Calling All Big Books: It's a Contest!
A friend went to see Salman Rushdie speak at Cornell last week. She mentioned that he advised the writers in the audience to write shorter books. According to Mr. Rushdie, you get paid the same amount of money for shorter books and can write more of them.
To this I say, "Whah!"
I love long books. Long, good books. Long, deliciously written good books with characters I can really care about. I'm looking at you, Miss Scarlet O'Hara.
I don't need to go into the reasons for this. A quick, top of the list survey would include "lazy" and "cheap." Those aren't the only reasons, though, I swear. I like to settle in and enjoy a time and place and people. My astrological sign might be a factor in this--we Aquarians prefer a few special people rather than hordes of acquaintances. Huh. Anyway!!
Recommend a long book! Who knows a good one? I'm rereading a favorite right now but I have a coupon for Borders burning a hole in my pocket. I'll send a copy of my mid-sized book Wanted Man to the person with the best recommendation.
Feel free to include the length of the book in either pages or inches high!
P.S. This is my first author contest. Somebody better make a comment so I don't have to give my book to myself. (Dad, no aliases! Time for your baby to sink or swim alone in this cutthroat world.)
To this I say, "Whah!"
I love long books. Long, good books. Long, deliciously written good books with characters I can really care about. I'm looking at you, Miss Scarlet O'Hara.
I don't need to go into the reasons for this. A quick, top of the list survey would include "lazy" and "cheap." Those aren't the only reasons, though, I swear. I like to settle in and enjoy a time and place and people. My astrological sign might be a factor in this--we Aquarians prefer a few special people rather than hordes of acquaintances. Huh. Anyway!!
Recommend a long book! Who knows a good one? I'm rereading a favorite right now but I have a coupon for Borders burning a hole in my pocket. I'll send a copy of my mid-sized book Wanted Man to the person with the best recommendation.
Feel free to include the length of the book in either pages or inches high!
P.S. This is my first author contest. Somebody better make a comment so I don't have to give my book to myself. (Dad, no aliases! Time for your baby to sink or swim alone in this cutthroat world.)
Comments
I would recommend Nalini Singh's Slave to Sensation -- it's typical ST length, about 100k, and it was one of the best paranormals I've read lately...
I like a long book if it doesn't go on past where it should, you know? But I rarely read short books.
Also, dh enjoyed Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon (I think I got that right) -- this book is HUGE -- 1100 pages, I think -- but he said it was wonderful. I haven't had the guts to take it on -- that's really big for me, considering how slowly I read these days...
And I have Wanted Man -- just came in the mail! I'd say it's not too big, not too small -- "just right" :)
Sam
Love your posts on Harlequin's site. They always make me laugh!
Hmm, my recommendations may be outdated...but here goes!
J.R. Ward's - Lover Awakened is an amazing read. It's the third one in her series(all of which are tremendous). Runs about 434 pages and I hated to see it end.
Judith McNaught's - Paradise
Engaging read that runs about 709 pages. Gulp! My copy is frayed because I've read it so many times.
Great contest:-)
Rita
I can think of several thrillers but not so much in romance. The longest romance I've read recently, which came highly recommended and thoroughly lived up to its billing, was Francine Rivers's Redeeming Love. Not your average inspirational romance.
And no I don't have a book to reccommend.
Thanks for coming by. Your recommendations both look good. I read "Snow Crash" by Neal Stephenson and loved it. Cryptonomicon looks great.
Enjoy "Wanted Man."
Ellen
Thanks for stopping in! I met J.R. Ward in Dallas at the RWA convention this summer. (My cousin knows her, that's how I got introduced.) I've been meaning to read one of her books but didn't know which one to try first. Thanks for leading me in a good direction!
Frayed books...I'm reading one of my old favorites and the cover came off on the bus the other day. I was bummed. I'll have to look for Paradise too.
Cheers,
Ellen
Good to "see" you here. I read lots of stuff, not just romance. Thrillers tend to scare me a bit (enormous baby) but I sometimes can't resist.
Interesting about the inspirational. I read one in an online read this summer on eHarlequin and really liked it. I think I'll check your idea out.
Thanks,
Ellen
"Wanted Man" was long for a Super. I thought they'd add pages but they shrank the text. I was a little bummed because I thought it was pretty tiny, but now I know. I tried to stick closer to the word count for "His Secret Past."
Thanks for coming by!
Other Ellen
I cut my reading teeth on those long, family saga romances in the seventies. I'm not sure I would have the time/patience for them today. I like a story that MOVES, whether it be three hundred pages or six hundred. Does that make sense?
You DID drop by. Hi!!
Those family sagas are exactly what I love! Not that I could ever write one. Maybe I'll reread "Trinity."
It totally makes sense to want a book that moves. That's why I think I get frustrated with some longer books--I don't want more words, I want more story.
Cheers,
Ellen
Wanted to also recommend Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer, one of my favorite books ever.
Sam
I loved Prodigal Summer also. I should look up Kingsolver, though. I haven't read any of her stuff in a long time and I do like her.
Good to "see" you.
Ellen