What is it about a book that calls to you?

I’m in the process of renaming my current WIP. Another m/m romance was released last month with the title I had intended for my story. Since the book’s in the same genre I figured it would be wise to head back to the drawing board. Only, I found that searching for a new title has been difficult this time around (heck, every time). It’s not easy to land on a couple of words that encompass the story, that will catch potential readers’ attentions without putting them off considering the book, something unique, but not too out there, and something easy to search for (which I obviously opted to ignore with my previous one-word titles MORE and BREATHE). There’s a lot to consider in a title.

Mostly, I’d like any title to mean something when it comes to the story and the characters.

All this got me to thinking. What drives us as readers to even give a book a second look, let alone buy it? What is it we want to know before purchasing? We don’t want to buy books we won’t enjoy. Why waste our time and money?

What do we use to evaluate if this story is one we’ll like?

The title?

The cover?

The blurb?

The excerpt?

The content?

Theme?

Reviews?

Recommendations from friends?

Previous experiences with the author's other work?

What makes us stop at a book and say, “Yes. This one. I want this one!”

Every week there are more and more m/m romances released, so even if you read exclusively in that one genre, you have a lot of choices these days. More than even two years ago. How do readers make their selections?

I will admit, for me, it’s a combination of all those items listed above. I avoid themes I know aren’t my thing. A great cover might draw my attention. Or maybe a rave review. A link from a friend on FaceBook. But in almost every case, I want to read an excerpt. Especially for new-to-me authors. I want a sample of their voice and the way they tell a story. Catch my attention in the excerpt and I’m clicking the buy button.

So how about you? I’m curious…What do you look for? How do you choose which books to buy? Is the title an important factor? I’d love to hear what motivates you to select your next book.

Thanks,
Sloan Parker
www.sloanparker.com

The Post-Great-Book Blues

Whenever I read a book that captivates me, I experience an odd sensation that I like to call the post-great-book blues. Hopefully we've all read books that move us, those that are exceptional reads with engaging characters, books that we are sad to see end. After I finish the last page of such a book, I usually don’t want to start reading another story right away. Which is odd. I love reading. Always have. That’s how I know the book I just finished was a good one. I’m in some sort of a reading funk after I finish it.

The same thing happens whenever a favorite TV series ends. I’ve been known to put off watching that final episode for months, even years, in order to avoid the melancholy of saying goodbye to “old friends."

Why is it hard for me to pick up another book? I think it’s a combination of several things:

- I’m sad to let go of the amazing characters I’ve just read about and delve into a new set.

- I’m afraid the next book will be a letdown.

- I don’t want to judge a new book too harshly when I might enjoy it under other conditions. It’s not fair to the book or the author since I’m in a funky mood.

- The characters were so well drawn that I feel a sense of loss like I’m saying goodbye to an old friend.

These days, this reaction is an annoyance. I only have so much time to read. I’m also working and writing and spending time with family and friends. I can’t let available time for reading slip by. So I’ve come up with a few ideas to help snap out of the post-great-book blues next time they hit:

- Try a book in another genre. Something I’d be less likely to compare to the previous book.

- Read a short story. Shorts take less of a commitment and might make a better transition to something longer. Many authors offer free shorts, so it could be a great way to try out a new author.

- Read something non-fiction. There are many subjects I want to learn more about. A quick non-fiction read between books would make a nice break from fictional stories.

- Re-read another old favorite. Reading a book that I know I’ll enjoy (but have already gone through the experience of finishing) might make it easier to get back into reading something new.

- Browse through my tremendous, ever-growing, mountainous to-read list and look for books that I’ve heard great things about and have been meaning to read for a long time. This sense of accomplishment might make it easier to jump into a new story.

- Try a multi-book series that will hopefully have in-depth characters I can enjoy getting to know through several stories.

- Instead of reading, do something fun I’ve been wanting to do. Maybe watch a couple of movies that I’ve been dying to see or a TV series on DVD I’ve wanted to check out. This will give me some distance from the book I just finished before trying another.

Am I the only one to feel like this? Anyone else have a hard time picking up another book? Have you found anything that helps you start another story?

I'd love to hear about it.

Sloan Parker
www.sloanparker.com