Read Like a Writer

I've read many times on the blogosphere about writers who read like they're studying a text book. Interpreting for structure and character - even dissecting it word by word, searching for adverbs and such. There's nothing wrong with doing this. In fact, it's probably the smart thing to do if you want to learn craft by studying those who've made it where you want to be. 


But.


Yeah, you knew that was coming, right? The big fat but. But that's not the way the books were meant to be read. See the thing is, I'm an avid reader. Always have been. There's little I enjoy more than curling up with a good book and devouring it from cover to cover, often in a day or two. I love that feeling of being so wrapped up in a wonderful story that I only want to see what happens. As a writer, don't you wish for readers that feel like that? 


I'm stubborn. I just feel like stopping to pick the novel apart would kill the magic. Not that I don't notice certain things while I'm reading. The more I learn, the more I recognize in some part of my brain. But I don't want to lose that guilty pleasure just because I've decided to pursue my writing. 


Some of you will argue that we can read the book more than once. Sure! I agree. But to be honest there are precious few that I actually do this with. One's that I feel have something REALLY special. Books like The Hunger Games for example. Or Harry Potter (all of them). But that one on my nightstand? The honest truth is as much as I enjoy it, probably not. 


What do you think? Are there certain books you study as a writer and others that you just soak up as a reader? Do you read things more than once in different ways? Or do you prefer to study all your books from the moment you open the cover? I'd love to hear your view!
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Books for Supers, Supers in Books

It's a funny thing that when I attempt to market my books as non-fiction, no one will look at them! So, I cringe and make that sacrifice and say "yes, they are paranormal fiction." Well, they are paranormal anyhow.

So I was thinking. We talk quite a bit about what is accurate when it comes to Supers. I assume from that, you the reader can extrapolate which books are most accurate. On the other hand, what books do Supers read? Now that is an interesting question...

After researching this a bit, I found (not surprising) that tastes among Supers vary as widely as tastes among humans. Let me give you three answers as I received them to illustrate:

1. "I love romance! I'll read anything that has a good love at first sight moment. I swoon over the underdog - boy or girl - who gets the popular mate. My third husband, Reggie was a classic nerd so it makes me think about him. Except then I always cry because it was so tragic when he accidentally got that knife stuck in his back."

- Dahlia the nymph

2. "Fantasy? No way! That stuff is such trash. Have you seen how most books depict my kind? A bunch of bloodthirsty, brooding, wimps. Either that or mindless killing machines. There's so much more finesse involved and really? I don't know about you but I'm not going to sit around for hundreds of years worrying over my breakfast. No I like historical stuff. Fiction, non-fiction, it doesn't matter. I like to see if it matches up with what I remember."

- Carl the vampire

3. "Me LOVE books! Books are yummy! 'Specially the red ones."

-Thomas the Ogre

Well there you have it. Three very differing views on books. Oh - I did go back and ask Charity the demon and Shelly the mermaid what their favorite books were. Charity's is "Lord of the Flies" and Shelly had to blush telling me this, but eventually admitted it was "Twilight." She really is a typical teen isn't she? What's your favorite book and why? Human opinions count too!