Friday, October 14, 2005

How do YOU decide?

It's sometimes a very tough decision how to decide what book to read. I often find myself going in a totally different direction and picking a completely different book than the one I'm planning to read.
For example. I have been waiting for simply ages to read Tara Janzen's book, Crazy Hot. She used to be Glenna McReynolds and ever since I closed the cover on River of Eden way back in 2002 (was it really that long ago?) I've been waiting for her next book but she seemed to disappear. Finally we learned that she was going to have a series of books come out under the name Tara Janzen. The original publishing date though was pushed back a few times. The cover was changed. So you would think that after that long a wait, when I finally found and bought the book, I would be starting it that night. I didn't.
Today I found a couple of more books I've been real anxious to get, two of the ones listed at the side - Just Perfect by Julie Ortolon and Kissing in the Dark by Wendy Lindstrom. Now if I didn't start Crazy Hot, you would think I would start either one of these two. But nope, they aren't the ones that are drawing me right now.

I got into a bit of a discussion about a couple of Patricia Veryan books at a message board - which led me to posting her book covers on the previous blog. Now I have this overwhelming urge to read her books next. So overwhelming that although I have so many books to read, I HAVE to read a book that wasn't even on my radar a couple of days ago. Why is this? I've read these books before - more than once. But for some inexplicable reason, nothing else appeals to me at the moment - even a book I've waited 3 years to read.

Does this every happen to anyone else? What makes us pick up a particular book to read? This happens to me a lot. To the point I'm willing to dig through boxes in the furthest part of our basement, slugging boxes around - my plastic boxes are quite heavy when loaded down with books- to get to one particular book that I've read before. That one book I know will haunt me if I don't. I just hope I'm not alone.

It's something I've never been able to figure out.

7 comments:

Gigi said...

Hey Kristie
Thank you so much for taking time out to write out the instructions on how to get those little pics on my sidebar. You're my computer guru! Now I just gotta find the time to get it done. Thanks again :)

Anonymous said...

Giselle: You're welcome. I'll be looking for them when you get the time. Anyone who has followed along with my computer and other various electonic woes is going to laugh and laugh and laugh that you called me a guru.

Anonymous said...

I just have to let my spirit tell me what to read next. I've long realized that it's not worth fighting what my spirit is telling me. Either I end up not liking the book or never finishing it or rushing through it to get to the book I really wanted to read. That's why I have such a hard time getting books from the library. Unless its something I REALLY want to read, I have a hard time buckling down and getting to the reading.

Tara Marie said...

I think I fall somewhere between Keishon and Jay--gut feeling and spirit about sums it up. I do have a tendency to read what ever is new, and putting older books on my TBR pile unless they have been recommended by someone I trust.

I'm really curious about the Janzen book. I've always found when publishing dates are moved around there is a major problem with the book that needed fixing. I remember waiting for an Judith McNaught several years ago which had several different publishing dates because the book needed re-writing--not a good sign.

CindyS said...

Here's how it used to work. Julie Garwood (old style) - locked myself in my room and read until I finished. Being a slow reader, meals were missed - didn't care.

Suzanne Brockmann - set aside my day to sit and read. Dinner is not going to be made and laundry will rot.

Anne Stuart (to this day) - if I hear so much as a whistle someone's going to get blasted!

Nowadays, Stuart is the only one still standing. She's an author that will get me to stop any and all things I am doing.

As far as the rest, I don't know if I will ever read all the books I have bought over the years. I'm going to try! I read from almost every category of romance (paranormal, cont, hist etc) so it depends on what I have ODed on. As for suddenly remembering a scene that you just have to read again - all the time. My husband finally told me no books in the bedroom because I would have about 10 keepers on my bedside just in case. I also try to know where my most frequent re-reads live.

CindyS

Gabrielle said...

I don't understand it, either. I guess there's just something we need to hear at that point, and there's only one person who can tell us what it is. I get the same thing with movies, too. All of a sudden, I *have* to see a particular movie.

Kristie (J) said...

Yea, you just have to go where "the Voice" calls you I guess. Otherwise, no matter how good the book might be, it's just not going to do it for you. I know I've had that happen lots - one reason for my huge "started it but can't give it away just in case" pile.