The winner of the signed copy of ETERNAL CAPTIVE by Laura Wright, book mark and key ring mint holder is:
VIKI!
Viki send me your mailing address at Jenniferlyonbooks@gmail.com or Jenapodaca@aol.com and I’ll get the book out to you soon.
Next is a Huge Witchy Congrats to Kate Carlisle for hitting #15 on the New York Times list with her latest Bibliophile Mystery, ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE. Let’s all toast Kate with Appleitnis!
And that brings me to my Question of the Day. Does the fact that a book (or author) hit the New York Times or USA Today list influence your book buying decision in any way?
February 16th, 2012 at 3:38 am · Link
OH MY Thank you :). I love Laura’s breeding boys ;).
Congratulations to Kate!
In all honesty I don’t buy books based on the NY Times list. I buy because of recs and reviews. But once I enjoy an author I cheer them on to all the Best Seller Lists :).
Have a wonderful Thursday – me I’m cleaning bathrooms
February 16th, 2012 at 7:22 am · Link
Congrats, Viki! And, good luck with the bathrooms, I don’t envy you that job!!!!
I can’t say I pay attention to best seller lists at all. Like Viki, I do cheer for any authors I read and hope they make it. I’m much more attracted to cover art and a good blurb combination. Which, by the way, is why my family grabs both of my arms and drag me past any bookstore or book department and frequently refuses to join me at the library! I still browse bookshelves even though I purchase my “keepers” electronically now. I still find more books I want to read face to face rather than online. (The only downside to an e-reader I can find.)
On second thought, Viki, I double envy you today. It’s paperwork, paperwork, and filing for me today. And I’m not even going to get to the taxes today. I think I’d rather be cleaning bathrooms. I HATE filing.
February 16th, 2012 at 9:12 am · Link
It is the back blurb that gets me. I read for the story line and characters. For me it is all about the pages inbetween in a story. I have been even known to read really quickly over a sex part to get to more of a plot. It is totally about the characters and how they over come things in the story that hooks me.
I like story lines that are fresh or have a twist to them. I don’t read some books any more because the stories have become too way out there (unbelieveable) or to over used with the characters- the fifth time the heroine is found out to be the illigimate daughter of the pirate from the first book and so daddy is brought into this one again to intervine with the the young sailor who wants to take off with her – is just to much.
February 16th, 2012 at 10:39 am · Link
Congrats, Viki! Enjoy the book! And congrats to Kate for hitting the NYT List.
I don’t buy books because they’re on any best seller list. I buy because a) I’ve read and liked the author’s other book(s) or b) something about the book (cover art, title, etc) catches my eye and the blurb on the back sounds interesting. Like the other witches and any good fan, I cheer on my fave authors. It’s great to see an author you love hit the best seller list, esp. if it’s their first time on the list.
February 16th, 2012 at 10:41 am · Link
Congrats, Viki! When you get done, will you come clean mine? *ducks*
Huge congrats to Kate! I love her Bibliophile mysteries and so happy to see her with great numbers. But truthfully? If you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have known–unless I caught a tweet or something. I don’t pay attention. I’d love to see my name there some day! But I don’t go looking for the lists–NYT or USA Today or any others. What makes an author an autobuy for me is consistency of storytelling in a world(s) that are well-built with characters I care about. There are several authors who were autobuys but when their books “jumped the shark” as far as I was concerned, I quit reading them. I rely on recommendations from readers/friends I trust to try a new author. And frankly? I hope the book is available in the library so I can try it. I have, in a few instances, tried either the trial version from Kindle or actually taken the plunge and ordered the book, gotten part way into it and then returned it. Kindle is good about that. I don’t have the time or money to invest like I used to.
Okay. Where’d that cynical witch come from?!? Appletinis and cookies, STAT!
February 16th, 2012 at 10:58 am · Link
Viki, you’re welcome! I use the Random Number Generator to choose. I could never pick myself
Thanks for your thoughts on the lists too.
Ugh on bathrooms. I need to do that and wash all the floors. I can’t catch up.
February 16th, 2012 at 11:02 am · Link
Julie, I’m with you on the e-reader. I love mine, but I still love browsing in bookstores. Which is why I end up with more physical books then grumble because I actually would rather read on my Kindle.
Feel your pain on filing! For me, I need to clean out files but that’s not happening anytime soon.
February 16th, 2012 at 11:05 am · Link
Kat, reading over the sex part is a whole other discussion! For myself, I work to reveal more of the character in the sex scenes to weave it deeper into the plot, and I bet people still skim it.
Yet, sex sells.
Totally baffling, LOL! Anyway, the blurb–yep, I’ve bought books based on that too.
I had a feeling most of you would answer this way!
February 16th, 2012 at 11:06 am · Link
Dawn, it’s so interesting how much emphasis the “industry” puts on the lists and yet we readers really don’t. Thanks for answering!
February 16th, 2012 at 11:09 am · Link
Silver, I don’t think you’re being cynical. I’ve gotten much pickier too. With time and money at a premium, it makes sense.
So true on “jumped the shark” yet, I think it’s super hard for the author herself to tell when that’s happening. She’s just too close to the work and the characters. That’s when she truly needs a good editor.
Thanks so much for your thoughts too. You know how this biz works–logical don’t not play a starring role
February 16th, 2012 at 12:20 pm · Link
Thanks for the congrats everyone.
Julie – I hate filing too. It’s one of those necessary evils. As for taxes, hubs is the accountant and I’m the engineer so who do you think gets to do them – NOT ME :).
As soon as I got the 19 yr olds bathroom cleaned he was in it :(. If only the rooms could stay clean for a few hours.
Jen – I’m doing floors tomorrow. The kitchen has my skin crawling. I don’t know what it is about males but they drop/spill all over and never notice it. Go figure.
February 16th, 2012 at 7:37 pm · Link
Kat, I oh so agree with you on the sex scenes. I don’t mind them, but so many now have 20+ pages. Skim, skip, put it down. I am character and plot driven in my reading.
Jen, I hear you on the kindle. I too do the very same thing in bookstores!!!!
I didn’t get a single paper filed today. RenMan decided to take a PTO day and we spent the day at the movies. WooHoo. Now it’s catch up time.
February 16th, 2012 at 10:13 pm · Link
Viki, you’ll have a nice clean house and I’m still behind. Sigh.
Men never clean the kitchen like we do!
February 16th, 2012 at 10:13 pm · Link
Julie, everyone needs a day off! Glad you two had fun!
February 17th, 2012 at 7:36 am · Link
Congratulations, Viki! And a big toast for Kate!
Knowing a book’s on a bestseller list doesn’t really effect by buying decisions. I buy book I think I’ll like – whether other people like them or not. But as an author, bestseller lists are awesome and I dream of someday hitting one. =o)
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:59 pm · Link
Congrats to Viki and to Kate!
Being a best selling authors doesn’t mean anything to me. Most of the authors I read aren’t Best Sellers.