The New ABC of Reading

Cara/Andrea here, As many of you can probably tell from our monthly “What Are We Reading” posts, I am an avid reader as well an author—as are all the Wenches. So the question of how to discover new books and new-to-us authors in this age of shrinking bricks and mortar bookstores and expanding e-universe of titles is doubly important to me. The Wenches talk about it a lot among ourselves, but I’d love to hear YOUR thoughts on the state of reading today.

Gutenberg’s invention of movable allowed books to be mass-produced, and for almost four centuries, readers pretty much accessed books in the same way—they purchased them at bookstores, had a membership to a circulating library, or were lucky enough to borrow volumes from friends. (The wealthy, of course, could afford to amass fabulous collections of their own, and often bought books with plain cardboard coverings so they could bind them in fancy leather and gold-stamp decorations.)

The books people read were, aside from the occasional vanity press offerings, produced by publishing companies. Editing, production binding, distributing—until very recently the process was expensive, and as publishers counted on making a profit on their investment, they had a real incentive to turn out a quality product. A reader could pretty much count that a book bearing the imprint of one of the many firms that blossomed in major cities around the globe would meet a certain standard in terms of grammar, language, and the other basic elements of style, whether it be fiction or non-fiction. One might not like the content, but it would likely be a professional product.

But as we all know, things have changed radically in recent years. These days anyone can be a publisher—the local library cat can format and upload his book to Amazon if he happens to walk across the keyboard in just the right sequence. (I am only half jesting!)  Like anything, there are good and bad points about this digital revolution—but mostly I find myself confused on how to go about discovering new and interesting reads. In the past I loved browsing through the new release tables at my local bookstore (both have gone out of business, and the local Barnes and Noble sells mostly children’s educational toys.)  But the traditional publishers are shrinking their lists, especially in mass market paperback, because the competition from cheaper indie e-books is making it hard for them to stay in business.

Okay, you might say—why not simply browse genres on one of the big online booksellers? But I find it not at all the same! There is SO much out there, and if a book doesn’t come from a trad publisher, how does one sort the wheat from the chaff?

In thinking about this conundrum, I noodled up a handful of questions. I’d love to hear your answers to them:

In looking for a new author or new series, what influences you most? Recommendations from friends? Reading about it on a blog? Goodreads? Is there any “go-to” online site you trust the most for the skinny on books?

Do you buy on impulse or instinct? How much do covers affect your decision to buy a new-to-you author? How much do the blurbs?

What about pricing? Are you put off by the trad publishers selling an e-book at the same price as a paper book? Does that affect how many trad e-books you buy now? Conversely, are you willing to buy lots of $.99 books, even if you end up with a bunch of awful ones?

Lastly, do you find yourself or buying less—and even reading less—because the ocean out there is just too big and uncharted to navigate?

Please share your thoughts with fellow readers, and chime in with any aspect I've missed. As a token of thanks, I’ll be giving away a paper copy of Scandalously Yours, the first book in my “Hellions of High Street” series to one lucky winner chosen from those who leave a comment here between now and Thursday evening.

Comments

[Sonya Heaney]

It’s Pride and Prejudice’s birthday tomorrow. :)

Like every person in Australia (where books cost a fortune), when people start moaning about book prices in their country, I become annoyed! So many readers seem to think books should be free, and that authors should just write out of the goodness of their hearts! :) Yet, they’ll pay much more to see a bad movie or some other form of entertainment.

These days most of what I read comes as review books from publishers. I’ve noticed I’ve been missing out on some good books and series because I rarely get my books any other way anymore.

I’ve learnt to always read more than one review before buying something. For example, a major book blog the other day was raving about how good a certain book was, and then I went to some other reviews and everyone else only gave it one star

[Mary T]

Since retiring, reading has become one of my favorite pastimes. In my younger days my reading was more varied. But now I read mostly for pure enjoyment, so most of what I read is HR, biographies, and mysteries. I love history and I have always been a sucker for a good love story - so there you are!

I'm on a limited income, but I consider money spent on something I enjoy so much - money well spent. One of my main sources for trying new authors is the public library. When I find a new author I first look to see if there is one of their books in the library. And I have found new authors by just picking randomly from interesting titles on the shelf there.

[HJ]

Since it is now almost impossible to browse in a bookshop, I download a lot of samples of ebooks and do the equivalent of what I used to do: read the first few pages. But to find the books in the first place, I read a lot of different review sites and blogs like this one. I then check the reviews on Goodreads. I make sure that I don't read any plot details, just comments about the writing etc.. I am also a member of several groups in Goodreads which focus on the genres I like, and which often alert me to books I didn't know about.

I don't read blurbs because they give away too many plot points. Covers are relevant: I know that consciously or sub-consciously I am more likely to check into a book which has a cover which appeals to me. They also tend to let me know quickly which genre the books are; I don't like anything paranormal, for example, and they're often apparent from the cover.

I am sensitive to price. There are only a few authors for whom I will pay more for an ebook than the cost of a second-hand book plus postage. I find it annoying that Mills & Book ebooks are just too expensive. for example -- I feel they're a bit of a rip-off.

[Andrea Penrose]

Sonya, it's always hard for authors to hear people say, "Oh why aren't all e-books $.99 because it "costs" nothing to make them?" It's our profession, and we can't work for nothing and survive. But the flood of cheap and free books muddles that message.

So price is a factor in people trying new authors. Your checking multiple reviews is a good strategy. We all know publicity is not always unbiased . . . I certainly take notice if I see a book raved about on various sites or publications. I also get a monthly newsletter from my local library that highlights new releases and recommendations. Knowing that comes from people who are "book people" is important.

[Andrea Penrose]

Mary T, I do that as well! And as I said above, my library has a really good monthly newsletter of new releases in a variety of genres. So it's a great source of discovery. And yes, browsing the shelves is always great. It's what I miss about good bookstores, who carry a variety of esoteric titles.

[Andrea Penrose]

HJ, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Sounds like you do a wonderful job of finding books that appeal to you.

As someone with a design background, I also find covers matter to me. I've been willing to take a chance on an unknown author if the cover really appeals to me (conversely, I'll buy a favorite author, even if I think the cover is dreadful.) But I also realize that a bad cover on an unknown author makes me a little less apt to give it a try unless the blurb really appeals to me, or a friend has recommended it.

As we are seeing, lots of factors influence us!

[Elaine Brown]

I have a digital subscription to the Romantic Times. I also follow several blogs. I'm a member of the Australian Romance Readers Association and several of us in Sydney get together for lunch once a month. Books we've enjoyed are a large part of the conversation.
I read only ebooks - arthritis makes paper books too painful to cope with. Since ebooks do not give you the same rights I will not pay as much for them.
When I was younger I would finish every book I started. Now I'm prepared to ditch a book and move on if it doesn't engage me.

[Quantum]

Nowadays I only read e-books or listen to audio books. I often check out reviews on a couple of sites eg theromancedish and Regan Walker; I also follow the offers on BookBub. Many authors will offer the first book in a series free or at greatly reduced prices. Having found one that clicks I will usually buy more, especially if audio versions are available with good narration.

On price it annoys me greatly when e-books cost nearly as much as print copies and I will only buy when the author is well known to me and liked .... why try an expensive unfamiliar author when many cheaper options are available and my time is also valuable!

Covers have very little influence on me now. Titles are more important and worth spending time perfecting I think. Titles together with a short description of content is what peeks my curiosity.

[jeannette halpin]

I use your site, checking on your own books and the ones you mention. I also get BookBub and occasionally there will be something inexpensive that seems worth taking a chance on, or that leads me to someone else. It is hard for me to tell anything from covers or titles if I don't already know the author. I buy mostly ebooks which don't have "covers" anyway, and what they do have is usually unhelpful. Most titles are simply too vague - The Rakish Duke, or the Disgraced Earl, or the Spinster's Christmas Surprise! Really!? Any of them could be excellent or dreadful and you don't know until you read the free sample to get a feel for the characters and plot, which is what I usually do. I am also on a limited income so I am careful about price. I will happily pay $7.99 for a new book by an author whom I know and appreciate (Yes, JoBev and Mary Jo, I'm talking about you!) But I would not pay that for an unknown and take a chance that it's boring, or has too much pointless banter, or is sloppily edited (using "peeked" instead of "piqued" or having the spinster bluestocking heroine say "ok" in her dialogue, for example). That kind of mistake really annoys me and sometimes even spoils the story.

[Patricia Franzino]

If I am looking for a particular genre that I enjoy like epic fantasy fiction, historical mystery, romance, I go to Google and type it in to see what comes up for recommendation in a message board. I get emails from Goodreads as well as Heroes and Heartbreakers. Of course, I check out Word Wenches as well.

Sometimes I'll read a standalone novel from an author, and if I really enjoyed it, I will look up other books they've written in a series or another standalone.

I look at the cover and the blurb and go to the message board on Amazon to see what readers think of it.

I don't like it when publishers have the same price for an ebook as they do for a paperback. I don't like to buy the $.99 books if they are not well written and entertaining.

I love reading and will not stop buying what I enjoy. There is nothing like a great story!

[Sue McCormick]

I don't look for new a authors! I actually try to avoid finding them! (Our household stores more than 7000 book titles — more because I know there are many not yet catalogued in our database — and we could do without housing any more.) But cost is also a factor, as well as the space. We buy books every month, and sometimes every day! Some of the ebook purchases are for a handy reading copy of a book already in our house in print and paper form, but many of them are new publications.

Where do I hear about new books? Places the same as or similar to those mentioned above: the library, Goodreads, Word Wenches, various author blogs and Facebook pages, and so on.

I stopped trusting both sides of the book jacket about 1943 — when I was 16. In too many cases, neither the book cover nor the blurb had anything at all to do with the book I was reading. (Sometimes I thought, too bad — the blurb sounded like a truly interesting book; I wish someone would write it!)

Mostly, I meet authors. I read lots of Science Fiction; I attend a reasonably large regional SF convention every year. There I meet SF authors, who are a well-read class of people and who do not confine their comments to SF. (SF fans also widely read and talk about many books in many genres).

But I meet authors electronically also. Here, and on the other online spots I have already mentioned. For example — I now follow Liberta Books because of posts here on Word Wenches. I haven't tried any of their books —YET— but I'm becoming more and more sure that I will do so.

[Anne]

I read about a book a day, so I'm always looking for good material. The Smart Bitches, Trashy Books site is useful. If a book is by an author I haven't read before or an author who has had some misses in their back catalog, I check reviews on both Goodreads and Amazon, looking SPECIFICALLY at the lowest rated reviews that appear to have been written by someone discerning who has specific, to-me-viable reasons for the low rating. A random low review for reasons I don't agree with or by someone who can't spell several words, etc., I pay no attention to.

Then, I also follow the review GR feeds of both my favorite authors (including many of you lot) as well as GR regulars who seem to hate the same books I hate and have cogent reasons for it. Loving the same books is not as useful, in particular in romance niches where fans love anything in the niche whatsoever because it's their fave trope so quality is immaterial.

Lastly, for a new-to-me author, I also look at their GR profile to see how experienced of a writer they are, whether they have a personal profile that indicates life or professional experience that might indicate brains or personal depth, and what the average ratings of their non-series and first-in-series books are. (Later in series books tend to have artificially inflated ratings due to the fan factor.)

When I find someone new-to-me who I love, I then buy everything they've ever written that sounds remotely appealing and GORGE. I also sign up for their website newsletter to be alerted when they have a new title.

So, does that answer your question? :-)

[Carrie T]

I subscribe to Fresh Fiction and Writerspace News. I also will look through what Goodreads and Amazon recommends to me. I get author newsletters and sometimes they'll make recommendations of books they are reading. I have subscribed to blogs in the past but my email gets so bogged down that I am trying to keep subscriptions only to what interests me. Covers plays some influence but mainly the blurb. If it doesn't capture my attention then I'll pass. I prefer reading paperbacks but have been using my Kindle more lately. I will buy a mass market paperback over an e-book. Since indie books aren't massed produced and generally more expensive then I will buy the e-book. It is overwhelming the amount of books that are out there. My shelves are overflowing with books to be read, but I can't seem to stop buying them. I also wish I were a faster reader. I've downloaded a bunch of free e-books over the past few years and I'm currently trying to make my way through them. I've discovered some new favorite authors by taking advantage of their free offers and will buy more of their books.

[Vicki W.]

Used book stores, library sales, my sisters, BookBub, sometimes Walmart or Kroger when I have time to just browse what is on the shelf...

If I'm "experimenting" I tend to go with the cheapest way i.e. used book store or library sale. I am very fortunate that I live within 30 mins of 2 used book stores and my library has a huge sale twice a year.

I also occasionally borrow a book that I'm boxing up for the book sale to give it a try. (Very cheap price - nothing...)

If I like the author then I search for more books by that author.

Book bub has led me to a couple of good authors and I've then bought additional books from them. I have gotten much more choosy about BookBub (as well as all books) and will look at reviews. I especially hate whiny characters. If multiple people say the characters whine...I don't even choose the free version to read.

I've contemplated using those search things where you type in an author name and it gives you suggestions. But then I say, you really need to read some of the 600 unread books you already have...many of which are authors you haven't tried yet. Grin...

[Patricia Rice]

I have considered the conundrum of why people are willing to pay $10 for a movie they can't take home with them but won't pay $10 for a book they can read over and over. I'm thinking part of the difference is that books are too convenient--they're almost a throw-away. The movie is a one-time experience to be enjoyed, savored,shared, and talked about. A book is private, can be read anytime, cast aside and picked up later. We're no longer rare and so we're less valuable.

[Patricia Rice]

LOL, Sue, on the blurbs. I've read some of those and wished the same, and some of them were my own.

[Patricia Rice]

Excellent discussion, thank you, Andrea! I have always enjoyed finding new authors because my favorite authors stick to a certain voice and setting and I'll get bored with them if I read them too much. I've found some wonderful new authors just by reading Bookbub or from wench discussions, since we have similar tastes. Sure, I've found a lot of junk by picking up free and 99c, but I've also found keepers I never would have found otherwise. Certainly beats paying $7.99 to discover I hate that author's voice!

[Jana]

To find new authors, I still use a brick and mortar bookstore. I've tried the freebie/$0.99 e books and have rarely found anything worth finishing. I rely on my instinct, if something looks good, is a genre I enjoy, and has an interesting blurb I will buy it and try it. Sometimes this method has backfired on me but its also how I've found many favourites. (Just finished a new to me series by Mary Robinnette Kowal that I found this way... I read the first one and enjoyed it so thoroughly i ordered the rest on line so I wouldn't have to waste time hunting them down in the stores!) I also rely on your "what we're reading" blogs for new authors, sometimes I try them and say, "what are the wenches thinking?!" But other times I find new authors I love. Tasha Alexander is one I discovered thanks to you ladies! So, I guess I'm still more a fan of the traditional publishing world. If its been vetted by the professionals who reject so many manuscripts, I figure there must be something special about it. I don't trust self publishing at all!

[Annette Naish]

I am in several reader's groups online. And the wonderful people in those groups are willing to share information about authors and books. They have helped me fall in love with both authors and books I would never have known.

I get emails from some sites which send me information about bargains and freebies in e-books. I have found some wonderful authors and gone back and gotten other books by these new to me authors.

Yes, at times I find books which do not appeal to me. But, the wonderful thing about reading - if I do not like a book, I have the luxury of stopping and not finishing that book.

Yes, I find it sort of sad that an e-book can be as much as a print edition. Not sure what is up with that.

I do see that publishing and writing right now are rather like a cage fight ----anything goes and who wins today may be a real loser tomorrow.

And what it comes down to for me, I return over and over to my favorite authors. But, I also widen my horizons by trying new authors. If I read a blurb about a book, or get a recommendation from a friend or someone in one of my groups talks about a wonderful author or book I am willing to give things a try.

Reading is an addiction for me, so getting suggestions from all sorts of people and places is a wonderful thing.

[Linda Banche]

I start with the genre. Then I read the blurb, and the preview. I can usually tell within the first few pages if I'll like the book or not. This is essentially the same thing I do with library books, only there, if something catches my eye, I take the book out. I may return it unread, but I may also find a new author I love. I will buy books I love. I use the library to read something I'm lukewarm about.

As for price, I think any price less that $5 for an ebook is cheap. I am very tired of listening to people complain that ebooks are too expensive or they can't afford the money. If you don't like the price for whatever reason, go elsewhere and keep quiet.

I think free ebook downloads are a mistake. I think the lowest price for any book should be 99 cents. 99 cents is dirt cheap to try anything. I exempt free if you're giving away a copy or two as a promotion.

Yes, I will pay more for paper, and I will pay a bundle for something I really like, ebook or paper.

[Lillian Marek]

My problem is that I don't actually like to read ebooks. I do when I'm traveling, to avoid hauling around a trunk of books, but that's about it.
That means the absence of a real bookstore anywhere near me, where I could read a few pages, has been extremely frustrating. Covers rarely say anything beyond Long Skirt=Historical. Titles are silly plays on pop culture songs or shows. Blurbs are frequently misleading. (I once bought a book I had already read because the blurb sounded completely unfamiliar.) And my favorite authors rarely write more than a book a year. Not enough to keep me in reading material.
My solution has been to rely almost entirely on the public library for new authors. If I come across a review that sounds good and the library doesn't have it, I ask them to buy a copy. They usually do.
All in all, I think the loss of brick and mortar book stores is a major problem for readers (I know I don't buy nearly as many books as I used to) and for authors, especially newbies like me.

[Janice]

I have sampled via kindle so many samples of gawdawful romance offerings that I have pretty much given up even trying. As Cara says, there is a lack of professional product. It's not my job as a reader to wade through someone's dumbed down purple prose to improve it (to at least remove major gaffes); *someone* should have done that before asking me to try it, let alone buy it.

I am also heartily tired of authors who confuse sex scenes with romance and characterization.

So the upshot of it is that I've been burned (for time, more than money) too often to give unknown ebook authors a try. If I see an ebook-only author recommended by someone whose taste and ability I trust, or see a review that makes some sense and doesn't seem to have been written by the author's BFF, I might try the sample. Usually a few paragraphs will tell me if it's worth my while.

Using this scheme I have found only one ebook-only author I like -- and that person was a print author previously, in a genre I don't read much of, so I had missed him/her (not really sure which, don't care).

I keep trying. I have not yet given up trying. But geez, where did these writers go to school? Can't they write a sentence that has more than ten words, or a paragraph with more than two sentences?

Well, maybe not. It seems to me to be a generational shift -- the very new writers are not in love with words. They are in love with images. They do not write novels (which are internal); they write prose screenplays (which are external). I can feel that the author is watching a movie in her mind, not experiencing relationships, emotions and events in her head. She is scrabbling down a description of what she sees in her mind, in the fastest way she can. She is seeing images, not hearing words, in her mind.

I think some of it is due to the way children have been taught to read in recent decades. Kids are taught to read to pull out information upon which they will be tested. They aren't taught to read for pleasure in the music of words. Plot oriented fiction doesn't suffer as much from this because it is all about the "facts" -- but emotional or philosophical fiction does; there shades of meaning are important and a writer needs more than a shaved-down bare bones vocabulary.

Lillian, you are so right -- the loss of brick and mortar stores is a painful thing. I used to go to my local bookstore after work to detox, much as other people might stop for a beer. I never walked out of a bookstore without two or three paperbacks, sometimes more, and maybe a hardback by a favorite author. It was social too -- I enjoyed meeting other "bookies" and chatting with them about our likes and dislikes. That is almost all gone now. My local Barnes & Noble has a lot of good books -- but they don't have the depth of selection they used to, and they are still making new offerings hard to find and not putting out new paperbacks or updating the "new" tables often enough. I miss Crown Books, which always had the new regencies out the day they arrived.

We didn't know how good we had it, and younger people will never feel the awe and wonder of walking into a huge store full of BOOKS and people to talk with about them.

[Andrea Penrose]

Elaine, so glad e-books allow you to keep up with your love of reading. Talking with friends about books is a wonderful way to gain new suggestions.The Wenches do it a lot among ourselves, and I have several dear friends from college and a bunch of writer pals with whom I love to exchange recommendations.

[Andrea Penrose]

Quantum, I follow BookBub too, and have found a number of great books through those special offers (and Romance Dish is fab too—thank you, PJ!)

I agree that publishers have alienated readers with the very high e-book prices that just feel out of alignment with the marketplace. You're right—why spend a lot on a new-to-you author when there are so many good choices out there for half the price. It's a dilemma, and we authors at the big NY houses have been pointing out the marketing problem. But they don't seem to be addressing it.

And thank you for the heads-up on titles! With the NY publishers, we—alas—often have no say in the final choice. But in self-pubbing, we do, and it's a good reminder to really pay attention and try to get it right! (Titles are, IMO, an art in itself!)

[Andrea Penrose]

Glad you enjoy our WWR feature, and our talking about our own books. I'm a fan of BookBub too, and have found some wonderful books I wouldn't have discovered elsewhere.

LOL on titles. As I said above, we authors don't always get a final say in titles. The marketing departments often get a "trend" in mind—like having to have "duke" or "rake" in every title— and the results have little relation to the actual story.

I'm careful with my book money too, and most $7.99 books I buy are authors I know will likely make the keeper shelf. I have to laugh (and cringe) at your language examples. There's nothing worse than glaring mistakes in period details or misuse of words to take me right out of a story.

[Andrea Penrose]

All really good places to check for recommendations and reader feedback, Patricia. (Glad you enjoy the Wench recommendations.)

I'm with your on the publishers pricing of e-books the same as paper—it just feels wrong! But as you say, there's nothing like a great story, so I'm willing to make some mistakes while I keep exploring for great voices and great plots!

[Andrea Penrose]

Ha, ha! Guilty as well!

[Andrea Penrose]

Over 7,00 books? I'm coming to visit your place!
(I can see why you want to be judicious in your buying!)

It's interesting you mention SciFi readers—a number of the Wenches are serious Sci Fi readers and they often talk about how on the whole, SciFi people reads in a wide variety of genres, and are very knowledgeable about books. The conference sounds like fun. I'd like to try one.

[Andrea Penrose]

Anne—yes, you've answered my question, and very wonderfully! You are a very discerning reader! Seems like you really find GR useful, and I like your philosophy about looking for negative reviews that seem to match your own tastes and preferences. Makes sense.

I do binge reading too when I discover an author or series I love.

[Andrea Penrose]

Thanks you for sharing, Carrie! This is all really interesting and helpful, both as a reader and as an author.

[Andrea Penrose]

Vicki, I have a local library that does a very well-known summer book sale each year, and . . .well, I've been known to lug home cartons! And yes, I too, have the stack of unread titles, yet still can't resist buying more. (It's funny how other people may think you are crazy, but all avid readers understand!)

[Andrea Penrose]

Glad you're finding it interesting, too, Pat. I love hearing from our readers how they go about finding books.

[Andrea Penrose]

So glad to hear our WWR blogs are helpful (and glad you enjoy Tasha. I'm a huge fan too. As for the ones you haven't liked . . . sorry!) I've had better luck than you have in finding some very good $.99 books that have led me to other works by the same author.

The traditional houses still do help signal to readers that the books have a certain standard of quality. The self-puubed world is a bigger gamble, though of course there are many very talented, polished authors putting out their own work. But understand that you are leery of it.

[Andrea Penrose]

Ha—love the cage fight analogy! It's a good description of the publishing world, where everyone is fighting to find the "secret" to marketing bestsellers. The rules have all changed so many times that there are really no rules anymore. There's a lot of turmoil right now, and it's hard to say how it will shake out.

[Sonya Heaney]

I get RT Magazine both as a paper copy and in digital, but as they rarely give less than a four star review, sometimes it's frustrating! According to them, everything is perfect! I do like the articles, however.

I was going to join ARRA, but have not yet. I did attend the convention in Canberra last year.

[Sonya Heaney]

Ironically, I just got copy of RT Magazine and there's a long article about book piracy, and how the people illegally sharing books believe they should be free and that it's theft to charge for them!

However, there are plenty of people who feel the same way about movies and television shows...

I just cannot get my mind around that.

Even though books by authors like Jane Austen are now free on Kindle, I just bought myself a nice paper copy of Persuasion on Monday, and am happy to pay for the experience of reading (and rereading and rereading) a nice –looking book.

[Minna]

I find books from Goodreads, from the internet pages of publishers, some are recommended to me by friends on BookMooch (though those books are not always new books), blogs, newsletters, reviews and Amazon. Sometimes I've found new authors whose books I buy now thanks to Amazons free ebook offers. But I won't know if I like the book (or ebook) until I read it. I mean, just because somebody else liked it, doesn't mean the book would be my cup of tea.

Cover is what makes me take a look at the book. Blurb might make me buy a book of new-to-me author. Or the reviews.

I am a bit put off by the trad publishers selling an e-book at the same price -or even for higher price!- as a paper book. If price the price is a little bit lower, I just might buy the ebook.

As for $.99 books, even when the price is $.99 I still take a look at take a look at the blurb and the reviews before buying it, unless it's from a familiar author or I've already read the book and maybe wish to replace my paperback with an ebook. So many books, so little space...

[Thereadingaddict-elf.blogspot.com]

I have always been a very ardent patron of my local libraries, and used to check books out from both of the systems I had available. I tend to subscribe to way too many newsletters and readers' groups but finally found a way to support my habit by becoming a reviewer, lol. I much prefer print books but I am afraid that I am rapidly running out of space, and I am much more likely to choose a book if I am able to read an excerpt and the blurb because I don't really pay attention to covers for the most part. I sorely miss being able to go to my local bookstore and browse through books because it is not always easy to get a feel for an author's style with what is available online. I do not think that e-books should be as expensive as the print books but I also wince when I see so many for free because it devalues the hard work that (usually) went into producing the story.

[Nancy]

I have both eBooks and paper ones. I do like the paper ones better , specially for reading in bed. I am buying fewer books and rereading older ones more. I will look at free copies but some of those I won't touch. Patricia Rice had a free book out the other day which I did download. I immediately bought the other two of the series and want her to write a fourth book. In the meantime , I bought one of her box sets. Hadn't read her before.
I have gone out and bought paper copies of books I have as ebooks- and for other decided to go with the paper copy from the beginning though I am running out of room for storing books.

[Andrea Penrose]

Thanks, Linda—all very thoughtful points. (I'd like to think that most people understand authors need to be paid for their work. To expect all books to be free or $.99 seems unreasonable.)

[Andrea Penrose]

Lillian, unless I am traveling, I much prefer b paper too. And LOL on the blurbs. It's a huge problem, but not always the fault of authors. I've often tussled with the marketing departments of my NY publishers to complain that the blurb makes no sense. And I usually don't win. Sigh.

[Andrea Penrose]

Janice,
You've expressed a lot of my specific frustrations with many e-books. Some of the is so unpolished and unprofessional that it puzzles me why someone would struggle to do something that clearly isn't natural, thinking it merits being a book. I'm afraid that modern social media has made everyone feel they have something important to say . . .and sadly that's simply not true.

I really miss real bookstores, too. The tactile sensataion of holding and browsing through a book is a connection I love.

[Andrea Penrose]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Minnna!

[Andrea Penrose]

Very good point on the free books. Authors struggle with that, because it's become an expected marketing tool. I think most of us try to use it judicially, because yes, free does devalue the product in the minds of many people.

[Andrea Penrose]

Nancy, you've made a WONDERFUL discovery in Pat's books. Free does work as a promo tool, which is why we authors do use it occassionally.

[Sharon]

The only time I can recall coveting of my neighbor's Kindle, I was sitting in the middle of one of the many rows of folding chairs filled with people called for jury duty. Hours in one spot, no arm rests, iffy lighting and too many distractions made concentrating on my book difficult.

I prefer paper books. There are multiple bookcases in most rooms of my house as well as boxes of paperbacks I can't bear to part with. Since my husband reads as much as I do, we even have a separate small bookcase for books checked out of the library. These days, if there is a trade paperback version that will be my first choice.

I pick up "Book Page" at the library each month, read a number of blogs and web sites for suggestions (like What We're Reading"), and subscribe to several newsletters. But I'd love a suggestion for a comprehensive site if such a thing exists. I'd like to find something comparable to this mystery-oriented site http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/

My wish list would also include a local bookshop that carried a good selection of Romance novels. When Borders closed, B&N actually appeared to have decreased their selection of romances. Five years ago (or less)Target, Walmart and even supermarkets had reasonable selections of new books. Now I'm lucky to find what I'm looking for anywhere but Amazon. I'd prefer to buy local, but there isn't much choice now.

[Teresa (Broderick)]

I absolutely could not live without books. I've been reading since I could first string two words together. Books are my respite and safe haven as I'm at home most of the time. I look after my daughter whose been very unwell the last few years. I probably prefer paperbacks to e-books but do read both. I have found some authors through free kindle books and have read some very good ones. Of course I've read some awful stuff as well. If I'm reading an e-book and the grammar is bad and spelling is wrong it actually hurts when I'm reading it. If it's too bad I just have to give up even though it's seldom I don't finish a book.
I get recommendations from Good Reads and Amazon and I check in on the Historical Novel Society quite often. Plus Word Wenches of course and Risky Regencies. If I love a book I usually buy the paperback as well. I always buy my favourite authors in book form. I'm lucky in that the next county to the one I live in has a lovely variety of bookshops and I go frequently for a good browse. In fact I'm off there this Saturday. Happy days!!!

[Patricia Rice]

Immature, uneducated people who don't understand that music, film, and books don't magically appear in their computers can haunt piracy sites until the real thieves steal their identity and ransom their computers. If they're inexperienced enough to actually believe pirate sites are free, they'll end up paying the hard way. Karma hurts.

[ML]

I read both books and ebooks, and I like both. I'm lucky to live near several bookstores, so I take advantage of that and purchase many physical books. My daughter also reads romance, so having books I can share easily matters to me. With ebooks, I'm acutely aware that I don't own the book; I own a license to the book. And if the retailer I bought that book from doesn't allow me to download copies for backup, I can be screwed if I need to get those books when I change my device if for any reason their licensing of that product has changed. So I am incensed when publishers expect me to pay the same or more for an ebook as for a print book. I also know that the cost of printing, shipping, and stocking should cause a difference in pricing. So seeing an ebook for more than $4.99 or $3.99 means I won't buy that ebook. A license is not ownership.

[Karin]

I'm happy to read either e-books or paper, but I have totally given up on my local B&N, who shrank their romance section yet again. I get most of my paperbacks from paperbackswap.com, but sometimes I impulse buy a paperback in a big box store or supermarket. I also have a subscription to Scribd(I just finished rereading Mary Jo's Veils of Silk there). And I get bargain e-books which I usually find out about via BookBub, or one of the chat groups I belong to at PBS. A bargain book is a great way to get me to try a new author. There are just a few authors whose books are in expensive trade paperback editions and never seem to be on sale, but I'm hooked on them and have to get them anyway. Tracy Grant, Michelle Diener and Donna Thorland are in this category.
If it's a new author to me, I usually check the Amazon reviews or read the free preview before I buy. Between all of those sources, it's really cut down on my library usage, but I still borrow a few books every month.
Besides the Wenches, I have a couple of dozen other favorite authors who write historicals and mysteries. That alone could keep in busy, but then there are all the backlists being reissued as e-books, especially the old Signet Regency authors. As far as finding new authors, it's not hard. I love the monthly what we're reading posts here, and at the Smart Bitches blog. Another favorite romance blog is "Miss Bates Reads Romance", her reviews are a delight to read and she hasn't steered me wrong yet.

[Andrea Penrose]

And the pain is deserved!

The pirate sites just make my blood boil. I wonder how all the people who blithely download our books would like it if we walked into their living room and calmly plucked hard-earned dollars from their wallets.

[Andrea Penrose]

Sharon, I like Book Page too from the library. As for a comprehensive site, I'd love any recommendations too. I don't know of any go-to ones.

And I so agree with the wish for a good local bookstore! My local Borders was great. It's now a college bookstore, so has some interesting titles, but not that much genre or mystery fiction. And yes, B&N is dismal here with romance too. Target, Walmart, etc. make more money on with other products than books, so that's why the shelf space is shrinking.)

I'm hoping indie bookstores will come back . . .but I'm not holding my breath waiting!

[Andrea Penrose]

Teresa, I'm totally with you about not being able to live without books. As a kid, my mother used to have to come in at night and scold me for reading under the covers with a flashlight when I was supposed to be sleeping.) They are a source of comfort and joy!

Historical Novel Society is a great resource—glad to see it mentioned.

Hope you have a fun book browsing this weekend!

[Andrea Penrose]

ML, a lot of people feel the same way you do about e-book pricing and it's really hurt trad publishers, who refuse to budge.

[Andrea Penrose]

Karin, glad you find our WWR blogs helpful in finding new authors. I've discovered some wonderful books through recommendations by both the other Wenches and all our readers. I'm not familiar with Miss Bates, but will check out the site. Thanks for sharing!

[Chi-An]

I love browsing bookstores but rarely have the time. Lack of space + voracious reading habits (we have around 3-4,000 books in our house already, I often read 300 pages a day and my kids are also both avid readers) means that most of my reading material comes from digital books I check out from my library. It's a beautiful thing to be able to magically get the next book in a series at 11 at night, without having to find an all-night bookstore! I do buy paper copies of the books I love the most.

For finding new books, I often go by friends' and authors' recommendations. I love the Wenches' monthly WWR post, I also check out Goodreads for recommendations of "if you like this author, you'll probably like this one". If I like one book by an author, I will usually hunt down the rest of their oeuvre, and I love reading series. Sometimes I will check out something from the online library because the cover or title catches my eye, and the blurb sounds interesting. Some of these are duds but I've also found some of my favorite new books this way.

[Bona]

There are many interesting questions on this post, and even more in former answers. I will try to give my answers, if they can help you:

To your first question, In looking for a new author or new series, what influences you most? - it depends on the genre. If it's literary fiction, classical books, I trust my own knowledge of what I feel I want to read, I don't need any friend or blog to tell me that for instance, this is a good year to re-read the Quixote. BUT when it comes to genre books like romance or sci-fi or a procedural I trust blogs or webpages. Which online site do I trust the most? Well, in the romance genre, two webpages -AAR, SBTB-, and only two bloggers -Rosario's Reading Journal and Wendy the Superlibrarian. When they something is good, it's good even if it's not my kind of book.

I don't buy on impulse or instinct. Covers or blurbs do rarely affect my decision to buy a new-to-me author. I only try those that have good reviews in those places I've mentioned before. I don't have time to discover good books by myself.

When the trad publishers sell an e-book at the same price as a paper book, I understand it, but I'm not happy about it so I don't buy the book. I don't pay more that 6 € on an e-book. If it costs more and it's a book I want to read, I buy a paper one, even a second-hand one that sometimes is cheaper than the ebook. I can pay a lot more if it's literary fiction, a classic book, an essay or a technical book, but not if it's a novel I'm going to read just once.

No, I don't by lots of $.99 (0.99 € in Europe, which is a little more expensive) books. As I usually say I've only one life -and four thousand years of Literature to read. Therefore, I cannot lose my time with awful books. I don't want to read 'a romance novel, any romance novel, the cheaper the better'. I want to read a good romance novel.

I'm sorry to say that, in a sense, it's just Gresham's law - Bad money drives out good. The lemons & peaches mechanism (Akerlof) or the adverse selection. (They are all terms used in Economy for basically the same thing, and publishers should know this basic idea of business). In the end, it all comes to the fact that buyers (as they have not been educated, because Capitalism does not rely on quality but on quantity and mass production) can't distinguish between a high-quality item and a low-quality one. And the low-quality one expells the good one from the market.

If it happens with food or movies, why not with books?

No, I don't buy less or read less. Just quite the contrary, I'm afraid. I didn't have a TBR pile until five or six years ago. Now I'm buying more things I can read.