Sunday, October 04, 2009

Sharing the love and having it come back

I think I've mentioned that I'm totally out of the closet at work now as far as my reading goes. Everyone I work with knows I read and love romance and that my summer vacations are spent going to ROMANCE conventions.

And not only do the people I work with know that I read romance, I have started loaning out some of my romance books to coworkers. The first ones were Lisa Kleypas's contemporaries, Blue Eyed Devil and Smooth Talking Stranger when I noticed one of them reading a copy of Sugar Daddy (because I had talked this author up so much) she had got from the library.

Another one of my coworkers is a huge romance reader herself and in particular a fan of Scottish historicals and I've leant her some that she hadn't read before.

The next author my coworkers took up was Janet Evanovitch. Now some readers could argue that she isn't a romance author. Sister Lisa who absolutely refuses to read romance, reads the Stephanie Plum books so I think she would be one to argue they aren't romance. JE has been a huge hit at work and there are probably six or seven reading her now. One of my biggest disappointments at the RWA convention was not getting a chance to talk to and tell Ms. Evanovitch what a hit she is at my place of employment.

And the most recent auteur du jour is JD Robb. There are two coworkers currently reading her books and since I have her entire collection, I AM the MAN - or supplier as the case may be. One of them is at about book 8 or 9 and the other is at book 3. The first three are her own but I've told her when she's ready to move on to 4 and further, I have them.

As well, there are a few in my group of friends I went to school with who we've all remained in contact with and still get together as a group twelve years later that I've leant books to.

I can't tell you what a thrill it is to loan out books I've loved and have others enjoy them too. And I think I have everyone I loan books out to, sufficiently impressed with the fact that I take Very Good Care of my books so that they don't *shudder* break the spines or fold the pages so for the most part they come back in the same condition as they were loaned out - heh heh heh. None of them are quite the fanatic that I am though and we don't get into big discussions - though one of my coworkers is a huge Ranger fan and often oohs and ahhs over anything Ranger.

But this has all been mostly a preamble. The topic is JD Robb. Now that I've two coworkers reading them, it reminds me all over again how great I find this series. I have a special JD Robb shelf in my book case with all of them on it. There are so many now and with a number of them in hardcover, I've had to turn books sideways and double stack to get them all on the same shelf. I'm in countdown mode for her next book, Kindred in Death. This is one of the very few books I buy in hardcover because the waiting list at the library is too long and I can't wait until the come out in paperback. I wait in eager anticipation for each new installment and the continuing saga of Eve Dallas, her too sexy to be real husband Roarke and the rest of the gang. But with so many in the series now, I haven't been rereading them the way I used to. And with her books front and centre on the living room book shelves, I was thinking I really should reread them more often. I've reread Naked in Death quite a number of times, and the few ten or so after that one more than once. But the latest ones - I've only read the one time. And after paying a higher than I normally pay for a book price, I really should make sure I get my money's worth. So with that in mind last evening, I grabbed Salvation in Death off the shelf and started reading. And I just came to a part that really explains why I love this series so much. Eve has just come home in a pissy mood from a day at the office trying to solve the double mystery of who murdered the imposter priest and what happened to the real priest. Summerset, Roarke's butler/friend/substitute father and Eve's nemisis, has noticed Eve's mood and alerted Roarke to Eve's mood so Roarke can deal with it and take care of Eve. Now for those who read this series, Eve is about as tough as nails as one can get. She has this hilarious combatitive relationship with Summerset and vice versa. Yet underneath their constant yipping at each other, there is this real caring relationship. We see it constantly with the two of them. That's just one of the things that makes this such an interesting series, all the quiet like moments that don't really strike you on a first read.

So - what is the point of this long and rambling post you ask? Well, there isn't one really - or there are a whole bunch - having people to share books with, rereading good books, the In Death books, moments or passages in books that are easy to miss or just a good old fashioned ramble that I haven't done for a while :)

14 comments:

Kate Diamond said...

I love sharing books with friends! On my Alaska trip in July, I was with book buddies... and we rotated through each other's travel reading during the vacation. It was great: triple the books without tripling the suitcase space!

Nicola O. said...

Aww, Kristie, you are a true missionary, bringing the Word of romance to the unenlightened.

*smooch*

orannia said...

I love that your 'pimping' (if you'll excuse the phrase :) romance novels to everyone at work. I do something similar, but more with fantasy, although I did get the receptionist hooked on JD Robb! Which reminds me, I must read Promises in Death!

Patti (@TheLoveJunkee) said...

My co-workers and I all get together to talk about our favorite vampire books! I'm a bit cautious about lending though, because some of my books have come back looking pretty ratty.

Kristie (J) said...

Patti: The key is to frighten them into taking care of them! I always preface mine by telling them the story of how I made my sister buy me a brand new copy of Lavryle Spencer's Morning Glory when she "accidentally" dropped it in the bathtub.

Orannia: *grinning* Yep! I'm an all over pimp - is what I am.

Nicolla: see - the aim is to 'hook' them with the mixed kind of romance and then hit them with the full out romance only books. By that time I'll be able to take over the world

Kate: Taking a trip with book buddies - that sounds heavenly - and to Alaska - even heavenlier still! I'd love to visit their some day. And find a Jack Slattery of my own *g*

Anonymous said...

i totally get what you're saying, i think the same thing, how exciting it is to lend books and help others discover what you already love. reading is such an *individual* hobby, you always read alone! so being able to share the experience is SO FUN.

and you would be THE MAN to me, i just started the in Death series this week, I've read the first three and cannot find the 4th or 5th in any library in DC, MD, or VA. I already paid $7.99 each for the first three so really don't want to continue to do so, but am so addicted to Eve and Roarke and Eve's amazing deductive skills that i know i am going to!

i just read the one where we find out about Summerset's daughter and then he finds out how something similar happened to Eve and he looks at her in a whole new light. im so happy i finally started this series!

Kristie (J) said...

Lustyreader: Dang I wished you lived closer - I could definitely be your supplier. This series is still great - how many books later. There is so much I love about it - the continuing and growing relationship between Eve and Roarke, the gradual 'healing' of Eve, the growth of so many relationships. It's funny since so many of the things that turn me off on continuing series are the very thing that keeps me coming back to this one. Good luck on finding the rest of the books. Do you have many UBS's in your area? I know that there are quite a few copies in the UBS's around me.
And it took me quite a while to start it too - but I'm so glad that I did.

Tara Marie said...

School moms "borrow" my books. I don't get a lot of them back. I figure it's for a good cause, the advancment of romance reading :)

I had given up on the "... in Death" series, because of the sameness of the books. But about a year ago I picked up the series again and they're good, solid, enjoyable reads, I just wait for them to turn paperback.

azteclady said...

You are much braver than I, Kristie, I cannot lend my books *shudder* I just can't...

So I buy used copies of the ones I'm pushing on people :grin: In fact, the first PURE romance I had my beloved read was LaVyrle Spencer's Morning Glory and I'm ecstatic to say that he loved it as much as I do!

(I had started him with Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooters books)

nath said...

The more people with whom you can share your passion, the better and merrier :D So happy you've been able to reach the people around you, Kristie :D

I'm slowly doing it as well... but very, very slowly :D

Hey, are you revamping your blog? :)

Kristie (J) said...

Nath: not revamping - just playing with different colours. It's easy and doesn't involve any thinking *g*.
And I was in the closet for years about my genre of choice when it came to reading. It's only been in the last few years I've totally come out. For example, when I went to the RWA convention in Dallas, I told my coworkers I was going to a WRITERS conference, but the next year I added to word Romance in front of it :-) And one of the bonuses is getting to share books now!

AL: So - he loved Morning Glory!! I've said it before - but he is definitely a KEEPER *G*. That's my plan - start them out with mixed and then sock 'em with straight out romance.

Tara: That would be awful for me - not to get them back!! I only lend out the real good ones so to not have them returned, and me a rereader - that wouldn't be a good mix *g*.

Lynn Spencer said...

Oh, how wonderful! I used to have no fellow romance readers near me, but one of my dearest friends recently started reading romance. I feel like I'm looking at my stash with new eyes as I try to find the ones I think she'll like the most.

Kristie (J) said...

Lynne: It can be a lonely thing can't it - being the only romance reader in a world of other genre readers. One of the reasons finding the romance community online has been so wonderful. It's great that you know have someone in your circle to share the love with :-)
Just make sure you scare her first though before you start loaning books *laughing*

Lynn Spencer said...

@KristieJ - I have to admit that I've been afraid to lend the out of print, hard to find books.

For a variety of reasons, I've tended to be a lurker more than a commenter, but I do love having been able to find a romance community online. Better than a lot of what I find online. :-)