Clean Reads discussion
How did you find the group?
Unfortunately, Tami, not many publishers are listening. I hear this so much from kids, parents, teachers and librarians when I visit schools to talk to kids about my books and writing. There is a big gap between the publishers and many young readers and concerned adults who want cleaner books.
There are some of us authors who do listen, because we don't want to read smut either, and certainly not allow our kids to be influence by conflicting values.
All we can do as a collective, is keep telling the publishers and NOT buying such books. That's the only way publishers will really feel it - when it hits them in the wallet.
There are some of us authors who do listen, because we don't want to read smut either, and certainly not allow our kids to be influence by conflicting values.
All we can do as a collective, is keep telling the publishers and NOT buying such books. That's the only way publishers will really feel it - when it hits them in the wallet.
If every one who feels like we do, does their 'tiny' part of not buying, it can make a 'big' difference. :)
Shawn wrote: "… All we can do as a collective, is keep telling the publishers and NOT buying such books. That's the only way publishers will really feel it - when it hits them in the wallet. …"Or we can start our own publishing company. With a collective effort, it could become big. Then they'd feel the impact of competition and see first-hand all the sales they've been missing out on. It could be profit or non-profit, but if it's non-profit, we need to make sure the authors get paid fairly (paying them is a viable expense, from my understanding, despite the fact that many non-profit publishers don't pay their authors), and we need to make sure adequate funds go into editing and advertising (and not just conventions or what-have-you). I doubt it would get very far without paying the authors, I mean (no incentive = limited selection = …).
Oh, believe me, I know what little royalties publishers pay authors! :p
And the publishers are feeling the effects of indie authors. They even have classes at their conferences for editors and agents on how to spot indie authors with potential who reach people they have failed to reach - or rather fleece.
A cynic would say they do this to 'silence' these authors since a publishing contract can be very limiting for an author. Granted some authors begin self-publishing to get noticed, some don't. I fit in the latter category. Yes, my first book was published traditionally, but my series started when I wrote for my daughter. Most of all, I want kids to benefit. The publisher refused the rest so I now put them out myself.
And the publishers are feeling the effects of indie authors. They even have classes at their conferences for editors and agents on how to spot indie authors with potential who reach people they have failed to reach - or rather fleece.
A cynic would say they do this to 'silence' these authors since a publishing contract can be very limiting for an author. Granted some authors begin self-publishing to get noticed, some don't. I fit in the latter category. Yes, my first book was published traditionally, but my series started when I wrote for my daughter. Most of all, I want kids to benefit. The publisher refused the rest so I now put them out myself.
I found this group because I searched Google for "clean reads." I'm always on the look out for "gentle reads." My grandma used to say about the mind that once garbage is in it never goes out. I'm trying to keep my mind debris free - hard to do though :).
Welcome Tami and Becky. Here's to debris- and smut-free minds. There is power in our numbers. We can be heard.In fact, that reminds me of something that I experienced the other day. Not about books, but related. I found a "Santa Wish List" web site for my girls. Very cute - they could write a letter to Santa, get a response (from me of course), and "shop" for things to put on their wish list. It was apparently just linked to amazon, which populated the "store" with choices for the kids to peruse. Anyway, my then 6-year-old was looking through the choices, and said, "Uh oh mom. I saw something unappropriate!" I told her to shut the laptop immidiately, and I'd take care of it. I went to look, and it was a puzzle of a lady's back, full back side for view. I was, needless to say, pretty upset. So I wrote to the owner's of the site and let them know what we'd found, and how I felt about it. I got IMMEDIATE response from the owner, assuring me that he would contact amazon to get that off there right away. He told me that he's a dad himself, and that he'd never want his kids to see something like that.
So one voice CAN make a difference. I also have a friend who asked a manager to move the smutty magazines from the check-out stands, as she didn't want her sons to have to see that filth. The manager told her he absolutely would - that they only have to have one customer complain before they're allowed to move them. ONE voice!
I found this through the clean romances group here on goodreads. Someone recommended it in a post.
I found it browsing for "clean." It's just what I need. I'm a sensitive reader but also an English teacher wanna-be and am concerned about what I might recommend to teen readers. Hope to glean some good books from this group and share some, too!
I'm another LDS SAHM and also a homeschooler. I found this via "Mormon Moms Who Blog" and I'm SOOOOO happy! Reading is absolutely my favorite thing but I hate having to compromise...
I have been searching for clean books to read for a while. I hated going to the library and checking out a book, or worse, buying a book that turned out to be below standard. I Googled clean reads and noticed this group. I already had a goodread account. Your description of the group hit the nail strait on. Thanks for this group!! :)
A huge welcome to Beth, Melody, Melissa and Nikki. We are excited to have you share your insights and recommendations, and hope that we can provide some help in your search for wholesome reading! Make yourselves at home.
I found this through Melody. I've been helping her do book reviews for teens, and got excited when I saw that she had joined.
I found you on a button on a website. Awesome group. I do a review blog for clean romances. Feel free to check me out! I do reviews and sometimes giveaways. (Two giveaways going on right now)http://cleanromancereviews.blogspot.com
Good evening, everyone. I saw found this group after seeing on Englishrose's profile that she joined. I'm sure that sounds rather stalker-ish. But she just reviewed my novella, so it was all very casual internet browsing, I assure you =D
English Rose, I'd like to meet you in cyberspace, of course! Perhaps you would consider one of my series that was published in Large Print for their Clean Reads series."Maine Shore Chronicles".Mary
Mod
I am at-home, LDS, wife, mom to 4 adults, grandma to 4 .
I do 90% of my reading via audiobook, and it is impossible to flip through the pages of an audiobook to see if there is objectionable language, sex, etc. before I check it out from the library. I hate to get all invested in characters and a well-written plotline and then--BAM--author-who-likes-to-fool-you introduces the character-they-have-to-establish-as-a-lowlife/badguy/in-need-of-redeemtion/or-whatever-thru-coarseness, and 2-3 discs in you have to abandon a book you were really liking, or worse, consider compromising to finish the book, (all your friends/coworkers said it was sooo good). Inevitably it is not.
I've already cancelled holds at the library for several books thanks to this group, and placed requests for some others. I'm really happy to be here!
Hi! My name is Marie and I found this when I was searching for clean reads. I am a teenager, and I really don't like to read books with sex scenes or too much language. It's just against my set of morals, and I hate it when authors put that stuff in their books. I am really happy I found this group and am really happy to be here!
Hi Marie, Welcome to the group. It is refreshing to find young people with a moral point of view. Would that there are more of you out there!
Mary
Marie wrote: "Hi! My name is Marie and I found this when I was searching for clean reads. I am a teenager, and I really don't like to read books with sex scenes or too much language. It's just against my set of ..." Hi, Marie. I am an English-teacher-wanna-be and have created a website for teens like you. See what you think: http://web.me.com/melodysavage/
Hey Y'all - My name is Robin Allen. I'm the author of the Poppy Markham: Culinary Cop clean, humorous cozy mystery series that features an Austin, TX public health inspector and lots of behind-the-scenes information about the restaurant industry. The first book,
If You Can't Stand the Heat
, is now available from from Midnight Ink.My mystery is clean and I was hoping to find a group dedicated to these types of books. And I did!
I just joined Goodreads and am thrilled to see so many people excited about books! I look forward to getting to know you and being exposed to new, clean books.
Saw the group mentioned on Robin Allen's author page the other day -- the name caught my eye and I had to check it out.. and here I am. (Robin, your book looks quite interesting, have added it to my to-read list!)Will post about my own book (a clean read, of course!) in the Author Recommendation thread.
Cheers,
Neve
Neve wrote: "Saw the group mentioned on Robin Allen's author page the other day -- the name caught my eye and I had to check it out.. and here I am. (Robin, your book looks quite interesting, have added it to m..."Welcome, Neve! I'm pretty new here myself. Thanks for adding my book. Yours looks like fun. I've added it to my list, too.
-Robin
Thanks, Robin! Let me know how you like it :)
Hi! I saw this group after Englishrose (who belongs to this group) did a review on my fantasy romance novella. I'm pubbed with Astraea Press, a sweet publisher, who aims to provide clean reads to people age 15 and up.
Hello!I found this on the same page of Frank Peretti's books 'This Present Darkness'.
I am very glad I have found this group! (:
Hi! I found this group while rating a book and on the right side of the page it showed Clean Reads as a group that shelved this book. I'm very excited to find a group of people that feel the same way I do. I'm a mom of 2 teens and our family loves to read. I am also going back to school working toward an education degree. I'm looking at possibly becoming a reading teacher. I have been reading YA and children's books and have found it very disappointing to find such inappropriate content in books meant for our kids. I get excited when I read a book and it's good and clean! Then I know I can recommend that book with a clear conscience to a kid or teen and that is a good thing! :)
Wow so many people who feel the same I am impress and feel very cozy with all of you around. :) I am proud of all of us. Anna del C. Dye
@JOY TO THE WORLD, look no further. I'm a bookseller in San Diego and have tons of inspirational (and clean) books for you to read. I'm also LDS, this group seems to attract alot of us. I'm sort of a SAHM, but I travel alot with my husband, he works on the East Coast and in the South a lot (hurricanes!!!)....so I have time to read. My kids are teens and twenties. Speaking of, once, my daughter wanted to read WICKED, having seen the show twice in LA, so I read the whole thing and blacked out all the bad stuff!!! That is how badly I want my kids to read!
I do not like LDS fiction much, it seems corny.
@Joy to the World, Your resource can be me! I'll set you up with so much to read, you'll get depressed:)
@Gerald,I've given books to airport cashiers, "Can't take it with you!" Especially with petite carry on luggage!
And re: realism, I hate the whole drug/alcohol/sex/crudeness thing that people seem to want to write and hope we buy it. I guess they want us to feel their pain, and I do, but only God can help us out of the messes we make.
I am super excited to find this group!! I searched the good reads groups for "clean" and found you! I am always on the lookout for a great book that will not have any unwelcome surprises & I am happy that there are so many of you out there with the same values that I have! I can't wait to get reading some great books!
I was thinking how great it would be to have a "clean" group of Goodreads. I was looking at my friend, Melissa's, profile, and lo and behold, she was part of this group so I had to join :-)
Welcome everyone. Glad to be part of you all. Author of "The Silent Warrior Trilogy"
http://www.annadelc.com
Hi everyone!! I'm so glad that I found this group. I'm an LDS SAHM too. I just published my first novel with Cedar Fort, called The Alias...and I'm just learning how to use Goodreads...I'm excited for the recommendations. I love to read, but so often, I stumble across books that just aren't my style of reading. :) Mandi
www.mandituckerslack.com
I was looking for a list of quotes from some of Margaret Peterson Haddix's books, and I found that some of her books were listed in this group. As a teenager, other people my age don't really seem to care if there's anything immoral in a book, so it's nice to have somewhere that does!
Hi, I found this group through my sister; she is a member of this group. I love a good clean book and they are so hard to find. I am glad there is a forum to help me find books that are in accordance with my standards! As in, no trash or garbage please!
I just found this group by reading some comments about The Help quiz.
I typed in "clean books" in the groups search and, wonderful surprise, this group came up! I love a good mystery/thriller book but hate that so many mainstream ones have offensive language and graphic sex/violence. I look forward to reading your recommendations. Plus, as the author of The Hainan Incident, a clean, fast-paced spy thriller set in China about an American/Chinese attorney sent there to ferret out corruption in China's judicial system, I hope you will look it over and let me know what you think. The first chapter is available for free on goodreads.com as well as Deseretbooks.com (2 chapters available for review). The book is available in paperback, audio CD, and ebook.
I have Google alerts coming for Sweet Romances. That is what brought me here tonight. I'm glad to have found the group- thanks!
I found this group from a link on Blink by Ted Dekker. I have a hard time finding good book suggestions that are not R rated. Someone who knew me well told me to try Charlaine Harris...What were they thinking?! That book had tooooo much sex in it for me. I like Frank Perretti and stumbled on REd DEkker yesterday. I got 6 of his books in audio on my mP3 player and surprisingly hUbby does too. We do not often read the same book at the same time. I am looking for good reads that I do not have to blush and skip overgrandma dee
A few months back, I had just finished reading a book and was skimming the reviews for it here on goodreads and noticed at the side that it had been shelved by a group called Clean Romances. So I joined that group, and through that group found this one.I can't say I've generally lacked for clean reads because a) I love classic books, such as Austen, Dickens, etc.; b) I still love children's/YA books, and so am well-acquainted with older Newbery books and such; c) as a general rule, I don't mind reading Christian fiction, and those are usually safe; d) I often don't care whether I'm "spoilered," so checking the reviews on Amazon, for instance, very often tells me what I want to know about a more recent, secular, adult title. BUT, I am definitely pleased to learn about more writers who are worth trying. Thank you all for the many recommendations! ☺
Hello. My name is Trevor and I am an LDS GTWS (go-to-work-son). I am a dude under the age of 30, which puts me in the minority here, but hopefully I can add a fresh perspective. I found this group through my dear mommy (Melody). She may later regret my choice to publicly announce that we are related, but whatever. I look forward to getting to know all of you!
Welcome, Trevor. Good to have you in the group.
I found the group through a review. I'm always looking for good G/PG-rated books (NOT the PG that would have gotten an R-rating ten years ago either). I don't like the idea of owning any book I'd be embarrassed to have my daughter pick up. Nice to meet all of you! :)
Nice to meet you Kristy. My books are very clean if you care to check them out. :) I also have many reviews in my website that you may want to check out.Anna del C. Dye
Author of "The Silent Warrior Trilogy"
http://www.annadelc.com
Hi, just joined, found you on google. I, like all of you, love reading. However, probably like most of you, have bought WAY too many books, and not read due to content. I am very excited about reading through the different posts. My favorite books are sci-fi, (NOT fantasy such as vampires - although they are always lumped in together with sci-fi) and i love mysteries and thrillers. I wish books came with a rating, like movies and music, to save me time and money. I am a SAHM, charismatic Christian. I like my books clean, no language, no sex, no agendas, no political affiliations. Feel free to email me, or post, if you have a book to recommend. Meanwhile, I will be scouring the posts to find some new authors, new books and some great, good, clean reads.
Hello - I am LDS and on a constant search for book club books - found some good ones via Kims blog http://goodcleanreads.blogspot.com an highly reccomend The Guernsey Literary poatoe peel pie society if you havent read it also The Ladies Auviliary by Tova Mirvis for book clubs - on a personnel level I like travel books and autobiographies particularly Africa linked - Twenty Chickens for a saddle by Robyn Scott was fun/good and The Shadow of the sun by Ryszard Kapuscinski a Polish journalist is brilliantly written
Hi, I'm Carrie. I came across this book under a discussion about the book Eragon. Ironically, I had just posted a question about a book for my daughter. I am not overly religious, or "prude" but I'm not hyped up to read the Shades of Grey that everyone is talking about either! I want appropriate books to recommend to my daughter.
Clean Reads
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Cool Mark. Glad to have you!