Let’s Talk with Terry Odell
Turning the Tables
By Terry Odell
I thought I’d switch things around this week. Normally, I try to figure out what readers might find interesting, and fill a page or so with my thoughts on the topic. But this time, I don’t want to try to second guess your questions. I’ve got some of my own. Answer one and you’ll be entered in a drawing for a download of ANY of my ebooks. Answer two, and your name goes into the hat twice. Three times? You guessed it. Three chances. (Note: Some of the questions have multiple parts, but they still count as one.) And, for every ten comments, I’ll add another winner, so the more people who comment, the more prizes I’ll give away.
And one lucky commenter/questioner will get a selection of some of my author swag. I’ve got pens, lip balm, post-its, notepads, magnets. Thanks for all the comments, and I love to hear from you. The contest is over and the winners were Linda S and Colleen C. But feel free to join the discussion!
Question 1: Are you a single-genre reader, or do you like a variety? Do you prefer print, digital, or audio?
Question 2: Do you like series? What keeps you coming back for more? What’s one of your favorite series?
Question 3: What makes you decide to press that “buy now” button? Cover? Blurb? Excerpt? Reviews? Recommendations from people you know?
Send a friend to this post, have them tell us you sent them, and you’ll get an extra entry.
Ready, Set, Go!
Posted in Let's Talk, with Terry Odell, zed: Former Authors • Tags: BLB Discussion, contest, giveaway, Let's Talk, Terry Odell, Turning the Tables | 24 Comments
1. I do prefer a good mystery and read mostly mysteries, However, I do like autobiographies.
2. I do enjoy series. I am now hooked on J.A. Jance and search used book and thrift stores for my collection.
3. I read reviews on amazon which helps me very much to purchase books.
Thanks, Marjorie. I enjoyed Agatha Christie’s autobiography. And yes, when you discover an author well into the series, it can be hard to find the early books. Ebooks can be wonderful for that.
I do leave reviews on amazon and sometimes facebook whenever I can.
Thanks so much — reviews are critical for authors.
My question for Marjorie (and other readers) is, do you post customer reviews for books you’ve read? They’re very important to help readers find new authors. Also, answering that “Do you find this review to be helpful?” question can also help us out.
Nancy – agreed, that if readers don’t have time (or feel comfortable) leaving reviews, that simple click of “helpful” can be a boon to authors.
1. I love mysteries but I read any genre. I like ebooks when I’m using my treadmill, print most other times and I haven’t really tried audio enough to form an opinion.
2. I like series and stand-alones. Some of the series I love are Agatha Christie, first and foremost, Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone, M. C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin and Hamish MacBeth. I like the unique, quirky characters, the settings and the dependable mysteries.
3. The cover, of course, captures my attention then I read the blurb, maybe a couple of reviews~the best and the worst and then I read a few pages before deciding. But for the series I mentioned above, the “buy now” is automatic!
Yes, I do post reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and The Reading Room. I try to leave the review soon after finishing the book while it’s still fresh in my mind. I enjoy reading so much that I want to help authors succeed and, according to what I’ve read, reviews are the best way to do that.
Thank you for the great blog, Terry!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Betty. You’ve named some of my favorite authors as well. And thanks for leaving reviews. That’s so important to an author as well as to other readers.
Question 1:
I enjoy books of all genres. As long as they are well-written. Although I do print books, I prefer using my Kindle for most of my reading. It’s great to take on long trips…I never run out of things to read.
Question 2:
I don’t mind stand-alone novels; I prefer thriller and mystery genres. Right now, I’m enjoying the Jack Reacher series. It’s a simple character and uncomplicated storylines, but it’s fun. I also like Richard Montanari; he’s got a great police detective series going. I also like the Nick Madrid PI series, set in Tucson, but that might only be because I write them. 🙂
Question 3:
Yes, covers are nice, but have you noticed—now they are all beginning to look alike. It’s like many authors stumbled on the same graphics program or graphics site. I prefer covers that don’t appear to be mass-produced, even if they are great to look at.
Reviews remind me of rejection letters from agents—everyone has his or her opinion and no two agree on anything. I read book reviews with a grain of salt.
Thanks, Mike. I agree with all that space-saving on travel. I love my Nook for reading in bed, too, so I don’t have to turn on a light. I’m a Jack Reacher fan, and now I’ll have to look up your books. I’m reading the Posadas County mysteries now — discovered via a giveaway at Left Coast Crime. As for covers — it’s so hard to get a ‘good’ one that works in thumbnail.
Q 1: I enjoy all of the genres within romance and will read a few outside of romance. I enjoy reading print and digital… have not gotten into audio.
Q 2: I do enjoy series books… I want books that have characters that touch my emotions… that really draw me into their stories. Two of my fav series are JD Robb’s In Death and Brenda Novak’s Whiskey Creek.
Q 3: Things that make me decide to buy are first if the cover grabs my attention, I will look at the blurb and see if it sounds like something I will enjoy… then I may peek at what some of the reviews say… I will say, I tend to buy books from authors I have read before and truly enjoyed… then I see what I can squeeze in with the rest of my book budget…
Thanks for your input, Colleen – I’m a big “in Death” fan myself. I agree there’s that matter of trust when you find an author you like, but given all the sales and bargain promotions, it’s sometimes nice to take a chance on a new author.
Great questions, Terry. I read across fiction genres, as long as it isn’t too scary. However, when I run out of things to read, I often read a romance from my favorite author, Jayne Ann Krentz. For some reason, I get caught up in her stories over and over again. She writes several series but I’m currently enjoying her series set on another world that she writes under her Jayne Castle pen name. I both read and leave reviews on Amazon. As an author, I know how important reviews are to help generate traction for a title.
I think most of us have ‘comfort reads.’ I’ve reread Naked in Death many times. And you’re great about reviews!
1) I love a variety, and also throw in some non-fiction. I love to read everything!
2) I love series. It’s great to see the characters come and go and relationships develop. Of course some of my first favorite series were by Sara Paretsky, J. A. Jance and Sue Grafton, but now I’ve added Deborah Crombie, Nora Roberts, Lucy Burdette, Diana Gabaldon . . . really too many to do just to name.
3) Blurb, author I know, recommendation from blogs I follow, cover. Amazon reviews probably have the least impact because so many of them don’t have any substance, and there are a few bloggers who also always seem to write gushy reviews.
Thanks, Sally. We share some of the same favorite authors. Finding review sites/reviewers you can trust can be a challenge.
It’s a shame, but I can’t read novels when I’m writing a novel — it’s short fiction, graphic novels, or non-fiction for me. But once that manuscript goes to the editor, I dive right into a TBR stack that includes mystery, literary, YA, Sci-Fi, some romance (like Susanna Ives).
I can read novels, but not the same sub-genre as I write.
Question 1: Are you a single-genre reader, or do you like a variety? Do you prefer print, digital, or audio?
I like Romance, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense (obviously), and some Erotic…I read both Digital and Print but mostly Digital. I have never tried Audio but want to at some point.
Question 2: Do you like series? What keeps you coming back for more? What’s one of your favorite series?
I love series. It sucks you in and you feel like you get to know everyone. The relationships have to be complex though if it is going to keep going. I have many favorites; Marie Force, Susan Mallery, Christy Reece, Julie Miller to name a few…Opps, you said 1 huh?
Question 3: What makes you decide to press that “buy now” button? Cover? Blurb? Excerpt? Reviews? Recommendations from people you know?
It starts with the author, or an author I like recommending a book. The cover doesn’t usually entice me…the genre is another reason.
Send a friend to this post, have them tell us you sent them, and you’ll get an extra entry.
Will do…
Looks like the umbrella of Romance is your favorite–isn’t it nice there are so many choices underneath that canopy? I agree with you about series, and enjoy some of the same authors (and now have some new ones to check out). I agree that a well-written book by an author is the best sales pitch for the next one.
1. I read it all…except for Sci-fi…I like print and digital…but don’t care much for audio. Have to say I haven’t given it a fair chance.
2. I do like series..But each book has to be a STANDALONE. No cliffhanger. Like to see see the characters and places evolve. Debbie MacComber is one of the best at doing these. Also loved it when Harlequin had a bunch of authors and they each wrote a book for a series…either a town or something related.
3. All of the choices…although I’m not too picky with reviews…they are the last on the list. Cover is first as I am very visual
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I’m a visual person. I get too distracted when I listen–my mind goes every which way, and I’d forever be rewinding. I agree even series books need to hold their own so new readers don’t get lost and returning readers don’t get bored.
1. read multiple genres and prefer digital
2. yes, I do enjoy series — I really like getting to know the characters better and the continuation of their life stories and finding out more about them and how they handle different situations — love the Zoe Donavan series
3. I buy based on blurbs, recommendations, or who the author is.
Thanks for your answers, Jo Anne. You’ve given me yet another new series to check out.