I joined the ranks of book bloggers six months ago.  

Recently, I thought about the novels I’ve read and how my taste in reading material has changed in this time. I’ve learned a great deal, both about the book market and craft of writing.

Now that I’m on Netgalley, I’ve been exposed to a wide variety of books within the suspense category. Thanks to Twitter, I’ve also been approached by authors seeking reviews.

Overall, what I thought I liked was accurate. I still love the suspense category. But I’ve also realized certain other things:

Yes, I can read a novel on my phone and survive.

I’d never ventured beyond print books until I became a book blogger. Then I downloaded the Kindle app on my phone. I was leery of attempting to read a novel on a screen, but other book bloggers were reassuring. (If so many of them had done it and survived, then it wouldn’t kill me, right?) It’s been terrific. Now I always have a book with me. No more trying to stuff a novel, notebook, and pen into my already overstuffed purse!

I detest novels where evil wins.

The antihero gets away with a crime. There’s no justice. I’m expected to cheer for some character who should be locked behind bars. It doesn’t matter if the victim “deserved” to die. That’s a decision for the justice system, not an individual.

Sorry, no.

I appreciate cozy mysteries more.

These still aren’t my cuppa. But after reading a few cozy authors (like Nancy Atherton), I appreciate them. I need warm-fuzzy books. I also appreciate how difficult cozy books are to write without sacrificing either suspense or heart.

Serial killers bore me.

Yes, serial killers are evil. Yes, serial killers fascinate the general public. (Isn’t it interesting that we don’t care quite as much about the victims? They’re defined by how they die, not who they were alive. Interesting . . . and disgusting.) But after reading multiple books with the catch-the-serial-killer concept, it gets stale.

Here’s why.

Most seem interchangeable. I could pluck SK #1 from Novel A and plant him/her in Novel B with little change in the character. Other than their modus operandi, they’re the same character: ruthless, manipulative, arrogant.

There’s little nuance. No chance of redemption. No possibility that the antagonists might have a morally good/acceptable reason for their actions. Yawn.

Personally, I want the antagonist to be well-rounded. Compelling. Interesting. Some authors do this. (I’m thinking of S. R. Masters’ The Killer You Know, which puts an interesting spin on the serial killer concept.) A lot don’t.

I’m more tolerant of the SF/fantasy genre.

It’s still not my preferred genre. Then I read Rick Hall’s Gnosis and had a revelation.

If the characters are well-developed, and

if there’s a good mystery in the story, and

if there’s no dragons involved,

then I might be interested.

If there’s dragons (or fairies, elves, etc.), I’m out. Sorry. My apologizes to Tolkien. Still not big on space-related things, either. Sorry.

I’m in awe of historical mystery novelists.

I enjoy history, so it’s no surprise that I like historical mysteries. I’ve always kinda-sorta-maybe wanted to write a historical mystery. In theory, it doesn’t sound that different to place a mystery in a different time period than 2019. But think about it.

You have to create characters, situation, and plot. That’s hard enough.

But you also must recreate a past time period. You’ve got to research so many things.

  • Every detail of daily life.
  • The historical context, keeping within the parameters of what happened and when.
  • Legal systems, investigative methods, murder methods, and the like.

And write the story, giving us all the telling details naturally, not barraging us with unnecessary facts or forcing them into the text.

After reading novelists like Chris Nickson, Simon Beaufort, and Candace Robb (*), I have one question:

Dang it, how do they do it?!

And, when I grow up, can I be like you?!

I have a greater appreciation for book bloggers and the blogging community.

I didn’t anticipate how much work a book blog would be. That surprised me. What also surprised me was how supportive the book blogging community is. I’ve “met” so many different bloggers, and all of them have been terrific. Most reviewers aren’t paid. We’re just normal people with jobs and lives, who have a deep love for books.

I also have a greater appreciation for the book blogger – writer relationship.

Going into this venture, I knew that knowing lots of book bloggers is helpful for authors looking to promote a novel. I knew this intellectually. But I hadn’t seen it in practice. Now I have. It’s amazing to see how blog tours, Netgalley, Amazon reviews, etc., all work together to help authors launch their work.

Of course, one thing hasn’t changed in the past six months. 

I still love reading.

Occasionally, I need a break. I’ve been reading and writing so much that my brain screams for mercy. That’s okay. I had this happen in college and grad school, too. It’s temporary.

But I love books. I love the written word. And with every book I read, I have a deeper appreciation for this truth:

Words are powerful.

When used wisely, they can open doors in our minds, tear down walls of prejudice, and show us worlds we wouldn’t otherwise see. It’s an incredible responsibility and privilege to author a book. It’s also a huge responsibility and privilege to write a book blog.

I’m delighted that so many writers, both authors and bloggers, are bearing their privilege well. Thank you. You make the world a richer, better place.

(*I’ll be reviewing Candace Robb’s Conspiracy of Wolves closer to its publication. Let’s just say that she’s an awesome novelist and this is a great book!)