My Crazy TBR Pile & My Tough Love Rules To Cut It Down

The free books I brought home from RWA Nationals this year - I've read two so far.So this weekend I decided to do a little house cleaning when it came to my books. This involved organizing my Goodreads list into shelves and culling some of the herd. This also meant going through my physical bookshelves and taking inventory of what I haven't read yet. And the numbers, my friends, are rather insane...

Right now, I have exactly 100 unread novels/novellas on my Kindle and over 200 print books on my shelves waiting to be read. 0.0 I knew it was bad, but...well, I didn't realize it was that bad.

And I have a true addiction because I CAN'T STOP BUYING BOOKS. I see someone tweet about something awesome or I see one of those Daily Deal posts and I'm all click, click, click. Buy, buy, buy. Plus, if I have friends or favorite authors that put a new release out, I want to support them and buy it when it comes out. I know the buying won't stop--though I may be putting a lockdown for the month of December since I need to be buying Christmas gifts for someone other than myself. :) But I realized I do need to come up with a plan to start working through some of the books languishing on my real and virtual shelves.

So here's what I'm thinking. I have admitted in the past that I am a chronic finisher. Meaning, I have a really hard time giving up on a book unless the writing is just outright horrible. But this habit slows down my reading. If a book isn't completely sucking me in, I put it down and then don't read other stuff until it's done. Not good.

And even though I've abandoned more books in this past year than I have in the past, I'm still pretty hooked on trying to finish things. But I realized as I'm staring at all these unread books that LIFE IS TOO SHORT and there are too many FANTASTIC books to waste time on a book that's just okay.

So here are my new Tough Love Rules for the coming year:

1. If a book hasn't completely captured me (i.e. I don't want to put it down and can't stop thinking about it) by the end of chapter 3, then I'm moving on. 

As a writer, it's beat into us that we have to hook a reader from page one. I work hard to write books that do that from the first line. So why am I accepting less as a reader? Yes, sometimes page one is hard, but by three chapters, you should have me.

2. If I'm enjoying a book, but I'm just not in the right mood for it at the time, I will move it onto my new "Limbo" shelf on Goodreads.

Sometimes I'm just not in the right headspace for a certain book. For example, it may be a light, fun romance but I'm in a dark mood and want something grittier. It's nothing wrong with the book per se, just not the right time.

3. If there are books on my TBR shelf at this time next year that have been there for at least 2 years, I'm donating them to the library or a hospital. (Or holding a massive blog contest.)

I tend to hoard books. "Ooh, it sounds good. I'll probably read it one day." Yeah, if that hasn't happened in two years, it will probably never get read.

We'll see if these three things help me. I'll update next year and let y'all know. And in the meantime, if you want to follow the list of what I read. I'm active on Goodreads and I keep a running list of what I read each year here.

So what's your TBR pile look like? How do you go about picking your next book to read--i.e. is it my method (Ooh! New! Shiny!) or do you have a more organized way to go about it? And how long do you give a book before you move on for good? Anyone else have a "limbo" type shelf?

Debut Author Paul Anthony Shortt on Love Reborn

Today I have a special treat for you. Author Paul Anthony Shortt is here to taklk about the unique challenges he had in writing a reincarnation story and how it can affect the romantic plotlines. I can relate to this on some level, being that I love writing reunion stories. Having two people know each other already can be a challenge to write because takes away that first meeting, new feelings, all the fun song and dance that happens between strangers. But it also provides an immediate connection, a deeper understanding, an intensity that already exists.

However, I can't imagine how complicated that could get when the lovers are reunited in different bodies and time periods. : ) This is why I have a fantasy author here to talk about such things. 

So enjoy Paul's post and be sure to check out his book and congratulate him on his debut Locked Within ! (Which, btw, is FREE on Kindle right now. Go! Run! Get it!)

Love Reborn

Thanks for having me back, Roni! It’s been quite a while since I last did a guest post on this blog, talking about love scenes in fantasy. I’m back as part of my Locked Within Blog Tour, celebrating the release of my first novel. Again, I’m talking about love and romance, but with a particular spin.

In Locked Within, Nathan Shepherd learns that he is the reincarnation of a warrior who has fought evil for millennia. He discovers (or rediscovers) a supernatural society that exists alongside our own, and encounters people and creatures he has known in previous lifetimes. His past-life memories allow him to learn to fight or investigate murders faster and more effectively than he should ordinarily be able. But they also carry with them the emotions, good and bad, of whole lives he once lived.

As well as forcing Nathan to face the ghosts of the things he has experienced before, the fact of reincarnation presents a number of writing challenges. How to keep a sense of mystery. How to keep Nathan under enough threat that the reader’s interest is held. And how to handle romantic plotlines.

The story opens with Nathan in a committed, though struggling, relationship. His dreams and obsession with unsolved murders put a strain on his love life, and put his hopes for starting a family at risk. While it doesn’t come up in Locked Within, the idea that someone can be born again, having had whole lifetimes’ worth of friends, enemies and romantic partners buried away in a secret past does cast any relationships Nathan has in an interesting light.

If you were to meet a lover from a previous life, what does that mean for an existing relationship? Does it count as cheating on them, that you were with someone before you were reunited? Should you be expected to leave your current partner for your old lover? If you’re the one whose partner has found a past-life lover, how do you cope? Would there be jealousy? Would you feel like you would always be only second best? Or should reincarnated lovers do their best to forget their past lives and live in the present, ignoring old feelings and setting aside that relationship as being gone for good?

This potential storyline fits well with the model of the existing relationship, whether happy or ailing, which is interrupted by the arrival of the alluring love rival. A common trope, how this situation is portrayed generally depends on the gender of the person who is tempted to leave their current partner. If male, it is most often considered wrong and the spurned girlfriend or wife is the victim. If female, it is usually justified, and the husband or boyfriend is unforgivably boorish and insensitive, sometimes even abusive.

The important point where the storyline differs is that the attraction here would not be based on the temptation of something new or the smouldering charms of a mysterious stranger. Rather, the attraction would be based on an existing mutual love and connection. This is potentially more difficult to ignore than a new infatuation. 

Whether or not the reincarnated lovers are already in other relationships, any romance which now happens has to be treated differently to the standard format. Instead of nervous introductions, there is unexpected recognition. Where before there would have been the electricity of touching someone for the first time, here there is the comfort of familiarity. Nostalgic reminders in place of flirtatious banter. Sure, they have a new face, new smell. Their skin might be rough when before it was smooth. There may be jealousy to deal with over someone they were with before the characters found each other again. They may even be a different gender, which could open up all sorts of complications.

But at the heart of it, I think the story remains the same. Two characters, perhaps incomplete, Perhaps hurting or lost. They find each other, for the first, second, or hundredth time. The spark is still there. The bond they share. And as they face their challenges together, coming together again, they learn that even after a whole lifetime has passed, they make each other whole.

About Locked Within :

The supernatural realm and the mundane world have existed side by side since the dawn of time. Predators walk the streets, hidden by our own ignorance. Once, the city of New York was protected, but that was another age.

Now a creature emerges from the city's past to kill again, with no one to hear the screams of its victims. The lost and the weak, crushed under the heels of the city's supernatural masters, have given up hope.

But one man finds himself drawn to these deaths. Plagued by dreams of past lives, his obsession may cost him friends, loved ones, even his life. To stop this monster, he must unlock the strength he once had. He must remember the warrior he was, to become the hero he was born to be.

His name is Nathan Shepherd, and he remembers.

A child at heart who turned to writing and roleplaying games when there simply weren't enough action figures to play out the stories he wanted, Paul Anthony Shortt has been writing all his life.

Growing up surrounded by music, film and theatre gave him a deep love of all forms of storytelling, each teaching him something new he could use. When not playing with the people in his head, he enjoys cooking and regular meet-ups with his gaming group.

He lives in Ireland with his wife Jen and their dogs, Pepper and Jasper. Their first child, Conor William Henry Shortt, was born on July 11th, 2011. He passed away three days later, but brought love and joy into their lives and those of their friends. Jen is pregnant again and is expecting twins.

Website: http://paulanthonyshortt.blogspot.com

Thanks, Paul! So, what do you think of stories where the couple already has history What challenges have you faced in your own story because of a unique world or plot twist?

And did I mention Locked Within  is FREE on Kindle right now?

What's On Your Christmas List?

First, before we get to today's topic, I wanted to let you know that I'm over at author Kieran Kramer's blog today giving you 5 Behind The Scenes Facts about FALL INTO YOU and a chance to win a copy of CRASH INTO YOU and a signed copy of Kieran's IF YOU GIVE A GIRL A VISCOUNT. I'd love it if y'all stopped by and commented.

Hope everyone (well, at least those of you in the U.S. who celebrate it) had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday. We went out of town so it was pretty low key. This also meant that I didn't do any Black Friday shopping. So now I'm facing Christmas in a month with no presents bought yet. Ack.

However, as I'm going through Cyber Monday deals today, I'm, of course, not only making lists for those I need to buy for, but I'm making my own wish list. Now, this doesn't mean I'll actually get these things. Considering hubs and I don't exchange presents and much of our family has the "only buy for the kids" agreement, the chances of me actually getting gifts are relatively slim. BUT that doesn't mean I'm not adding things to my list. :)

 So here's what I want Santa to bring me this year:

  

1. Kindle Paperwhite

Okay, so yes, I have a Kindle Fire and really enjoy it. BUT it's more of a multi-purpose device and not simply a dedicated e-reader. I have had a good experience reading on the Fire and love seeing all those book covers in gorgeous color BUT I do get tired of the glare on the screen and reading a computer-type screen for extended periods after being on a computer all day writing. Plus, it's a little heavy to hold after a while. I miss my E-ink in these instances. And this one fixes the problem of my previous e-ink, which was that I couldn't read it in the dark. (Plus, like books, I'm starting to think one can't have too many reading devices.) :)

Image via Barnes and Noble

2. These fancy schmancy editions of classics that Barnes and Noble has on sale today.

As much as I love an e-reader, I also love having pretty books on my shelves and these are gorgeous. I'm tempted by the Complete Works of Shakespeare (even though I have a beat up hardback of that from college), the Edgar Allen Poe collection, and the Stephen King one.

3. For FALL INTO YOU to hit the USA Today or NYT Bestsellers' list.

Hey, a girl can dream, right? Can't Santa make any request come true? ;) If you'd like to be Santa's helper by pre-ordering FALL INTO YOU, I promise that one New Year's Day you'll be graced with a sexy, dominant cowboy, a sharp-tongued heroine, and a LOT of steamy, smexy times. Fair trade, right?

All right, so that's my short list. What's on your Christmas list this year?

Ebook or Print: When Do You Buy One Over the Other?

Photo by welcometolearn via Flickr CCSo yesterday Agent Sara put the question out to Twitter about book buying habits, and I briefly butted in on her convo with Miranda Kenneally. Miranda had said she buys print because she loves to put books on her shelves but buys ebooks when impatient. And that got me to thinking what makes me buy one over the other for a particular book.

I'm a reading omnivore both in genre and method. I have a Kindle Fire and love it. I also have a wall of bookshelves in my office that are so packed with print books that I have books stacked on the floor and stuffed around other places in my house. So I don't necessarily favor one over the other.

But then why do I buy book A in print but book B in ebook? Here are some of my reasons. But I'm really curious to hear yours, so I'd love for y'all to let me know in the comments.

When I Buy Ebook:

• If it's a new to me author, I'll usually try them first in ebook IF the ebook is cheaper than the print.

This is an untested author. I don't have room on my shelves for books I'm not going to want to keep. Plus, I'm going to risk less money on an author I haven't tried before.

• If the book is probably something I'm only going to read once.

This is not saying anything bad about the book. There are just some that are a great ride but not ones I need to go back to necessarily.

• I'm a sucker for Daily Deal ebook sales, so I buy the crap out of those.

I'm a girl. I'm an obsessive reader. The ability to resist a sale, especially on books, is against my genetic makeup. Of course, I do this selectively. I only purchase ones I truly think I'll read or that come recommended.

• If a book is only available in hardback, and I don't want to wait for the paperback to come out.

I don't read hardbacks. It's not even about the price so much as the bulkiness. I don't have room and they're not as easy to tote around.

• If the book is only available in ebook, obviously that's the version I'm buying.

This happens a lot, particularly in my genre. There are so many fantastic digital first publishers out there, plus there's lots of great stuff available in the indie market these days.

When I Buy Print:

• If it's an auto-buy author, who I already love. I'm buying the print, often pre-ordering so that it arrives the day it release.

This is a good risk. They've proven that I like their writing. And for books I love, I want a print copy so I can go back to and read again or reference. This is especially true if it's in my own genre because I like to "study" what other authors do well and why that story worked.

• If the cover is gorgeous.

So I can pet it and stare. Duh.

• If it's a series I plan to stick with.

I've even been known to buy an ebook version, fall in love and then buy the print as well so that I can start buying the series to keep on my shelf.

• If it's non-fiction.

Unless it's a memoir or something, I want to be able to use it as a reference, to be able to flip forward and back with ease, etc. All of my writing craft books are bought in print.

• If the book is LOOOONG, I'm torn.

For some reason, I like seeing progress in a long book that isn't just a percentage on my e-reader. I remember reading Diana Gabaldon's Outlander on my old Kindle and I loved the book, but I remember it feeling longer because of reading on the device. I felt like I was running and not getting anywhere. BUT I've heard the newest e-readers give you more info about time wise how much longer you have, that'd be nice. On the flipside, buying a giant book in print is a pain in the ass because you have to carry this brick around and if it's paperback, it's harder to hold open when it's so thick. 

As for the reading experience...

I love a paper book--the feel of it and such. However, more and more I find myself attracted the convenience of e-reading, especially now that I have an I-phone and can pick up where I left off in a book when I find myself stuck somewhere out and about with nothing to do. So honestly, in my ideal world, there'd be a set up to where you could buy the print and add on the ebook for a dollar or something so that I can read it in print at home but have access to it if I'm on the go or traveling somewhere. Maybe one day that will happen...

But in the meantime, those are some of my convoluted reasons for purchasing one or the other. But regardless of why or when, one thing is for sure. Since I've bought an e-reader, I buy more books overall. I basically haven't changed my print buying at all--I always purchased a lot, but I've added in the ebook buying. So it's probably twice as many books as I used to buy. :)

Now it's your turn: Tell me why you buy an ebook or a print book for a particular story. What makes you pick one over the other? Are there situations where you prefer one format but other times where you prefer the opposite? I want to know! :) 

Want a Peek Inside Grant's Head? New Excerpt from FALL INTO YOU

First, I want to congratulate Kristi for winning the contest from last Monday. Congrats!

I'm busy-busy trying to organize myself for writing the e-serial. Good grief this is a whole new beast. Figuring out where to divide the parts and what to write where is interesting to say the least. As of right now, I'm planning five chapters for each section since that equates to about 50 pages for me. I want to make sure you get a good chunky read for each section. I'm really excited about how the first segment turned out, so today it's on to part 2. (Titles are coming soon btw!)

And now today, since we're about six weeks out from FALL INTO YOU's release (squee!), I thought I'd give you a brand new snippet of Grant and Charli.

From FALL INTO YOU:

Copyright 2012 Roni Loren | All Rights Reserved Berkley Publishing Group

“Are you meeting someone?” The hostess’s voice drifted across the room, pulling Grant’s attention toward the main door.

His glass thunked onto the table as the muscles in his forearm forgot to work. He stared at the redheaded beauty murmuring to the hostess. Well, I’ll be damned.

Charli peered into the dining room, her fingers worrying whatever she was holding in her hands. She looked lost. And unsure. And completely, jaw-hit-the-table gorgeous.

Grant rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling hot all over. Damn. He’d known without a doubt that Charli would clean up well. Not many women could still look beautiful in relaxed-fit jeans and a ponytail like she did. But he hadn’t expected her to channel a Hollywood starlet or something.

The hostess leaned over and pointed to Grant’s booth. Somehow he managed to raise his hand in greeting and not smile like some goofy teenager who’s realized he’s landed a date with the prom queen. He straightened his shoulders, trying to regain his mental balance. He was supposed to be the cool and in control one here. Since when did he get like this over a pretty woman? He had beautiful subs offering themselves to him on a regular basis and it barely registered on his radar. This should be no different. She should be no different.

As Charli got closer, Grant saw what she was holding in her hands. Shoes. A pair of sexy black heels he’d picked out for her earlier today. A perfect complement, Kelsey had assured him, to the dark green strapless dress he’d chosen for Charli. His gaze went to her stocking feet, then slid up her long legs, to the hem of her short dress, and not stopping until he reached the column of her bare neck.

Not bare for long. The collar tucked into the inner pocket of his suit coat seemed to warm against his ribs at the thought. Soon.

He stood as Charli walked over to the booth. She set the shoes on the seat, put her hands on her hips, and arched a newly manicured brow at him. “Broken ankles or bare feet. Those are your choices.”

He smiled down at her. “Already giving me orders, freckles? That’s not how this works.”

She released a breath and then leaned in, keeping her voice low. “Look, it’s been a long day. I’ve been through what I think may be considered cruel and unusual under my constitutional rights as an American citizen. I’ve been waxed and plucked and exfoliated and . . . ironed, I think. Some woman whose name I can’t pronounce has now seen more of me than my gynecologist ever has. And this dress is . . . drafty. You gotta give me something here.”

He stared at her for a moment, a bit stunned by her rapid-fire speech, then laughed, loud and open, not caring that it drew the attention of the other guests. He raised his palms. “Fine. Point taken. Sit down. We’ll save the shoes for later.”

“Thank you.” She took his offered hand and stepped up into the raised booth, obviously forgetting she had a dress on as she climbed in. He got a delicious glimpse of the bottom curve of her ass.

He palmed her waist and moved behind her to block anyone else’s view. “Lesson one, freckles. When wearing a dress, you need to be more aware of yourself. Giving half the restaurant a Basic Instinct moment is not that big a deal here. But back in town that may be a bit embarrassing.”

“Shit.” She grabbed her hem, clamped her thighs together and hurriedly sat. “You shouldn’t have made me wear such a short dress. I feel naked.”

“You look beautiful,” he corrected, then slid into the spot across from her. “And be thankful. As my sub, I could’ve requested you to come to dinner only wearing those shoes.”

Blurb:

He’ll do anything for you. But you’d better say please.

When tomboy sports reporter Charli Beaumonde loses a dream TV job because she’s not girly enough for primetime, she’s determined to land a big scoop and prove her boss made a mistake. But when she gets too close to a football scandal and finds her life threatened, Charli accepts an offer from family friend Grant Waters to hide out at his place—even if Grant predicts nothing but trouble from his buddy’s hard-headed, uncompromising, irrepressible, younger sister. There’s one more problem…

Grant’s “place” is The Ranch, a BDSM resort in Texas, and he’s used to being in charge —even if that means trying to keep Charli in line. But much to Grant’s surprise, she’s intrigued—even envious—of his trainees. They’re the epitome of what she’s never been: sexy, beguiling, and totally irresistible to a man. Still, Grant doesn’t believe for a minute that the sharp-tongued Charli has it in her to be anyone’s submissive. But Charli’s already on her knees vying for the chance to prove that even the Master can be wrong sometimes.

Out on New Year's Day! But it's now available for Pre-Order if you want it the day it's out. ; )