Currently reading 2011

[Michelle]

I've decided that when I do have time to read, I need to make more of an effort to get through a few of the series that I've already started. So, I've decided to read .

[Tracey]

Heather wrote: "Just finished . You REALLY need to read it if you haven't already!!!!!!!! I can not stress the "!!!!!!!!" enough. lol"

Well with that many !!!!! How can I resist :)

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

Tracey wrote: " Well with that many !!!!! How can I resist :)"

Heather's right, Tracey! I have it listed as my top fantasy read so far this year. (Even above - which I really have to put in another category in my mind, LOL!)

[Lina]

Maybe "Epic novel" should be a category, Lisa?

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

There you go, CaroB!

[Heather]

Just starting . This thing is just beautiful. I'm captivated and Grease is on right now, so I'm mega torn. lol

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

You've got to at least watch that dance sequence at the end, Heather!

[Heather]

I'm watching it and singing along, I can't help it. Husband has his ears plugged. lol

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

[Heather]

You're the picture queen!

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

Yeah, I need one of those silver-curlers hats for my crown, LOL!

[Heather]

ROFL, yes you do!

[Zoe]

Loved that movie. Totally missed all the sexual inuendo, and asked everyone in my first grade class to call me Sandy (they didn't).

Speaking of sex, I'm currently reading and the first sex scene bugged me - there are certain body parts I just think you should avoid, and the rectum is one of them. (This just involved touch but still.....) Otherwise a good book, but....not sure if I'm way old fashioned or what. It's one of my pet peeves, and like NC17 movies and rap albums, I always feel there should be a warning label. Sheesh!

[Tracey]

Wow! Ok I like a book with good detail, but even that may have been a little too far for me :)... On the subject of too far, how do people feel about oral sex descriptoins? Too far?

[rameau]

It depends on how it's done, but I don't mind oral descriptions. And since I read gay romances too, rectum comes with the territory. What I do find distasteful are the glorified rape scenes.

[Tracey]

I think if you pick up a gay romance you have certain expectations and therefore are prepared for those kind of descriptions that otherwise might come as a surprise. I really like Lynsay Sands vampire series and she includes oral descriptions in those, which I never felt went over the line, but as I said befor I do like more detail than some authors provide. Some test readers of my books have recommended I leave out those descriptions in my writing. Some suggest that it's going too far. Just wondering what the general consensus is.

[rameau]

I don't think there can be a general consensus on it. Some like more details, others less. If you're writing it, you can't please all and so you should make sure you're happy with it.

[Tracey]

I agree. Thanks Rameau!

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

Depends on how a book is marketed. Some of the surprise has to be laid at the feet of the publishers. I read all kinds of romance books, from inspirational to erotica. However, I don’t want to be reading one type and suddenly have something way too graphic dropped in the middle of it. It is off putting. I am such a mood reader. One author, who I used to read a lot of, did this recently and I haven’t read another of her books. Another author did it – and I heard about the scene so much on GRs that I knew it was coming – so it wasn’t. Kind of a tricky thing here.

[Tracey]

I agree that marketing is important! That's why I think my book should be marketed as a romance. It is a love story, it has sex in it. It doesn't nessecarily fit the exact mold of a romance, but if it's not marketed as such I think people may be surprised or taken off gaurd by the sex scenes.

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

Sometimes they put a cartoony cover on or funny title - and that is not the mood of the book. Weird.

[Tracey]

I HATE when the cover has a blonde woman... and the main character is brunette!

[Lina]

I agree with you Lisa Kay. I have nothing against descriptive sex scenes, in fact, depending on the mood they go down a treat (pun very much intended)! But it has to make sense for the characters to be partaking in that type of activity.

And yes, Tracey, that's a pet peeve of mine when the cover artwork doesn't reflect the story in some way. Seriously, would it be so hard for the artist to get an accurate description? Grr!

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

Oh, yes! CaroB has a pet peeve about cover artwork. So do I.

[Michelle]

I'm reading . I just seem to be in SFR mode right now.

[Tracey]

I read a book once whose leading lady was described as dark hair, olive skin, and curvy... on the cover was a skinny blonde. Very irritating! If people are on the cover I expect them to look like the characters in the book!

[Zoe]

I think the art departments of the major publishers are getting alot better now - in the 80's they caould all put the same woman on the cover, and there was nothing the author could do about it!!! There are some famously bad covers somewhere - I think an early Suzanne Borckman had a woman with 3 arms - it's now a collectors item and goes for ridiculos amounts on ebay because it's an inside joke in the romance writing world.

And yes, covers are helpful in determining what's going on inside. I knew there'd be descriptive sex due to the half naked man on the cover, but the rectal threw me. Just felt it was unecessary to the scene - really the sex was just fine without it.

I don't mind descriptive oral - unless there is a great deal of lip smacking. That always kind of gets me.

And if you don't want sex, there are some GREAT authors out there who do romances that are pretty clean. I like sex, I just draw a line somehwere.

[Lina]

✿Michelle✿ wrote: "I'm reading . I just seem to be in SFR mode right now."

Michelle, I don't think I've ever read an SF romance. I've read SteamPunk and dystopian but that's the closest I've come, I think. Are they very technomological? Do they use lots of doobiewackers to travel and stuff? Would you have one you'd recommend to start with?

[Michelle]

CaroB wrote: "✿Michelle✿ wrote: "I'm reading . I just seem to be in SFR mode right now."

Michelle, I don't think I've ever read an SF romance. I've read SteamPunk and dystopian but ..."

I'm still an SFR/ sci-fi reading newbie, so to me, they're a little on the techie side. I'd recommend starting with though. It's more aliens and such, and not so technological in my opinion.

[Lina]

Thanks Michele! What's the difference between Sci Fi and Futuristic?

[Michelle]

CaroB wrote: "Thanks Michele! What's the difference between Sci Fi and Futuristic?"

I just asked that question in the SFR group. The answer I got was that a lot of futuristic novels are classified as sci-fi, but has nothing to do with science fiction. I think that science fiction has some sort of technological/ scientific element as part of the plot.

[Lina]

✿Michelle✿ wrote: "I think that science fiction has some sort of technological/ scientific element as part of the plot. ..."

Lol, it kind of makes sense when you put it like that :-)

[Michelle]

CaroB wrote: "✿Michelle✿ wrote: "I think that science fiction has some sort of technological/ scientific element as part of the plot. ..."

Lol, it kind of makes sense when you put it like that :-)"

I didn't quite get "it" until I asked someone else either.

[Michelle]

I'm starting . It fits this months challenge as the author was born in September, and also allows me to satisfy my science fiction craving.

[Lina]

On a completely unrelated topic (I couldn't find the appropriate thread anywhere) does anyone know how link a recommendation to a specific person when you have two people with similar names on your friend's list? Auto-complete keeps choosing the wrong name and when I try and write the full name manually, it doesn't link at all.

[Michelle]

CaroB wrote: "On a completely unrelated topic (I couldn't find the appropriate thread anywhere) does anyone know how link a recommendation to a specific person when you have two people with similar names on your..."

I'm sorry I don't know, but I wish I did.

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

I don't know either. But I know there is a way to do it as I have had friends recommended to me... I will have to investigate.

P.S. You can post a questions like this under GoodReads How To... Ask a Question.

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

Okay, CaroB, I asked in the moderator group, they told me, and I wrote it up. Here is the link to this group's How to... folder and that topic: Recommend a Friend to a Friend
.

[Lina]

You're a legend Lisa Kay, thank you so much!

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

You are welcome, CaroB!

[rameau]

I started this one yesterday and so far I'm liking it. Although, I must say, that the word member is quickly rising on my "top 10 most hated words used in smut." If I keep thinking "what the hell does parliament have to do with this" while he's masturbating, something's terribly wrong.

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

rameau wrote: "
If I keep thinking "what the hell does parliament have to do with this" while he's masturbating, something's terribly wrong."

LMAO! Great, that's pretty funny. :o)

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

Well, it is a bit of a phallic symbol, rameau, LOL!

[rameau]

Oh, I like that much better. LOL

And I ended up giving five stars to the book, I just need to write the actual review.

[Michelle]

Lisa Kay wrote: "Well, it is a bit of a phallic symbol, rameau, LOL!
"

LMAO!

[Lina]

LMAO Lisa Kay!!

[True Image]

Bought: The Penniless Lady

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

True Image wrote: ""

That one looks good, True Image; is it? Did you read the first in the series.

[Zoe]

Currently reading and really enjoying it! Also in a non-fic, but slightly romantic bent, reading and it's very funny!