Jason Howell asked Paula Brackston:

If you could design the perfect reader, how, what, and why would that reader read? What tools and sensibilities would s/he bring to bear? How would the perfect reader differ from the perfect reader of your work?

Paula Brackston Of course for me they are one and the same thing, for a perfect reader, in my eyes, would choose to read my books! Seriously though, I wouldn't want to paint with such broad brush strokes. Just as there are many kinds of books, so their must be many kinds of reader. In fact, don't you feel yourself to me more than one kind of reader? Depending on your mood, your circumstances, your current interests, and so on?
But I should try to answer your question, so here goes. I'd like a reader to come to my books with an open mind. I'd ask their full attention for two minutes of reading, wherever they are in the book - if the story hasn't caught and held them in that time I haven't done my job properly. Reading and writing are collaborative experiences. Without writers there would be nothing to read, obviously, but it is the reader's imagination that brings the book to life. It is the reader's unique take on the characters, setting, story, that causes the real magic to happen.
Thank you for your interesting question!

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