. Even though it was all about vampires. Snarky vampires and lots of stuff about shoes. What was not to love?
And most recently, I read UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS by Elizabeth White. Inspirational and suspense, oh, dear. Yeah, well, I was hooked by the end of the first page. Characters reminiscent of Kathleen Korbel, humor-laced dialogue, and the writing. . .wow.
So I got to thinking: If I’m so convinced there are certain types of stories I don’t care for, how did these three break through my defenses? And the answer is. . .voice. If I click with an author’s voice, if I love the characters, if I find myself chuckling or getting choked up, I’ll willingly go along for the ride. . .even if the subject matter sometimes makes me squirm. So I’ve learned to never say never. . .because the minute I do, I stumble across a great story that shoots my preconceived notions about what I think I like (or don’t) all to hell.
What about you? Do you read by author or subject, or both? Are there authors whose voice you love so much you’d read practically anything they wrote, even if they go down paths you don’t normally tread? Have you ever been startled to discover you’ve loved a book with elements that normally turn you off? And did you find yourself more open to trying new things afterwards, or are there areas you still won’t explore?
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LOL!
It’s “Undead and UNWED,” not “UNREAD”!
And I forget whether or not the punctuation goes before or after the quotation marks. So I figure we’re even.
I read by subject and author. I use short story anthologies on subjects I like as samplers for different authors. I find a lot of new authors this way.
I’d say no, because while I enjoyed Mary Janice Davidson’s “Undead” books, I haven’t been able to get into anything else she’s written, although I do find authors I like that are appealing no matter what they write.
Now I need to find “Under Cover of Darkness,” because it sounds good!
::It’s “Undead and UNWED,†not “UNREADâ€!::
Oh, gawd.
This is why I need an editor. Or at least a chance to re-read anything I submit. Sheesh.
Karen T.
Good post, Karen. I like the idea of being open-minded! I also run into the opposite problem. There are types of stories I love (eg. historical) where I can’t find an author with the right voice to carry me through.
Okay, I’ll admit it in public. I resisted for a few years but then finally read HP (that’s Harry Potter) and was immediately hooked. Read all six books by now. I still can’t believe it.
However, I’m still resisting autobiographical fiction.
Fantastic post and the title is so to the point. The Joy of Being Proved Wrong indeed.
Thanks.
Thanks,Melly!
And despite being obviously way too choosy for my own good, I love a book that hauls me out of my reading rut! That’s why I’ll try almost anything that gets really good word-of-mouth, because God forbid I be totally out of the loop.
Interesting comment, though, Bonnie, about liking some authors’ books in one genre but not another. For instance, I know many readers love Nora Roberts but not J.D. Robb or the other way around — but is that because there’s a different tone and voice to her alter ego, rather than just subject matter?
But then, I doubt any of us are equally enthusiastic about all our favorite authors’ books, even when the stories are similar in voice/tone/type of story. Not only that, but voice almost inevitably evolves over time. Few writers’ early work sounds like their later work; some even shift more than once during the course of their careers, so that might be another factor in whether or not we follow them.
Another question: Do you find a common thread among your favorite writers? Mine is wry humor (not slapstick). Can be as subtle as Curtiss Ann Matlock or as bold and brash as Jennifer Crusie, but it’s the rare completely serious author whose work I’ll seek out again. That’s why I loved the MJD book even though paranormal doesn’t normally appeal, and why I won’t generally watch action or horror films but love parodies like the RUSH HOUR movies or SHAWN OF THE DEAD.
I am open to read just about any genre; though, I have read precious little since I started writing. Above all — genre, plot, chracters — I am a sucker for the author’s voice. If I do not click with another author’s voice, if the book does not sing to me, it is a struggle to get through. Honestly, I have put aside many a title because I couldn’t stand the voice with which it was written.
Great post, Karen. I read almost exclusively suspense/mystery/thrillers — from mainstream to romance. But I buy a lot of books and give them to my mom and best friend. If they both tell me I should read it, then I go out of my “comfort zone” and read it. Recently, I found I love Julie Kenner, who writes a chick lit style mystery (okay, so it does have a mystery element); I read DO ME, DO MY ROOTS by Eileen Rendahl because she’s in my chapter, but I discovered I really enjoyed her story and could relate in many ways, so I’ll buy more of her even though there wasn’t a dead body in sight; I got an advanced copy of SOLOMON v LORD and already can’t put it down (it’s a legal comedy/thriller kind of thing) and I like Carla Neggers even though she doesn’t always write suspense — I like her characters and find them very real. But I would never have picked up a Neggers except my mom AND my best friend both said I would like her.
I used to read everything and anything, but time doesn’t let me anymore.
The common thread in my favorites is humor. I love a great sense of humor!
My favorite genre is science fiction/fantasy; right now I’m agog over Kage Baker, but I also enjoy Connie Willis—both of them are witty and clever and lots of fun.
So far I’ve enjoyed everything of Kage Baker’s I’ve read. But I didn’t like Connie Willis’ very serious The Doomsday Book. (Probably because it was about the Black Plague, and there’s not much humor you can insert into the Black Plague unless you’re a member of Monty Python’s Flying Circus.)
Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire Mysteries are my kind of romance, even though they’re a hodgepodge of mystery, humor, and paranormal, rather than classic romance. Davidson’s “Unwed” series is silly and makes me laugh, so I enjoy them, too.
Are there authors whose voice you love so much you’d read practically anything they wrote, even if they go down paths you don’t normally tread?
Yes. I always read Lynne Viehl’s books, in whatever genre and pseudonym she writes. But I don’t like vampire books. I read If Angels Burn and loved it. I’m looking forward to Private Demon. So, I’m always open to having my preconceptions bashed in.
I read for author and subject matter. Certain authors I buy on sight. I have discovered that voice comes into play if the book is written in first person POV. In that case, the voice has to be strong for me to get past page ten.
What a great topic!
I, too, am pretty picky. I’m sick of vampires, I hate secret baby stories, and first person turns me off (and don’t even MENTION first person, present tense).
Yet, I can name exceptions in all of those categories. A vampire story with a new mythology might entice me, which Lyndsey Sands’ books did. I loved the Silhouette Bombshell “The Spy Wore Red,” despite it being a secret baby plot. And Sophie Kinsella’s “Can You Keep a Secret” was not only first person and present tense, it was about an incompetent heroine, another of my bugaboos.
It takes a lot to overcome my obstacles, but when I do, and the book successfully engages me, I will talk about it a lot.
I stop following authors for a variety of reasons, not usually because they change the kind of thing they write. It’s usually because I’ve changed, I think. I used to adore Dean Koontz, but just drifted away. I stopped reading Danielle Steele when I became a writer and couldn’t stand her writing style anymore.
I also stopped reading as much outside the romance genre since I started writing, which I know is not good, but…:???: One author who was always a must- and immediate-buy was Clive Cussler. Then I read Valhalla Rising, which was incredibly poorly edited and full of old romance cliches that were very much out of character for Dirk Pitt. I always intended to give him one more chance, but haven’t been able to get myself to read any of his books since.
I’m afraid that since I’ve become an agent I’ve become a much pickier reader. I’ll still pick things up for subject but if they lack a strong voice I won’t finish them (and I used to be so good about ‘cleaning my plate’). On the other hand, I’ve found I enjoy strong narrative non-fiction (Devil in the White City is incredible) where once I would have sworn I was a fiction only girl. I’ve since found there’s an exception to every pet peeve.