Why that particular book?

cj Sez: Rummaging through my LP archives for inspiration, I found a reader questionnaire (from another writer’s blog) and thought what a great idea. So, here is some Q&A for you to think about.  

Photo by The Haunted Book Shop

Q. What makes you want to buy a book –the cover? ... Or is it the blurb on the back of the book?
A. For me, it's both. The cover grabs my attention, then the blurb has to invite me to open the book . . . make me want to know more about the story.
Q. When you get into a story, what keeps you reading?  Is it the bad boy hero or the tough, strong-willed woman or the cast of characters that help push the story forward?

A. First, I will not read for a long time to “get into a story.” It has to hook my interest early, certainly no later than the first chapter. Then whether hero or heroine, I want to find some action and a plot. I also like to find humor and some quick repartee in even the darkest of moments. When my heroine is about to go where she’s shouldn’t go or has never been before, I want the scene to be scary, yet inviting me along for the adventure at the same time.  

Q. What makes you like one author more than another?
A. I’ll admit to being a wordsmith, but I also “write tight” … which means I’m not into graphorrhea*.

 *    graphorrhea \ı graf-ә- rē-ә \ n : mental disorder marked by the writing of a long succession of meaningless words.

“A novel of such great length and of so little worth could only have been written by someone caught in the grip of graphorrhea.” 
   I want to be enchanted by the author’s voice…how she/he uses a few precise words and syntax to evoke some “show me” visualization and/or visceral emotion.

Q. If you’re into reading a series, when do you get tired of it…or do you?  

A. As long as the author keeps the storyline and characters fresh, I don’t have a problem with continuing to read a series ad infinitum. It’s when the storyline get stale and takes the same direction over and over that I’m no longer interested in reading the next book, and I’m on to the next author. A stale storyline can also happen in stand-alone books when the author gets stuck on the same formulaic style/theme.
Q. And how about reviews: Do you take a few minutes to write a review?

A. Without readers, authors have no audience, and without an audience, authors are out of a job. Whether on Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads, etc., constructive feedback is what keeps us going. We want to know our strengths as well as our weaknesses. We’re polite—we say please and thank you.

   Lyrical Pens would love to know your answers to these questions. So leave a comment, already.

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Books make great gifts, anthologies may be an even better option...a variety of authors and stories in one book...the gift that keeps on giving. 
And on sale now . . . 
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cj Sez: That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

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P.S. TO ORDER a book by anyauthor on-line and support an indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us

   If you’d like me to autograph or personalize one of my stories for you, be sure to tell them, and I’ll run by the shop.
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