I’m not going back to the States this summer, which means I’m so not loving life. Japan is hot and sticky in August. Add in three boys, an apartment the size of my parent’s living room (ok, so I’m exaggerating), well you get the picture. What’s made it bearable is Amazon. Not the US one, the Japanese one. They opened their doors a few years back and I parked myself at the front of the line. Whoever thought of putting books only a click away is a genius.
Now, if you prefer to visit the bookstore, I hear you. One of the first places I hit when I’m on US soil is a Barnes and Noble or a Borders. I can spend hours there perfectly content, browsing the shelves. (I must say I love how cozy bookstores have become with their cushiony chairs and Starbucks in the corner). I’m a mystery and romance fan, so those tend to be the sections I linger in the longest.
Which brings me to my question: Are you a cover girl or a blurb man? What is it that gets you to pick up a book and actually purchase it? I admit that an intriguing cover or a catchy title will make me at least stop and look. It’s the blurb though that’s the biggest deciding factor. I’ll read the blurb and if it sounds like a story I’d enjoy, I’ll usually then check out if there’s that little excerpt at the beginning of the book that gives me an idea of the author’s writing style and the characters. Occasionally, I’ll check out the first page. If it hooks me right away, it’s sold.
My own experience tells me how rough it can be for new authors to get noticed and get people to buy your books. I rarely read reviews. However, with a lot of my book shopping today being done the Amazon way, I find myself skimming the reviews of customers to get a better feel of the story since I can’t pick the book up and flip through it. Some readers do a good job reviewing the book, while others tend to give away the whole plot, which is why I skim them quickly. I also love Amazon’s feature where they recommend similar books. I’ve found several authors that way. All in all, it’s wonderful to take a chance on an author you’ve never read and to discover a gem.
Here are some authors I’ve read for the first time this summer:
Laura Levine (Jaine Austen mysteries)
Candy Calvert (Darcy Cavanaugh mysteries)
Wendy Roberts (Ghost Dusters mysteries –see my review in the previous post)
Susan Goodwill (Kate London mysteries)
Kresley Cole (The Immortals After Dark series)
To Be Read this week I hope:
Angie Fox–The Accidental Demonslayer
Dakota Cassidy–The Accidental Werewolf
How about you? Who have you read for the first time this summer and what led you to give them a chance?
Comment
Thank you for finding my madcap cruise mysteries . . . whether by cover or blurb. It’s great to have new folks “onboard.”:grin:
Candy Calvert
author, the Darcy Cavanaugh Mystery Series
Comment
Thanks for stopping by Candy. Yours was one of those books that came up when I was looking at light and funny mysteries. The title art and cover intrigued me enough to click for more information and then I clicked to buy. Looking forward to the second Darcy Cavanaugh mystery.
Comment
Since most of the books I look at are on shelves, I go by the title more than anything. Then the cover and then the blurb.
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Thanks for recommending the Kate London Mysteries. I’m in good company with my friend Candy Calvert’s Darcy Cavanaugh books!
Susan Goodwill
author: The Kate London Mysteries