THOUGHTS ON "AI"- ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

by Judy Ann Davis

In the  IWSG (Insecure Writers Support Group) this month, the March 6th questions asked members what I am repeating here and which I consider pertinent questions for all writers:  Have you "played" with AI to write synopses, or do you refuse to go that route? How do you feel about AI's impact on creative writing?

Out of curiosity, I'd like to hear from everyone what are your thoughts. Here is a portion of my response:

Universities are already working closely to develop anti-AI software and advocating student dismissals from a class if it is being used when human creative input is required. AI will result in a great deal of lay-offs in numerous industries once it advances. 

Many people believe we will lose the "genius" of the human mind since AI books and works will flood an already flooded market. How many aspiring young writers or even present-day writers will give up or throw in the towel not wanting to compete with it?

Someone recently posted on Facebook a saying that sums Artificial Intelligence up for many people: Why should I bother reading something that nobody could be bothered to write?"                                 ~*~

What are your thoughts and insights as writers, artists, or someone who has explored AI's advancements?

NEW - NEW - NEW     

COURTING BETSY - Book 3 of the Ashmore Brothers Series

  

                          VISIT MY   AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE FOR ALL MY BOOKS 

 

HOW MUCH TO ADVERTISE? NEW RELEASE!

By Caroline Clemmons

One of the problems constantly perplexing authors is advertising/promotion. How much is enough? We want our readers to know we have a book for sale, but we don’t want to hit them over the head with our promotion so much that they aren’t interested.

Author Alison Henderson recently posted on Facebook the perfect analogy by Steuart Henderson Birt: “Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing, but no one else does.”

We don’t want to offer our books for sale and hope someone learns about it somehow. Because most of us depend on our income, we need those sales. At the same time, my friends and I don’t want to be like an author who shall be nameless who posted numerous times every day about her latest book. We felt she was hitting us over the head a dozen times a day. We were ready to block her from our Facebook feed until someone clued her in to what she was doing.

So, what’s the perfect way to promote? Ha! No one knows. What works for one person doesn’t for another. The author who posted too often made a humongous number of sales, proving that one man’s poison is another’s cup of tea. Or something like that.

Here I am throwing a new release at you. A BRIDE FOR DALTON, Proxy Bride Series #25, at the Universal Amazon link:  http://getbook.at/Dalton. This book released on Thursday, September 12.

A BRIDE FOR DALTON Blurb:

Rebecca wants a husband but not the man her stepbrother-guardian insists she wed. To escape his threats she turns to a family friend for help. Reverend McClain suggests she enter a proxy marriage to his only living relative, a nephew who ranches in Montana. Out of options, she agrees. Until she arrives in Sweet Springs, she has no idea the telegram with instructions to her supposed groom has not been delivered. Where does that leave her?

Dalton is working with dangerous men to accomplish his goal. The last thing he needs at this time is a wife in the way. He is a gentleman and sees no other solution than to complete the vows. How is he going to keep her out of harm’s way while he completes this job?

Rebecca and Dalton embark on married life in unusual circumstances. Can love blossom in tumultuous times?

I still don’t know how much to advertise/promote. I guess I’m a work in progress.

Secret Identities of Authors by @JoanReeves

It's going to be a great day!

Let's start the day by talking about popular authors and their secret real identities, none of which is really secret given the internet.

Most readers know that many authors write under pseudonyms. Writers do this for various reasons.

Category romance publishers like Harlequin and Silhouette required it. That way publishers owned the name, and it kept authors in their "stable" so to speak.

Why Pseudonyms

Other reasons for pseudonyms generally were for the following reasons:

1. Many times, traditional publishers made authors take pseudonyms if their previous sales under a different name weren't as good as the publisher wanted.

With a new name, a publisher could launch the author as "a new name in fiction" or something similar, even though the author in question may have written and published dozens of books.

2. If an author wanted to write in a different genre, the publisher often required her or him to publish in the other genre under a different name for marketing purposes.

The thinking was that a known romance author would alienate her readers if she published horror or mystery, or that those genre readers wouldn't give her a chance if she was known to be a romance author.

3. Sometimes, authors prefer to use a pseudonym to protect their privacy. Taking a pseudonym in this age where privacy and security are relevant concerns is certainly understandable, but often futile given just about any tidbit of information can be found online if someone is determined to find it.

4. Sometimes, authors who wrote fast couldn't get publishers to accept their work unless the "excess" was published under a pseudonym. That was back when there was a stigma attached to fast writing.

The general opinion was if you turned out work really fast then it probably wasn't very good.

Publishers didn't realize, or didn't care, that authors were trying to support themselves on their writing. More books meant more income and a better, more stable, cash flow.

5. Sometimes, authors just don't want to have to defend what they write to their neighbors, church friends, their kids' teachers, or even relatives.

Many times, a pseudonym is used for a short period of time and then abandoned. This happens because one name becomes predominantly successful so the others aren't used or publishing contracts expire, lines fold, etc. There are many reasons why names get abandoned.

Secret Identities Revealed

Readers may find themselves wondering what happened to some of their favorite authors like Billie Douglass or Owen West or any of the other popular genre fiction writers.

In actuality, Ms. Douglass is doing just fine living her writing life as Barbara Delinsky, and Mr. West is living quite well as Dean Koontz.

For your entertainment, and for you masters of trivia, here are some popular pseudonyms by well-known authors.

* Amanda Ashley is the fabulous Madeline Baker.

* Mystery novelist Jill Churchill is Janice Young Brooks.

* Candace Camp is Lisa Gregory, Kristin James, and Sharon Stephens.

* Janet Evanovich of Stephanie Plum fame wrote under Steffie Hall.

* Diana Palmer is Susan Kyle.

* Amanda Quick, Amanda Glass, Jayne Castle, Jayne Taylor, Jayne Bentley, and Stephanie James are all Jayne Anne Krentz.


* If you're a true Nora Roberts fan, then you should know that Nora (real name Eleanor Wilder) has written as J. D. Robb, Sarah Hardesty, and Roberts Smith.

* The aforementioned Dean Koontz wrote as David Axton, Brian Coffey, K. R. Dwyer, John Hill, Anthony North, Richard Paige, Own West, Aaron Wolfe, and, oh, yes, Leigh Nichols and Deanne Dwyer.

* William E. Butterworth III is, of course, W.E.B. Griffin, W.E. Butterworth, Webb Beech, Edmund O. Scholefield, Patrick Williams, Alex Baldwin, Walter Blake, James Douglas, Jack Dugan, John K. Dugin, and Blakely St. James as well as Eden Hughes and Allison Mitchell.

* If you think that's a lot of names and authorial identities to remember, take a look at Spur Award Winner Robert Vaughan who has written more than 250 books and used, I believe, 35 different names.

* Even Agatha Christie published under the pen names Mary Westmacott and Agatha Christie Mallowan.
In real life, Louis L'Amour was born Louis Dearborn LaMoore so he edited his name and became a literary phenom.

So think about this. Maybe that new author you're reading is really just an old favorite in disguise.

As for me, I've written all my books under Joan Reeves. You can find all my books listed on my Amazon page.

However, I once wrote 3 newspaper columns with 2 of them under pseudonyms.

* * * * *

Joan Reeves—Keeping Romance Alive…One Sexy Book at a Time—is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance. Joan lives happily-ever-after with her hero, her husband. They divide their time between a book-cluttered home in Houston and a quiet house at the foot of the Texas Hill Country where they sit on the porch at night, look up at the star-studded sky, and listen to the coyotes howl.

Be the first to know about New Books and Giveaways. Sign up for Joan's Newsletter.

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HAVING A SUPPORT NETWORK

How wide is your support network? No matter your profession, each of us needs encouragement in his or her life. Even the strongest of us can use others cheering us onward in our life’s journey.

How wide is your support network?

Most authors are in a solitary profession. A few writers I know write on their laptop at a coffee house or in front of the television with family coming and going. The majority seclude themselves in an office (or dining room or bedroom—wherever they write) for hours and hours of solitude. I’m the latter and write in a tiny, tiny office we call my “pink cave”. Spending so much time alone makes having encouragement all the more important.

This would be me if the
background was pink and
the cat was black and white

My most faithful cheerleaders are my family. Hero has been supportive through all sorts of my crazy schemes, but especially my writing. Among many other things, he formats and publishes my books. Both our daughters assist me in various ways as well. We're our own small publishing conglomerate. More importantly, my family members give me confidence to continue. Hero also does the cooking and cleaning so I can spend more time writing—something I appreciate every day!

Fans are a great source of cheer. A good review or an email saying a reader enjoyed my book is a huge boost to my morale. Even a poor review can be helpful if the criticism is constructive. Several fans repeatedly send emails or messages to let me know they want me to continue writing and many leave good reviews. Thank you!

Laughing with friends--who knew
it was like medicine for body and soul?

Friends—both online and face-to-face—are so valuable. For instance, my book club is made up of women I consider the cream of the crop. We’ve forgotten how long we’ve been together, but at least fifteen years. We started with twelve members but attrition has us down to six regular members now and one who comes when she can. We meet at a restaurant for a late lunch. These women make me laugh each time we meet. You probably know that the endorphins released when we meet with friends and laugh elevates our mood for up to three days.

Book Divas book club--Mina Bruner, La Dana Morris,
Karen Roades, Linda Box, me, Edwina Steele, and
minus one important member, Karren Lucas

Occasionally I’m able to lunch with one or several author friends. We laugh and commiserate and get those endorphins flowing. Who better understands the problems of being an author like another author?  

Carra Copelin (blog member), Bea Tifton,
me, and Jacquie Rogers (blog member)
sharing lunch while tired Sassy rests on table. If
Jacquie and I look tired, we are. During her visit
neither of us had much sleep. 

Whatever your life entails, I hope you have a strong support network. If not, I urge you to establish one, either online or face-to-face. There are so many opportunities--church, civic groups, book clubs, charities, and more. You’ll enable yourself to accomplish more and you’ll enrich your life.

My business life right now is writing a time travel romance trilogy in which a woman from the past comes forward to now. The first, TEXAS LIGHTNING, http://amzn.to/2H2N1rF,  was released March 17 and has a heroine who comes from 1896. TEXAS RAINBOW, http://amzn.to/2JOppZE,  was released April 18 and that heroine comes from 1921. TEXAS STORM will be released on May 25 and has a heroine from 1943. These time travels have been a lot of fun to write but they've meant a lot of research for each. The last one is kicking me in the patootie, but I think I like it best of the three. Then it’s back to traditional romances and a full schedule for the rest of the year. To keep up with releases, contests, and giveaways, sign up for my newsletter here.

HOW I DO WHAT I DO

It’s that time again… time for the plotting group of which I’m a part to meet. This is a wonderful event in which Geri Foster, Sylvia McDaniel, Kathy Shaw, and I participate. In addition to helping flesh out plots, the retreat gives me a burst of enthusiasm, rekindles my fire, and is a lot of fun.

When we first began meeting, we went to a hotel for our plotting retreat. This was productive. We laugh a lot, though, as we work and we stay up late and rise early. We craved privacy so we didn’t bother anyone and no one bothered us.  

View from the house we rent
for our plotting retreat --
of course we're inside working 

Now four of us go to a lovely lakeside house and sequester ourselves for several days and nights. We arrive with our plots in mind and the main characters detailed. What we work on are the turning points and the conflict that keeps the couple from achieving a happily-ever-after.  

Using a plotting board and Post-it notes, we take turns brainstorming new books. This is not a lark, by the way. Yes, adult beverages may be served, but not many. We work about sixteen hours a day or more as we take turns plotting books. By the time we leave, each of us will have several books outlined and ready to write.

Pink for heroine, blue for hero, etc.

Do we have to have a retreat to write? No, of course not. Each of us has been writing more years than we care to admit, but we believe brainstorming and mapping out our plots together creates a better book. When we get home and write each book, we may take detours on our outline/map, but we will stick to the basic plot we’ve outlined at the retreat.

Many writers are what we call “pantsers”—they write by the seat of their pants. A basic kernel of an idea is all they need to write. I have tried writing without an outline. My writing wanders around and sags in the middle unless I have a well-planned outline to follow.

Readers most likely don’t know whether the writer is a plotter or a pantser and probably don’t care. Certainly when I’m reading I only want the book to intrigue me and deliver a solid story. For us, the retreat helps us deliver the best books we can and turn them out faster than if we plotted on our own. The adult beverages probably enhance our ideas.

Writing is the best job ever!

The bedrock

By Rain Trueax

Writers do a lot of bios. Most of the time when I write one, I wonder afterward— what did it really mean? What do I include when drawing from 71 years? I thought then about key words, those which crop up  again and again and in my life—nature, animals, writing, books, movies, family, wilderness, love, and the West.

My earliest memories involve the family farm in the foothills of the Cascades. In the years I was growing to womanhood there, it went through many alterations of purpose. The land itself was constant. There were wonderful old dirt wagon roads. One led through a small stream, up past thick woods to an orchard of plum trees where the bears shook down the fruit, and we had to make a lot of noise before arriving for our own share.

My mother spoke of walking there alone one time to get our milk cow. She watched an eagle soar overhead and then down toward that stream where a bear was watching her. The bear ran off when their gazes met. My mother went on to get the wayward cow.

On the farm was a large barn with a rope swing where my brother, cousins, and I could jump off tall stacks of hay, across the floor of the barn, while yelling something we thought was cool. That barn was a fascinating place to explore with one room of milk stanchions, pens for sheep, a loft that made a great club room (if you were willing to share it with bats and owls, and a solid, wooden corral, where once a mighty bull had lived. Dairy bulls are powerful animals with a testy temperament. A pen better be extremely well made if is going to hold one.

In early spring, the hills were covered with trilliums which I was told to never pluck or the plant would never flower again. The rule was-- enjoy the woods but leave it as it is. I learned to swim in a clear mountain river a few miles from the farm and still prefer river swimming to any other kind. 

For first grade, I had to walk a mile and a half on gravel roads to the two room schoolhouse. Spring was the time to watch the pollywogs turn into frogs.

It would not be fair to leave this as though there were only good memories as I can recall sudden deaths, violent moments, and fear that were part of those years. It all blends together into a set of life experiences which are the bedrock of who I am today. Until I began to write this, I hadn't thought how much this is true. However, I have always realized how fortunate I was to live where I had so much time to be alone, to climb cherry trees, read books, create paper dolls, and make up stories.

The energy of that early life has taken me through raising my children, seeing grandchildren born and grow, and to where I am today-- on another small farm in the foothills of the Oregon Coast Range where my husband of fifty years and I raise cattle and sheep, and I write contemporary and historical romances.

In all the ways that count most, for values and goals for my writing and life, I haven’t come so far from that girl growing up in the hills at the mouth of the Columbia River Gorge.

http://raintrueax.blogspot.com/

http://romanceswithanedge.blogspot.com

http://rainydayromances.blogspot.com

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B006UX64X8

http://rainydaytrailers.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/RainTrueax

http://www.pinterest.com/raintrueax/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rain-Trueax/200584236675973

and now

https://www.tsu.co/RainTrueax

I would like to add that I was happy to be invited to participate in this group, because I believe in romance writing. I think it is terrific to have a place that brings out the dimensions possible in these books. Romances are not just about two people finding each other but also about the essence of life itself. I think it's valuable for readers to connect with the writers and understand the kind of person who is writing the story and how their story came to be.

 

Pugs and Roses by Kimmie Easley

As an author (and everything that entails beyond writing such as marketing, blogging, promoting, researching, and the list goes on), I'm also a mother, homeschool teacher, wife, friend, and self proclaimed pug wrangler.

That's why it probably doesn't come as a big shocker when I tell you that I sometimes forget to revel in the little things. Ok, a lot of the time, but don't we all?

I know with the holidays upon us, we can look at it in one of two ways.

1. Stressed, hectic, dreading get togethers, and living beyond our means. 

2. Blessed beyond measure. 

I tend to lean towards number one, myself. 

However, not this year. I'm putting myself in check. 

“Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough” 

― Oprah Winfrey

“We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.” 

― Harry A. Ironside

“Thankfulness creates gratitude which generates contentment that causes peace.” 

― Todd Stocker

“Thankfulness allows us to walk through a world inundated by opportunities and possessions, being slaves to neither.” 

― Craig D. Lounsbrough

“When you express thankfulness, even the almost empty tank of petrol will go the extra mile; it changes challenges into opportunities, mistakes into experiences, disappointments into celebrations, doubt into faith.” 

― Malti Bhojwani, thankfulness appreciation gratitude - my journal

As the leaves begin to change, and the air turns crisp (hopefully, since I am in Texas), will you CHOOSE to be thankful? This thought led me to a series of rhetorical, yet life changing questions:

What face are you showing the world?

Are you a heartfelt giver?

Are you a heartfelt receiver? (Yeah, that one got me.)

What are you giving back to the world around you?

Are you a gift to the people you encounter through out your day?

I'll leave you with this; as much as we authors share our thoughts and hearts to inspire others, you would be amazed at how often they're really for ourselves. This one truly hit home. I plan to smile more, put others before myself more often, enjoy the smells of delicious food, and the sound of precious giggles. As a family, we have vowed to give homemade gifts and be gracious receivers. Today is the day.  

WRITING IS A DISCIPLINE, STORYTELLING AN ART, AND REVIEWS ARE A NECESSITY

By Mary Adair

Simply said, authors write because the stories inside their imagination clamor to be released. Any art needs discipline, you might say. Of course, that is true, but that special talent that resides within artists to express themselves in their craft is unique to them. If I picked up a book whose cover was hidden and began reading, and that book happened to be written by Kathleen Woodiwiss,  (http://tinyurl.com/pvbdy4l )  I would recognize her style of storytelling. I would know, without being told, that Ms Woodiwiss is the author.

The same is true for Bess Trissell (http://tinyurl.com/mop6kfq )  

and Caroline Clemmons. http://tinyurl.com/nxm2nkg )

All are great Storytellers, who excel in their craft and are easy to recognize. 

Every author I know wants to find and develop their own particular talent for storytelling, their “voice”. They study and research their topic, they plot, they outline, and then they “Create” the best story they have written.  Believe me, turning that baby you have just produced, and dressed up in the best, prettiest, most exciting cover, over to the publisher is both accelerating and frightful. Of course, a writer must write, so even though the author starts on their next book, they have not turned their back on the newly released book.

There are blogs to write, tweets to be tweeted, announcements to be sent and reviews to be checked. 

Believe it or not, Reviews are the most important. Honest reviews from readers and fans are necessary for the author to know how well they are doing. Sales are important, true, but it’s the reviews and comments from readers that make the whole process rewarding to an author. Even a bad review is not bad to receive. 

Reviews, the good, the bad and the ugly, not only help the author hone their craft, but they direct other story lovers to the books they would most enjoy.

So…after finishing your next book, make the author’s day by leaving an honest review on the site where you bought the book.

Award winning, PASSION’S VISION will be available FREE at Story Cartel for a short while in exchange for an honest review. 

How Many Books?

By Geri Foster

How many books does an author have to write before you become a fan? I ask this question because there has been a great deal of discussion lately about how many books there must be in a series before readers really become fans. The magic number seems to be seven, however, that isn't written in stone.

I've enjoyed many series that were only three books long and found this very fulfilling. Several authors have written twelve to fifteen books in the same series, and the readers come pouring in to stay up with the latest installment.

I think if you're reading about a family or a place, the stories can go on as long as the writer wants to write in that series. As long as they aren't dragging people out of the woodwork to come up with a new story. It all has to be come organically from the series. We're not really interested in a distant cousin that shows up out of the blue. We want to read stories about people we've been following. At least, that's my take on series. What about you?

That's why many readers will ask an author, "When are you going to write so and so's story. I've been hoping your next book would be about this secondary character that's been showing up since you started the series. I can't wait to read the story of the guy you just introduced in your last book."

Recently at a book signing a reader came up to me and ask me to never run out of Falcon agents. She loved them all and looked forward to reading stories of the agents I've already introduced. Of course, that's exactly what a writer wants to hear. I asked her how many books she needed to read in a series to get hooked, she said as little as two. She's obviously willing to wait for that next book in the series to come out.

How about you?

What I Learned at a Book Signing

Hi All,

How many of your have gone to a book signing to meet their favorite author? My hand is raised. I love meeting new authors and learning about their next project. When I was recently at a signing a fan came up to me and said she'd been looking all over for me. She wanted to not only buy my book, but learn more about me as a person and a writer.

Need I say I was delighted!

Fans are wonderful for a writer's ego, but they're also great inspiration. Their loyalty keeps us at the computer long into the night. They make us want to write better stories and deeper plots. That's why I'm a fan girl. I'm still in awe of my favorite authors and I know many of them personally. They're my friends and critique partners.

I'm always in awe of how they come up with different plots, characters I know intimately and words that invoke emotions. I am a writer, but first I am a reader. I love having a book, or kindle in my hands. It's like your favorite teddy bear when you were young. I take comfort in knowing the minute I turn that page, a whole new world opens for me.

I hope you all continue to read your whole life. And I hope, when you have the opportunity, you will go to a book signing to meet your favorite author.

She'll appreciate it very much.

Happy Endings,
Geri Foster

Getting Through Revisions Without Slashing Your Wrists

The Trials and Tribulations of Creating a Masterpiece

or

Getting Through Revisions Without Slashing Your Wrists

by Jacquie Rogers

The world of publishing is huge and dinky all at the same time. Authors know a lot of people — both online associations and in-person. Lots of us are friends because, well, we don’t question each other if, at dinner, someone asks about poisoning a rich relative or the proper way to garrote a man. It’s just normal conversation. (Note: we do get occasional questioning looks from restaurant patrons and waiters.)

We critique with each other — delving into character, continuity, and plot holes. We go back to our writing hidey holes and fix everything, then, because we’re apparently masochistic, we let our critique partners read it again. You have to have a tough skin to get through this process.

After you’ve satisfied your critique partners and polished the story as best you can, off it goes to the editor.

Then you hold your breath.

I don’t have anything in the editing process right now but one of my critique partners does. She just got back her edits and a revision letter, and we’re trying to sort it all out. Her job is to forge on and make this story the best it can be. My job is to keep her from slitting her wrists in the process.

One of the hardest parts of writing a story is to put your vision of the scene and your notion of the character on the page. That sounds simple enough and it is in theory — in practice, though, it’s hard to accomplish.

The author and the critique partners have discussed the characters, the situation, and the setting. While these characters all come from the author’s imagination, the critiquers are often involved in every stage of development. When they read a scene, they already know what’s supposed to be there, which means it’s very easy to understand a character’s motivation even if it’s not on the page.

However, the editor hasn’t been involved at all, and is a fresh pair of eyes. She only sees what’s written, and sometimes gets the complete wrong impression of a character. So the editor writes: “Is your heroine really this naïve?” And you mutter, “Why on earth would she think that?” The editor thinks that because the heroine’s motivation or circumstance is not on the page! Simple enough.

Usually simple enough to fix, too, if the author can figure out how.

The hardest part of it all is coming to terms that her masterpiece is, in fact, not. It’s very much akin to having someone tell you your new baby is ugly. Must of us write from the heart and our stories are part of us. We don’t want the evil editor to tell us our babies are ugly. But to deliver the best book we can, we must hear the truth and embrace it.

The irony is, we love our editors even if we’d like to fit them with concrete boots. That sounds crazy, but every author I know would go to the end of the earth, including pulverizing our own egos, to make our stories come alive. You see, we really get a kick out of creating these characters and worlds, and we want our readers to enjoy them as much as we do.

Good editors love books. There has to be a special place in Heaven for editors who know that their comments will cause untold misery. Still, they write the revision letter, shut their eyes, and click Send in spite of it, because they really do want to help. The easy way out would be for an editor to fix a few things so the author knows the manuscript was read, collect the fee, and be done with it. But no. A good editor puts the story first, before the author’s ego. Gulp.

Once the revisions are done and accepted, we all go out and party together. Yep, we all survived to write another day.

Jacquie Rogers

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♥ Hearts of Owyhee ♥ series, ♦♣ Sleight of Heart ♠♥

'Twas the Fight Before Christmas (Wolf Creek, Book 9: A Wolf Creek Christmas)

A Gift for Rhoda (Wishing for a Cowboy) | A Flare of the Heart (Hearts and Spurs)

REVISITING FAVORITE BOOKS

By Caroline Clemmons

So many books, so little time. As an author, hundreds of my friends and acquaintances are authors of fine books. My already long TBR list grows every day. Thank goodness for my Kindle Fire. I'm sure you who love to read have a similar problem.

But do you ever reread books? Among my friends, we’re divided about evenly in this. I’m in the group that rereads favorites. Why?

Each time I read a favorite book I learn something new. How the author phrases description, the emotions evoked, and the setting not only entertain me, but teach me for my own writing. Each read reminds me why this book is one I treasure. I embrace the characters and their story again.

The characters in these books are old friends who I love to revisit. The authors excel in writing a memorable book. I dissect the most memorable passages to discover what about this book made it unforgettable.

Here are some of those I reread:

PRINCE CHARMING – As with most of Julie Garwood’s historicals, this one begins in Great Britain. But Taylor Stapeleton and Lucas Ross move quickly to the United States and their frantic race to rescue Taylor's nieces and escape a truly evil villain.

FOR THE ROSES – Julie Garwood takes a group of orphans from New York west to establish a home. Imagine children caring for an infant and surviving on their own as they escape pursuit. Not only surviving, but thriving to establish a dynasty.

THE PROMISE OF JENNY JONES – Maggie Osborne creates the opposite of most governess-type stories when Jenny Jones—a tall, gangly, red-headed muleskinner—give her promise to a dying woman. Against seemingly insurmountable odds, Jenny Jones safely delivers her young ward to the girl’s father to fulfill her promise.  

LORD PERFECT – Loretta Chase always uses vivid descriptions, but I believe this one is her finest. Bathsheba Wingate is a delightful heroine and the perfect foil for Lord Perfect, Benedict Carsington. Ms Chase’s description of the first meeting is especially priceless.

TO KISS A TEXAN – Jodi Thomas. Wes McClain’s story and that of the woman he rescues touches my heart each time. I have long wondered why women captured by Indians and recovered ceased to be human to bigoted pioneers.

Louis L'Amour

FALLON – For some reason, this Louis L’Amour story relaxes me each time I read it. But that goes for all Louis L’Amour stories. The man was one of America’s most gifted storytellers. My husband and I have each of his books from the Louis L’Amour Book Club and reread them occasionally.

MUCH ADO ABOUT MARSHALS – Like all Jacquie Rogers’s books, this one makes me smile while she leads me through a twisting plot. Cole is one of my favorite heroes. By the way, that's her nephew on the cover. She has a new cover, but this is the one on the book I have.

OUT OF THE DARK – Geri Foster writes great romantic suspense filled with sexy adventure. This one, her first of the Falcon series, is my favorite. I can easily picture Geri as the heroine, Emily.

Among other authors I reread are Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick, Nora Roberts, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Marjorie Allingham. These authors make us believe that good triumphs over evil and people can live happily ever after. I like that. They write hope in their stories.

MOBY DICK and CRIME AND PUNISHMENT are not on the list. No, these cited are not heavy reading, although I have favorite classics also. Among them are THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO by Alexander Dumas and A TALE OF TWO CITIES by Charles Dickens. You’ll note that both of those is  romantic, although in a different context than a modern romance novel.  

Those listed as favorites are books that lighten my heart, renew my appreciation for the printed word, and confirm my belief that great writing is not limited to the classics or only in “literary” works. Great writing happens every day with thousands—maybe hundreds of thousands—of writers working alone in their writing caves or on the laptop surrounded by family.

Reading is exercise for the mind. Imagination allows us to visit anywhere in this world or another, to vicariously become any profession. It also sharpens our appreciation for the here and now.  Is it any wonder Smart Girls (and Guys) Read Romance?