Books...other than Romance

I have a secret.  Romance writers actually read in other genres besides romance. 

Did I hear a collective gasp?  Surely not!  Just because we write it, we don't necessarily read only the same types of books.  In fact, I write what's considered series or category romance, and I rarely read other books in my sub-genre.  If I'm going to read romance, I'm more apt to pick up a single title (probably by Susan Elizabeth Phillips) or a Jane Austen novel.  Still romance but a bit different. 

A quick look at my bookshelves and...  Aha!  I see a stack of Young Adult novels, mostly by Sarah Dessen, because I was driven to buy copies of my own after reading the ones checked out from the library.  Another bookcase holds all of Dan Brown's novels, while on another shelf of that same bookcase I see a book by Bob Woodward and another by Seymour Hersh.  There's an autographed copy of Reuben on Wry written by Dave Madden, who played Reuben Kincaid on The Partridge Family and also appeared on TV's Laugh-In.  (Only the "more experienced" here will know who and what those are. ☺ The bookcase in the living room contains two shelves of Stephen King books, mixed with some John Grisham, Rosamond Pilcher, Ann Rule, and what's left of my Trixie Belden collection.  On the lower shelves are books for my grandkids.

And there are more in storage.  And even more on my Kindle that I haven't had time to read.

Yes, I love to read, and I'll read just about anything. Those of us who write are readers, too, and we often enjoy books completely unlike what we write.  It's a great way to get escape the writer's mind and enjoy the stories and talents of others.

8 comments:

Joan Vincent said...

Rox I enjoy John Grisham and Rosamond Pilcher too. My girls bought all the Trixie Belden books but I never read them. I read Nancy Drew. The only Stephen King I've read is his book on writing. I just can't do horror--nightmares big time. I'll check out some of the other names.

Rox Delaney said...

Joan, most of the books on my shelves have been read, but not all of them. I go to the Art & Book Fair each year held on Mother's Day weekend and nearly always buy far too many books. I have more than I need and have been trying to thin the herd. Even after doing that I would never have to buy another book to read.

Joan Vincent said...

Let's not even go into the books in the house waiting to be read!

Pat Davids said...

Okay, gasp away once more, everyone. I almost never read romances. Now, don't get me wrong. I have read hundreds if not thousands of them over the course of my life. Once upon a time I read five to six romances a week for years. My love of them is bone deep, but after I began writing with the idea of being published, the shine wore off.

Either the book I was reading was so much better or so much worse than my own writing that I couldn't maintain the wounderous suspension of disbelief that romances once held for me.

Now, I read for research almost exclusively. Even the romances I do occasionaly read are research for me. Sad but true.

Now my joy and pain both come from trying to create a romance others will enjoy and not toss across the room as they mutter, "What crap." Somedays I win, somedays I lose.

Reese Mobley said...

You girl, are in need of a library! Your collection is quite impressive. Your collection puts mine to shame.

Penny Rader said...

My favorite SEP book was First Lady. I loved the premise and I still think about the hero and all those sisters he had.

Penny Rader said...

My favorite SEP book was First Lady. I loved the premise and I still think about the hero and all those sisters he had.

Penny Rader said...

Aargh. Didn't mean for that to go through twice. Was trying to add to the post, not click the send button.

Anyway...I read Dan Brown's Angels & Demons and DaVinci Code. It took me awhile to get into them, but I kept with them and before long I was flipping those pages like crazy. I am glad I read DaVinci Code before all the controversy hit TV and was able to be surprised by the story.