G.G. Andrew's Blog, page 8

2015: My Year in Books

Similar to how I analyzed my reading for 2014 last year at this time, I thought I’d examine this week what, who, how, and how much I read this calendar year.

(Those who are chart-phobic may want to gently avert their eyes now.)

This past year, I attempted to read 58 books. This is lower than the 65 books I attempted last year, though I abandoned nearly twice as many books in 2014 (fourteen versus seven), so I finished a similar number of books both years, around 51. However, this year I counted many more novellas, short stories, and comic issues and trades to this tally; I’ve written about the trouble with tracking shorter stories here, though suffice to say, I probably completed less novels this year than last year at least–maybe 40-45, depending on how you count.

I’m by and large an ebook reader. I read 39 books electronically, including eight Word documents that I beta-read. I read seventeen paper books, and two in audio–though I’ve enjoyed audio recently and hope to listen to stories more this way in 2016. 

Similar to last year, I attempted to read mostly fiction, with 51 novels compared to only eight non-fiction. Slightly more than half of these non-fiction (five) were on writing and marketing, with one book each on reading, science, and living with autism. I do miss reading nonfiction–I used to do closer to 22% of my reading that way in previous years–but since I’m a fiction writer, I’ve been getting more out of novels in recent years. (Though if any of you have any great nonfiction books, I’m all eyes!)

Of the 51 fiction books I attempted, a little over half (29) were romance novels, with the inclusion of two YAs with a strong romantic element and one not-easily-categorized book with a strong central love story (C.M. McKenna’s Badger, which I really recommend). A large percentage of these romances (16) were contemporary; four were paranormal or sci-fi, three were erotic, two YA, two historical, and one was romantic suspense. I’d love to read more romantic suspense in 2016, so if you have recommendations there, please post!

I also read five horror novels, five comics, five literary or classic fiction, four mysteries, and one young adult without a strong romantic component.

Like last year, I’m still a very contemporary reader. Three-quarters of the books I read (42) were published within the past five years. Nearly half of the books I read were published this year alone (19) or were drafts that will likely be published next year (five). An additional 12 were published in 2014, four in 2013, and one each in 2012 and 2011. I also read one book published in 1851, four in the twentieth century, three in the 1990s, and eight from 2005-2010.

Also like last year, I read mostly women. I only read about 16 male authors this year, and some of those were in comic teams with female artists or writers. That’s about 28%, in line with last year’s 29%, despite my desire to put the gender of the authors I read more in balance. Four out of seven of the books I abandoned were also penned by male authors, although two I’ll likely return to someday, and one book I did read, the horror Bird Box by Josh Malerman, was penned by a guy and was one of my favorite 2015 reads.

I’m curious about you other readers out there: Did you track your reading in 2015? And, if so, are there any surprises when you look back on what, who, and how you read?

 

 

Tags:  2015, Badger, Bird Box, books, C.M. McKenna, charts, classic fiction, comics, contemporary romance, fiction, gender, historical romance, horror, Josh Malerman, literary fiction, Mysteries, nonfiction, novellas, novels, paranormal romance, reading, reading habits, romance, tracking, YA




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 Writers Who Read: Eddy Webb  Romance Flash Fiction  Writers Who Read: Naomi Zener  Writers Who Read: Amanda Gale  Writers Who Read: Daniel HalesCopyright © G. G. Andrew [2015: My Year in Books], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Writers Who Read: Dena Hankins

The Writers Who Read series continues this week with author Dena Hankins. Welcome, Dena!

Who are you?

I am a queer, kinky, poly, adventurous sailor with so much left to do and see! Wanderlust is my natural state, perhaps because of my military upbringing, and I’ve sailed both coasts of the US and made a transpacific journey from San Francisco to Hawai’i aboard my own 32′ sailboat.

I started publishing my writing with short-story erotica in (mostly) Cleis Press anthologies, which gave me the opportunity to read at Bluestockings Bookstore in NYC and the confidence to undertake my larger dream. My first novel, Blue Water Dreams, was published by Bold Strokes Books in 2014 and my second, Heart of the Liliko’i, came out this October. The books feature queer/lesbian women who are paired with transmasculine guys.

Which book or series was your gateway into the world of reading?

I’ve been a passionate reader as long as I can remember. Some of my early loves were the Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, and all the works of Louisa May Alcott, especially Rose in Bloom.

Once I discovered – nearly simultaneously – romance and science fiction, I became the girl who read while walking to school. I could read and walk, yes, but also duck branches and mount stairs and avoid traffic, all while delighting in the adventures of all kinds of folks. One of the things I loved about science fiction was the wide variety of sexual behaviors and mores, plus some very creative ideas about gender. My early queer and trans reading all came from SF – romance hadn’t gotten there yet.

Nowadays, what makes you crack open a book instead of pressing play on your favorite Netflix show?

For one thing, I have limited power aboard my boat! But even when powered up, I choose books when I know that I love a writer’s work or when I feel up to putting in some labor. Reading is less passive than watching, and the author and reader are a team in creating the full story.

Which authors are auto-buys for you? Why?

Barbara Kingsolver, for her crisp take on human motivation. Sherri S Tepper, for her ability to throw normal people into the strangest settings. Octavia Butler, for the rich simplicity of her prose and world building. Ursula K Le Guin, for her uncanny ability to write to my hopes. Iain M Banks, for his rollercoaster ride and broad concept of sentience. Nora Roberts, for her understanding that romances are about people relating to one another–the relationship is more important than the conflict. Salman Rushdie for the depth of heart in his characters. Oh my. If I made this list every day, I’d get a new set of authors every time from this point on. Science fiction, romance, postmodern novels…There are so, so many.

What is your book kryptonite–those unique settings, tropes, or character types that make you unable to resist reading?

Sailing, as I’m a sailor, but my standards are very high. There are some kinds of speculative fiction I’m hungry for–feminist, anti-capitalist, egalitarian. I love dystopias, when they represent the original sense of a supposedly utopian society where something has gone wrong. I’m fascinated when a great idea has terrible consequences. I love queer and trans folk who form chosen families, only to discover that family dynamics are hard to get away from. Anyone who will be with you for the rest of your life will test you sooner or later.

What is your ideal time and place to read?

In the morning, over coffee, when my mind is open and expansive. Late at night, when anything seems possible. All day, whenever I can!

Are you a re-reader? Why or why not?

Yes and no. I live on a small sailboat with very limited space. After food, clothes, tools, parts, and my own two books to sell at events, my space is seriously limited. I love the sense of dynamic a paperback provides, with the sense of exactly where I am in the story based on each page flowing by. On the other hand, I used to carry two books in my backpack at all times, just in case I finished one while I was out! My load is lighter, my mind more at peace, and my boat stays afloat now that I do most of my reading electronically.

Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?

The sheer quantity of books I’ve read has been the biggest influence. Being broadly read is crucial to being able to harness each bit of inspiration in the way it deserves.

What makes a book a satisfying read for you?

I could go on and on! Insights into human motivation, lovely language, characters who don’t just bounce of one another but engage each other to the fullest. Models of reality that differ from the one I live in, especially when I can borrow aspects and bring them into my life.

What are you reading right now?

I’m writing a romantic adventure story (with pirates!), so I’m inspiring myself with Michael Chabon’s Gentlemen of the Road.

~

Captain Dena Hankins writes aboard her boat, preferably in a quiet anchorage. Her new book, Heart of the Liliko‘i, has been called “strong and satisfying” with “intensely vivid sexual encounters” by Publishers Weekly. Her first book, Blue Water Dreams, was named one of the Best of 2014 by Out in Print. When she’s not writing novel-length romance, she keeps her fingers limber with short story erotica and has half a dozen stories in print.

You can find out more about Dena on her website, Facebook, or Twitter.

Tags:  Barbara Kingsolver, Blue Water Dreams, Bold Strokes Books, Boxcar Children, chosen families, Cleis Press, Dena Hankins, dystopian, erotica, feminism, Gentlemen of the Road., Heart of the Liliko'i, Iain M Banks, Michael Chabon, military, Nancy Drew, Nora Roberts, Octavia Butler, pirates, queer, queer romance, romance, Romance Writers Who Read, romantic adventure, Rose in Bloom, sailing, sailor, Salman Rushdie, science fiction, Sherri S. Tepper, short stories, speculative fiction, trans, Ursula K Le Guin, Writers Who Read




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 SCREWING MR. MELTY Cover & Teaser!  Writers Who Read: Nicki Salcedo  Introducing the Writers Who Read Series  What's the Creepiest Creature in Literature?  Weird Writing ResearchCopyright © G. G. Andrew [Writers Who Read: Dena Hankins], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Writers Who Read: Ashlyn Macnamara

The Writers Who Read series continues this week with historical romance author Ashlyn Macnamara. Welcome, Ashlyn!

Who are you?

I’m USA Today bestselling author Ashlyn Macnamara. I write Regency romance with a dash of wit and a hint of wicked. My current release is a novella in a Christmas anthology called All I Want for Christmas Is a Duke.

My next series revolves around the three daughters of an addlepated duke. He’s certain he’s on his deathbed and insists his daughters make proper society matches. They, on the other hand, all have contrary ideas about the kind of man they really belong with. The first book is entitled To Lure a Proper Lady, which comes out at the end of next March.

But mainly I’m just a big old geek.

Which book or series was your gateway into the world of reading?

Good Lord, you’re making me dig back into the distant past here. I loved books since before I could read them myself. My top-choice bedtime story was from a collection of fairy tales my family owned. When I really didn’t feel like going to bed, I always demanded the longest story in that book, a Russian fairy tale called “Wasilissa the Beautiful.” It came in at something like 50 pages. I can still hear my dad’s groan, but he read it to me.

Once I could read for myself, the first series I read over and over was the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Nowadays, what makes you crack open a book instead of pressing play on your favorite Netflix show?

Um… I don’t even have a Netflix account. Nor, for that matter, do I watch much TV. Give me a book, please.

Which authors are auto-buys for you? Why?

In romance, Tessa Dare, Tracy Brogan, Jennifer McQuiston, Sarah MacLean, and Lisa Kleypas spring to mind. Each of these authors knows how to incorporate humor with a compelling story line and delicious tension.

My other drug, I mean genre of choice, is fantasy. I came to the Game of Thrones party rather late, but perhaps that’s a good thing. Though certain events in those books traumatized me, I’m anxiously awaiting the next instalment (and, no, I haven’t seen the television series). I love these books for the complex world, the flawed characters, and the fact that I truly don’t know what’s going to happen. Really. High fantasy can become predictable, but not this series.

What is your book kryptonite–those unique settings, tropes, or character types that make you unable to resist reading?

I think the main reason I read is to escape, whether I’m trying to avoid bedtime or my own mundane problems. So give me a world I can lose myself in. That might be a ballroom or a battlefield, but give me a time and place that is nothing like my day-to-day existence, and then make me experience it in all its richness.

What is your ideal time and place to read?

I can manage most anywhere, but I’m especially fond of reading in bed before I go to sleep. Vestiges of the bedtime stories of my childhood? Perhaps.

Are you a re-reader? Why or why not?

If I love the story, yes, absolutely. I read those Little House books over and over. Then when I was a bit older, I discovered Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain. I read those over and over until I was ready to take on The Lord of the Rings. There was a time in my life when I read that trilogy every single year. When it comes to Tolkien, anyway, I think the draw there was noticing something new on every read. I gained a greater understanding of the depth of history and the story with every new nuance I picked up.

Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?

In the inspirational sense, without doubt Stephen King’s On Writing. It was so validating to discover I write the way he does—meaning I stick a couple of characters in a situation and let them figure it out. I read that book at a point where I was struggling with a manuscript, and it was more helpful than I can express.

What makes a book a satisfying read for you?

Anything I can lose myself in. Being a romance author, I’m also partial to a happy ending.

What are you reading right now?

I’m actually between books right now. I just finished Lisa Kleypas’s first historical romance in years, Cold Hearted Rake. I still need to pick up Anne Barton’s latest, One Wild Winter’s Eve. In fact, I should just go do that now.

~

You can find out more about Ashlyn on her website, Facebook, or Twitter (@ashlyn_mac).

 

Tags:  All I Want for Christmas is a Duke, Anne Barton, Ashlyn Macnamara, books, Chronicles of Prydain, Cold Hearted Rake, fairy tales, fantasy, Game of Thrones, historical romance, humor, Jennifer McQuiston, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Lisa Kleypas, Little House, Lloyd Alexander, On Writing, One Wild Winter’s Eve, reading, Regency romance, romance, Romance Writers Who Read, Sarah MacLean, Stephen King, Tessa Dare, The Lord of the Rings, To Lure a Proper Lady, Tolkein, Tracy Brogan, wit, Writers Who Read




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 Writing by Rom-Com: Old Fashioned  Writers Who Read: Gabrielle Selz  Writers Who Read: Adrienne Celt  Creativity is (Mostly) Bullshit  Weird Writing ResearchCopyright © G. G. Andrew [Writers Who Read: Ashlyn Macnamara], All Right Reserved. 2015.

SOMEWHERE WARM free until New Year’s

My New Year’s Eve short story, SOMEWHERE WARM, is currently free until the end of the year!

I’m on romance author Tamara Lush’s blog this weekend talking about my love for snowbound stories and why I decided to write this story in particular. Check it out, and download SOMEWHERE WARM at any of the sellers below if you like these stories, too.

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks ~ Kobo

Happy Holidays!

About SOMEWHERE WARM:

What if you fell for your best friend’s ex—the one that had made her life a living hell?

All Zoe had to do was pick up a box of her best friend Haley’s things from her awful ex-husband, Evan.

She didn’t expect her car to get hit by a snowplow. She didn’t expect for the Maine snowstorm to start early. She didn’t expect to be stuck inside Evan’s cabin—alone with him—on New Year’s Eve.

And, most of all, she didn’t expect to come undone by the heat in Evan’s eyes.

 

Tags:  contemporary romance, free book, New Year's Eve, romance, snowbound stories, Somewhere Warm, Tamara Lush




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 What Orphan Black Taught Me About Revising  Horror Movies & Women's Sexuality  Writers Who Read: Désireé Zamorano  Writers Who Read: Rita Arens  Writers Who Read: Karen SkolfieldCopyright © G. G. Andrew [SOMEWHERE WARM free until New Year's], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Writers Who Read: Annette Bower

The Writers Who Read series continues this week with romance author Annette Bower. Welcome Annette–and read to the end of this post to find out how you can comment here for a chance to win a copy of TASTE ME, TEMPT ME: 8 TALES OF SWEET & SPICY ROMANCE.

Who are you?

Annette Bower here, connecting from the Canadian Prairie Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, City of Regina from a condo on the thirteenth floor where I can see out over the city to the grain fields to the south and east of the city. I often wave to my cousin, Theresa, a farmer near the Blue Hills of Hearne, while she is seeding or combining.

I use this view as an inspiration for my sweet romance novels and short stories where I use urban immediacy and incorporate a wider world view as authors accomplish in books I enjoy reading.

Which book or series was your gateway into the world of reading?

My memory is my aunt passing on her copies of sweet Harlequin romance books when I babysat my cousins. Today, I did a little research by checking through some details in The Merchants of Venus, Inside Harlequin and the Empire of Romance by Paul Grescoe, because I wanted to understand how this happened. When Harlequin expanded into Saskatchewan, “the province had the odd reputation of having the highest per capita readership of True Story, the American confessions magazine—within five to six years. True Story almost disappeared, and Harlequin satisfied the desire for romantic reading more than it ever did.” Harlequin placed their books in department stores. My aunt, at that time, worked at the Woolworth lunch counter. She may have purchased her first books there because Harlequin was then the leading paperback sales company in Canada.

Nowadays, what makes you crack open a book instead of pressing play on your favorite Netflix show?

I continue to enjoy reading sweet, happy, humorous romance. It is not all I read but they are my go-to happy reads. And as an English professor told me years ago, “You write what you read.” I enjoy being an author for readers looking for an escape with a HEA ending.

Which authors are auto-buys for you? Why?

My recent auto-buy authors are Mary Balogh, Ellie Macdonald and Linda O’Connor.

Mary Balogh is a historical writer whose themes often parallel world issues we face today. Her characters and settings are rich and there is a HEA. Mary and I are also part of a group of writers who meet once a month to discuss writing.

I volunteered at the Literacy Autographing event at the Romance Writers of America 2015 conference and Ellie Macdonald was one of the authors I looked after. She writes historical romance about independence and love. She also lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where I once lived.

And Linda O’Connor is a doctor and a Soul Mate author who writes doctor romance novels similar to the first Harlequin books I read. I’ve read two of her Perfectly series and am looking forward to the third, released on November 24, 2015. She lives in Kingston, Ontario.

What is your book kryptonite–those unique settings, tropes, or character types that make you unable to resist reading?

My kryptonite is a “fish out of water” and “friends to lovers” and “second chance at love” like Jeanne Ray writes.

What is your ideal time and place to read?

I read anywhere I am because I am first and foremost an e-reader and a recent convert to audio books. Therefore I read in the car, in the bath, and in lineups. I enjoy the beach for a read, a plane, my couch, my dining room table, and of course before I go to sleep. I carry my library and store at my fingertips. I support writers’ royalties.

Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?

The romance genre is the biggest influence on my writing. This genre covers so many important issues and influences so many people in a positive way. These books discuss problems of job loss, death, family issues, moving, pets, children, all surrounded by love. The authors write about the effects of separation of armed forces personnel and the aftermath of war, whether it is historical or contemporary. They portray the effects of poor lifestyle choices which can be changed. There is always hope in these stories. I like to have hope and love in my life.

What makes a book a satisfying read for you?

I close the book with a smile, when I have laughed and cried with the characters. When the relationship has grown to fruition but the circumstances also teach me something about the world I live in.

What are you reading right now?

I just finished the audio of a 1994 novel which I have not been able to part with, Getting Rid of Bradley by Jennnifer Crusie. It was a pleasure to revisit this book with its humor and heroine.

Right now I am listening to Only a Kiss by Mary Balogh, book six of the Survivors’ Club. I am also on the last chapter of the ebook House of the White Elephant by Byrna Barclay, a historical/contemporary book which spans the 1800s mutiny in India and Northern Saskatchewan as characters search for belonging in family and place. I am waiting for Perfectly Planned by Linda O’Connor.

As a reader I read to inform my world view.

Thank you, G.G. Andrew, for this opportunity to think about and share the books I’m reading as well as my books I’m writing. I’ll be picking a person who comments below to gift a copy of the TASTE ME, TEMPT ME anthology, a collection of food romance stories with all proceeds going towards hunger relief in Canada and the U.S.

You can find out more about Annette on Facebook or Twitter, and check out her books Moving On or Woman of Substance on Amazon.

Tags:  Annette Bower, audio books, books, Byrna Barclay, Canada, Canadian writers, doctor romance, Ellie Macdonald, ereader, ereading, fish out of water, friends to lovers, Getting Rid of Bradley, Harlequin, House of the White Elephant, Jennifer Crusie, Linda O’Connor, Mary Balogh, Perfectly Planned, Perfectly series, reading, Romance Writers of America, Romance Writers Who Read, second chance at love, Soul Mate Publishing, sweet romance, urban, Writers Who Read




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Comments:  9 comments on this itemYou might be interested in this:  
 Weird Writing Research  Ten Best Holiday Rom-coms on Netflix Instant  2014: My Year in Books  Romance Blurb Drinking Game  Writers Who Read: Lisa Gluskin StonestreetCopyright © G. G. Andrew [Writers Who Read: Annette Bower], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Writers Who Read: Elizabeth Cole

The Writers Who Read series continues this week with historical romance author Elizabeth Cole. 

Who are you?

I’m Elizabeth Cole. I write kissing books—mostly set in the past. They are also very sexy and witty, and have smart, scientifically-minded ladies who are way ahead of their time. So if you despise pithy dialogue or steamy sex scenes, you should totally avoid my stuff.

Which book or series was your gateway into the world of reading?

I think it was fairy tales that got me into reading. I loved my picture books with all the pretty princesses, but then I got into strange and wonderful world of the Brothers Grimm and Perrault and so many others. That led to Tolkien and fantasy! And of course, I grabbed whatever romance novel I could get my hands on, because they were verboten.

Nowadays, what makes you crack open a book instead of pressing play on your favorite Netflix show?

Oh, I love curling up with a book. *Clicks away from window where Daredevil is playing yet again* In all seriousness, it’s sometimes hard for me to read for fun while I’m writing or reading for research. I do have a stack of “reward” books that I read when I need a break…or when my cat needs to cuddle.

Which authors are auto-buys for you? Why?

It’s not so much authors that I auto-buy, but subjects that will grab my attention. I’ll look into any fairytale adaptation, any mention of Beowulf, or anything about maps. I also love unexpected pairings. Did you know Kareem Abdul Jabbar just published a Sherlock Holmes novel? I so bought that.

What is your book kryptonite–those unique settings, tropes, or character types that make you unable to resist reading?

I may have just answered that, but I love character and voice the most. Give me a snarky narrator facing impossible odds, and I’m in. Give me a scrappy team that fights on the side of good, and I’m there till the end.

What is your ideal time and place to read?

Whenever I can relax. I can’t read bit by bit — I need a couple hours, and (preferably) a lot of tea.

Are you a re-reader? Why or why not?

OMG, yes. There are books I read every year, usually at a particular season. Not always the whole thing, but at least a bit. I read the Dark is Rising in early December. Cordelia Underwood gets read in July. I read the Anne of books any time I need to reconnect with a kindred spirit…sometimes you just feel Anneish!

Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?

Mmm, hard to say. I grew up reading and watching a lot of mysteries, and most of my books have a mystery structure or element, even though they’re romances. I love Agatha Christie — she was so precise with her plots and could be so evocative, sketching out a whole character with just a phrase or two. Sometimes less is more.

What makes a book a satisfying read for you?

It’s got to have a strong emotional core. A book can have gorgeous prose or a gripping plot, but if I don’t love the characters and feel for them and want those crazy kids to make it through…I put it down. Life’s too short to read books you don’t love.

What are you reading right now?

At this very moment, I’m reading He Drank, And Saw the Spider by Alex Bledsoe (for the first time), The Rake by Mary Jo Putney (for the *mumble* time), and The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer (that’s for work…no, really!).

~

Elizabeth Cole is an author of historical romance. She can be found hanging around museums, coffeeshops, and graveyards…but not after dark. She studied English literature and medieval European history in school, but quickly found that not many job postings required knowledge of the quadrivium or the Crusades (shocking, right?). She is a full-time writer now, but before that she worked in bookshops, libraries, archives, or anywhere there were books to be read. When not writing, she cuddles her cat, watches extremely bad movies, or—ideally—does both as the same time.

Find out more about Elizabeth:

Author Page: elizabethcole.co

Newsletter (you should totally sign up for this)

Elizabeth Cole Facebook page

Twitter (@coleheartedgirl) 

Latest novel: Beneath Sleepless Stars

Go here to learn about more romance writers who read!

Tags:  Agatha Christie, Alex Bledsoe, Anne of Green Gables, bad movies, Beowulf, books, Brothers Grimm, cats, Cordelia Underwood, Daredevil, Dark is Rising, Elizabeth Cole, English literature, fairy tale adaptation, fairy tales, fantasy, graveyards, He Drank And Saw the Spider, historical romance, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, maps, Mary Jo Putney, mystery, Netflix, Perrault, pithy dialogue, reading, Regency romance, rereading, romance, Romance Writers Who Read, Sherlock Holmes, snarky narrator, steamy sex, The Rake, The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England, Tolkien, Writers Who Read




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 Girl B Bites It: A Horror Trope That Needs to Die  Weird Writing Research  2014: My Year in Books  Writers Who Read: Gill Hoffs  What Good Books DoCopyright © G. G. Andrew [Writers Who Read: Elizabeth Cole], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Writers Who Read: Anna Bradley

The Writers Who Read series continues this week with historical romance author Anna Bradley.

Who are you?

My name is Anna Bradley and I’m a historical romance writer. My debut novel, A Wicked Way to Win an Earl, was just released by Berkley on Nov. 3. It’s the first in a four-book series called Sutherland Scandals.

Which book or series was your gateway into the world of reading?

I got hooked on romance with the classics. Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters and Edith Wharton are some of my favorites. I defy anyone to find a historical romance writer who wasn’t influenced by Jane Austen! Like many historical romance writers, I transitioned into mainstream romance with Georgette Heyer, who is still one of my all-time favorite writers. I’ve read all her books.

Nowadays, what makes you crack open a book instead of pressing play on your favorite Netflix show?

Even before I became a professional writer I was always more likely to pick up a book than turn on the TV. It makes me terribly boring to talk to at parties, because I’m never up on any of the popular TV shows (though I have seen the BBC’s Pride & Prejudice more times than I can count!). I think for me it’s always been that the story in my head is more powerful than anything that’s been visualized for me on TV or in movies.

Which authors are auto-buys for you? Why?

Julie Anne Long, for sure, because her characters are so well developed and she makes us love them, despite their flaws. I’m a big fan or Loretta Chase, too, because she tends to write strong alpha heroes (my weakness!) and because her books have such rich period details. She knows her history, and I always learn something from reading her books. I’m a fan of Elizabeth Hoyt, Madeline Hunter and Tracy Anne Warren, as well. I also read literary fiction—Kate Atkinson and Neil Gaiman are two of my favorites.

What is your book kryptonite–those unique settings, tropes, or character types that make you unable to resist reading?

I really like strong alpha heroes, so I tend to gravitate towards the tall, dark and wicked types who have deep flaws and lessons to learn. Of course that also means a strong heroine who can put the alpha hero in his place! In terms of tropes, I’m a sucker for the ugly duckling turned swan or the overlooked bluestocking heroine. I’m pretty sure I would have been considered a bluestocking myself, had I been born during the right era. I admit to a little weakness for Cinderella-esque stories, too, though with a modern twist where the heroine saves herself, of course. I must have read too many fairy tales as a kid!

What is your ideal time and place to read?

At night, in bed on my Kindle, with the lights off. Without a doubt. I get all tucked into my covers and fall into my story. It’s like therapy!

Are you a re-reader? Why or why not?

I love this question because I’ve never really considered it before. In general I’m not a re- reader, no. I’m not entirely sure why not, but I think I get so heavily invested in both the suspense of a good story and the emotional payout that it ruins it for me if I already know what’s going to happen. That said, I do have a few select favorite books that I’ve re-read. Austen, of course! I think I’m overdue for a Georgette Heyer festival of re-reading, as well.

Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?

I’m sorry to be so predictable, but we’re back to Jane Austen again! I truly love the classic romances. Books like Pride & Prejudice and Mansfield Park are the reason I became a writer. I had to have more of those stories, even if it meant I had to write them myself! I admire a lot of current romance writers, too. I was blown away by Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, for example, and Julie Anne Long’s Pennyroyal Green series was also a major influence on me.

What makes a book a satisfying read for you?

Deep character arcs. The character have to go through dynamic change during the book. I’m not satisfied unless everyone gets tortured and then comes out better for it in the end! I need a story that’s motivated by character rather than plot, and engaging, fast-paced dialogue.

What are you reading right now?

I just finished Tracy Anne Warren’s The Bedding Proposal, which was a fun read, and I’ve just started Julie Anne Long’s The Legend of Lyon Redmond, which I’ve been dying to read since it released. Oh, and my son and I are on the very last Harry Potter book. I’ll be sad when we’re done – it truly feels like the end of an era to finish the entire Harry Potter series. I think we’re moving onto the Percy Jackson stories next. I still read to my kids even though they’re old enough to read for themselves now. I can’t be a writer and have kids who don’t read, right?

~

Anna Bradley has been an avid reader, writer and book fondler since childhood, when she pilfered her first romance novel and stole away to her bedroom to devour it. This insatiable love of the written word persisted throughout her childhood in Maine, where it led to a master’s degree in English Literature.

Before she became a writer, Anna worked with a rare books library featuring works by British women writers from the 1600s through the Regency period. Here she indulged in her love of stories, fondled smooth, leather-bound volumes to her heart’s content and dreamed of becoming a writer.

Anna writes steamy historical romance (think garters, fops and riding crops) and squeezes in a career as a writing and literature professor on the side. She lives with her husband and two children in Portland, OR, where people are delightfully weird and love to read.

You can find out more about Anna on her website, including how to get A Wicked Way to Win an Earl.

Want to read about other romance writers who read? Tap here.

Tags:  A Wicked Way to Win an Earl, alpha heroes, BBC, Berkley, bluestocking, Brontes, Cinderella, debut, Diana Gabaldon, Edith Wharton, Elizabeth Hoyt, fairy tales, Georgette Heyer, Harry Potter, historical romance, Jane Austen, Julie Anne Long, Kate Atkinson, kids, Kindle, Loretta Chase, Madeline Hunter, Mansfield Park, Neil Gaiman, Outlander, Pennyroyal Green, Percy Jackson, Pride and Prejudice, reading in bed, rereading, romance, Romance Writers Who Read, Sutherland Scandals, The Bedding Proposal, The Legend of Lyon Redmond, Tracy Anne Warren, ugly duckling, Writers Who Read




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 TASTE ME, TEMPT ME Anthology Out!  Why We Read What We Read  Introducing the Writers Who Read Series  Writers Who Read: Nancy Slavin  Writing is My French Lover (on BIG MAGIC)Copyright © G. G. Andrew [Writers Who Read: Anna Bradley], All Right Reserved. 2015.

TASTE ME, TEMPT ME Anthology Out!

I’m happy to announce that a romance anthology I contributed to, TASTE ME, TEMPT ME: 8 TALES OF SWEET & SPICY ROMANCE, is out today! 

Sink your teeth into something delicious. Eight contemporary and historical romance authors offer tempting tales of love and lust through time, served hot. Some of these short stories are sweet, and some are spicy, but they’re all perfectly portioned! So pull up a chair and get ready to indulge in a feast of love…

Available for a limited time only, this collection is $0.99, and all profits will go to Feeding America and Food Banks Canada to help feed the hungry.

I’m so happy to be a part of this anthology, and among such great contemporary and historical romance authors. I love how different all these food romance stories are, and I think you will, too. Just maybe don’t read it on an empty stomach.

Want to read more? Tap here to learn more about each tale, and read an excerpt of my story, “A Taste of Ambrosia.” In it, Jack, a young widower in 1963 American suburbia, can’t look away from his sensual new neighbor. Unfortunately, she’s got a recipe he needs. She may have everything he needs.

Grab your copy of TASTE ME, TEMPT ME on Amazon, or check it out on Goodreads!

Tags:  1960s romance, 1963, A Taste of Ambrosia, ambrosia salad, anthologies, anthology, charity anthology, collection, contemporary romance, Feeding America, food, Food Banks Canada, food romance, Goodreads, historical romance, romance, spicy romance, sweet romance, writing




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 Writers Who Read: Gill Hoffs  Writing Romance: Sex as Dialogue  Writers Who Read: Joyce Thierry Llewellyn  Blog Hop: My Writing Process  Making Mr. Melty Ice Cream: Frozen Fruity FlaxseedCopyright © G. G. Andrew [TASTE ME, TEMPT ME Anthology Out!], All Right Reserved. 2015.

What Do Robot Women Want?

I’ve over at Lady Smut today talking about robot/human pairings, the comic Alex + Ada, Ex Machina, and what robot women can tell us. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Tags:  Alex + Ada, comics, Ex Machina, feminism, films, Lady Smut, movies, robots, science fiction, science fiction romance, unconventional romance




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 Daniel Hales: Top Ten Prose Poetry Books  Why We Read What We Read  Writers Who Read: Lisa Barr  Writers Who Read: Maggie Messitt  Writers Who Read: Michalle GouldCopyright © G. G. Andrew [What Do Robot Women Want?], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Writers Who Read: Betsy Talbot

The Writers Who Read series continues this week with contemporary romance author Betsy Talbot.

Who are you?

I’m the author of The Late Bloomers Series and my heroines are all women in their prime. I love exploring what life looks like on the other side of forty—mainly because that is precisely the time my life got really interesting! My husband and I sold everything we owned back in 2010 and started traveling the world, and we’ve ended up living part-time in Spain, where I write my books, and part-time vagabonding around the world. It’s not the sort of life I pictured for myself, which is precisely why I love it so much. I love to be surprised, in books and in life!

Which book or series was your gateway into the world of reading?

I’ve been reading daily since I first learned how. I remember Nancy Drew and The Boxcar Kids as a kid, but what really drew me into reading was my public library. In a small conservative town, back before everyone had a computer, the local library was my Google. It gave me worlds outside my own, and it helped me to realize I wasn’t so weird, at least when compared to people outside my home town. I was a voracious reader, and my mother gave permission for me to have an adult library card at the age of ten. I remember getting that yellow card and being able to go left in the library instead of right, to where all the big books were! Knowing the world was open to me was the best feeling I’d ever had in my little life, and the way I feel about books today has not dimmed one bit.

Nowadays, what makes you crack open a book instead of pressing play on your favorite Netflix show?

I don’t have a television and live outside the US, so Netflix doesn’t work for me anyway. My main source of entertainment has always been books, though before Kindle I didn’t always have a ready supply of material. Now I can order a book anytime and read it right away, which is great for my entertainment and not so great for my budget!

Which authors are auto-buys for you? Why?

I’ve long been a fan of magical realism, though I don’t find as many favorites in this genre as I’d like. Go-to favorites are Neil Gaiman, Isabelle Allende, Joanne Harris, Salman Rushdie, and of course the late, great Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

What is your book kryptonite–those unique settings, tropes, or character types that make you unable to resist reading?

Give me a strong but misunderstood woman, preferably one with butt-kicking powers, and I’m on it. I like it when she’s aggressive, even if it doesn’t always work out for her. My latest favorite in this trope is Lily in Best Laid Plans, a woman bent on revenge and going about it in a very unusual way.

Another favorite is a heroine who is out of the norm for her time, whether that’s feminist Claire Fraser traveling back in time to Scotland, the adventurous Una Spencer in Ahab’s Wife pretending to be a boy to get passage on a ship, or Alma the moss expert in The Signature of All Things.

I like historical fiction done well, something that will teach me better than my schoolbooks did. One series I loved was by Conn Iggulden, and it centered on Genghis Khan and his legacy. It was so good it made me plan a trip to Mongolia! (I could say the same for Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander Series convincing me to go to Scotland).

Last, I’m all about the dystopian novel. At the end of the world, all differences are cast aside and the playing field is level. People are all working for the same thing—survival—and I love what it shows about the human spirit, even when it isn’t pretty.

Really, I could talk about books and characters all day: Smart thrillers that hook me from the first sentence, like “The first time I died…”; or the Matthew Storm books with a quirky ensemble cast of characters.

What is your ideal time and place to read?

I love sunny afternoons on the terrace or in my reading chair, but I don’t get as many of those as I’d like. On my days off, I enjoy reading with my morning coffee, and I do read in bed every single night. The best invention ever for voracious reader like me is the Kindle. I can buy as many books as I can afford (or more!) and adjust the backlight so as not to keep my husband up at night while I devour another book into the night.

Are you a re-reader? Why or why not?

Usually, no. I do have a few books that are “safe” for rereading because they were not pivotal in my life, but any book that has made a big impact on my life, my thinking, or my evolution as a person remains untouched. I had a long conversation about this once with a man I met in China, and we agreed that rereading an influential book after the moment of change has passed has the strong possibility of devaluing the change. For instance, a book that was powerful to me at 25 that made me take bold moves might seem juvenile in my forties, and it would taint the feelings I have about that time in my life. Better to keep it pure!

If I didn’t have a Kindle and still kept a house full of books, my opinion might be different. But I’ve been so mobile in my adulthood that keeping a large library has been impractical.

Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?

Write.Publish.Repeat by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant is a good one for me because it promotes writing as a business with a production schedule, as is Do the Work by Stephen Pressfield, which taught me to overcome (mostly) my resistance. Both speak to the job of writing as a job, not a sainted calling, and I like thinking of myself as tradesperson more than an artist. I want people to count on me for reliable production of entertaining books more than a flash of brilliance here or there. Another great book is The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp, which taught me the concept of the box of ideas for a project and how to build out a book before I even start writing it.

What makes a book a satisfying read for you?

I like it when the author leaves me to figure a few things out, when she trusts me to make certain leaps. The worst kind of books are those spoon fed, as if the writer is just a passive part of the writer/reader relationship. In those instances, I could just watch a program. I’d much rather be part of the story, use my own brain to figure some things out and draw conclusions. If there’s no work on my part to enjoy the story, then I simply won’t keep reading it.

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading a thriller/horror series by Blake Crouch. I’m on book two, which is Locked Doors. I naturally like thrillers, but I’ve also found that I learn a lot about pacing and cliffhangers for my contemporary romance work. It’s hard for me to read romance and learn because it feels too much like copying. But learning from different genres helps me see lessons more clearly and adapt them to my own work without worrying that I’m trying to write like someone else.

And also, I like to scare myself a little. It makes for very intense and a slightly elevated heart rate when I wake up, which is a good start for a day’s romance writing!

Betsy Talbot is a forty-something traveler and author. When she’s not on the road or penning books about love, adventure, and self-discovery, she is hiking, learning flamenco dancing, and drinking wine in a tiny village in Spain with her handsome, long-haired husband Warren. (Watch out, Fabio!)

She is the host of The Quickie Romance Podcast, a weekly show highlighting excerpts from the best romance books in every genre. She’s been told she gives good audio.

Her latest project is The Late Bloomers Series, a five-book romance series about women in their forties. Because women with experience make the best characters—in life and on the page. You can buy the first two books now, or download a free Late Bloomers adventure at BetsyTalbot.com.

Social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/betsytalbot (@betsytalbot)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betsygraytalbot

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/betsytalbot/

Quickie Romance Podcast (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quickie-romance-podcast/id1000372995?mt=2

Website: http://www.BetsyTalbot.com

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1GJ2hIt

Tags:  Ahab's Wife, Best Laid Plans, Betsy Talbot, Blake Crouch, books, Claire Fraser, Conn Iggulden, contemporary romance, Diane Gabaldon, Do the Work, dystopian, ereading, flamenco, forty-something, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Genghis Khan, hiking, historical fiction, horror, Isabelle Allende, Joanne Harris, Johnny B. Truant, Kindle, libraries, Locked Doors, magical realism, Matthew Storm, Mongolia, Nancy Drew, Neil Gaiman, Outlander, quirky characters, reading, romance, Romance Writers Who Read, Salman Rushdie, Scotland, Sean Platt, Spain, Steven Pressfield, The Boxcar Kids, The Creative Habit, The Late Bloomers Series, The Quickie Romance Podcast, The Signature of All Things, thriller, travel, Twyla Tharp, wine, Write.Publish.Repeat, Writers Who Read, writing




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 Romance Writer Rebecca Brooks: In Defense of Stupidity  CRAZY, SEXY, GHOULISH Out!  Writers Who Read: Pamela DiFrancesco  Writers Who Read: Adrienne Celt  On Writing What People FearCopyright © G. G. Andrew [Writers Who Read: Betsy Talbot], All Right Reserved. 2015.