Tag Archives: j d robb

Do You Follow Patterns or Run Around Willy Nilly?

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Patterns are a funny thing. Looking at my habits and such, I find that I write in patterns. I even read in them.

I’ve always been a reader, even in my youth. Being an only child, I found escapisim in books. They gave me friends that were realiable and would always be there no matter what was going on in my life. I vividly remember reading Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High books when I was in 5th grade. When I was sixteen, it was L. J. Smith’s Vampire Diaries series. And so begins the “series pattern”.

I, to this day, still love series books. I enjoy reading beyond just one book about the characters that I’ve grown attached to. Hearing their story and seeing how they handle events as their life unfolds as I turn the pages. Don’t get me wrong, single title books have their allure as well, and I would never turn my nose up to them, however, if I’m well into a series and I’m given a choice between a single title and the latest in a series, I’m going to choose the series book.

For an example, here are some of the series books I follow: The Hollows series (Kim Harrison), the Signs of the Zodiac series (Vicki Pettersson), the Night Huntress series (Jeaniene Frost), the ..In Death series (J. D. Robb), the Weather Warden series (Rachel Caine), the Dragonfire series (Deborah Cooke), the Jax series (Ann Aguirre), the Guardian series (Keri Arthur), the Outlander series (Diana Gabaldon), the Merry Gentry series (Laurell Hamilton), the Fever & the Highlander series (Karen Moning) and the newest series I’ve been reading, the Southern Vampire series (Charlaine Harris).

Now that I’m embarassed myself as to just how many books I read (’cause don’t forget, this is just the series books – that doesn’t even include the single titles I read from other authors) I’ve got stuff around the house to get to and errands to run.

Happy 4th of July to America!

Busy is as Busy Does – Or So They Say

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This week begins a very busy week for me. Not so much on the writing front, though the word count is nicely crawling up each and every day. But more from the reading front. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a voracious reader. I don’t just read novels, I devour them. There are certain novels, and by default, certain series that I will run out for the day they are released, just so I can have my hands on them.

This week, Tuesday in fact, signals the release of three – count ‘em, three – new books in series that I currently read. They are, in no certain order:

If that doesn’t show you the vast assortment of books that I read, I don’t know what will. Those three books couldn’t be any different from each other. You’ve got urban fantasy (Kim Harrison’s White Witch, Black Curse), futuristic romantic suspense (J. D. Robb’s Promises in Death) and sci-fi romance (Linnea Sinclair’s Hope’s Folly).

My husband and I read two of these series together and have been known to fight over the books since we only buy one copy. It will actually work out nicely with WWBC and PID being released at the same time. He can take one and I will take the other. Then, we’ll switch off. We used to take one Sunday after we’d read the same book and head off to breakfast to discuss it in depth. What we liked, what we didn’t and so on. Haven’t had time for that lately plus the discussion of books lately has been confined to my own instead. Sadly we have several barristas at several different Starbucks that know us because of this. Which, really, it a bit sad and I’m embarrassed that I’m admitting to it. *g*

I’m currently reading a historical romance (though only in so much as it takes place in the 1800′s and is about vamps & witches) which is something I rarely, if ever, read. Historical have a tendancy to showcase women in their mid twenties whom haven’t been touched in some form or fashion. That’s not something that interests me to be honest, it doesn’t mean they are bad. It was a spur of the moment buy however and isn’t horrible. Typical and predictable but something good to read before I dig in later this week to murder and mayhem.

Later this week will kick off the official St Pat’s season in this household which runs the entire month of March. Some may think this to be utterly awesome. I mean, how great would it be to celebrate a holiday that’s pretty much all about alcohol? Yeah – not so. For those that don’t know, my daughter is a competitive Irish dancer (think: Riverdance). She is also a member of a team that performs throughout our area; which means that right around St. Patrick’s Day, life gets a little crazy.

So, this week will, no doubt, end with a great big roar. It will start, however, with the Oscars! Some people have asked if I’m watching simply because I’m a Hugh Jackman fan (and have been for quite some time). The answer is no. I would watch the Oscars even if he weren’t tasked with the hosting duties. I watch them every year because I’m a closet movie geek. That doesn’t mean that I won’t still be sitting here on the couch with my handy drool bucket. *G*

Okay, my cat is sitting on me so that’s my cue.