This is multiple choice, short essay. Pick a question and answer it. Or, for extra credit,* answer them all. Feel free to write several comments, you won’t break anything. Probably.
1) Think about the last book you didn’t finish reading and, without telling me what it was or who wrote it (hey, it might be one of my friends), tell me what about the book made you put it down.
2) Or, if you’d rather, tell me the same thing about the last movie you couldn’t finish watching.
3) Think about the book you re-read the most often and tell me what emotion it evokes in you — that is, what do you feel as you’re reading, what makes you keep coming back to the same book, time after time. And go ahead and tell me what book it is, this is a good thing.
4) If you had to recommend one book for your mom to read, what would it be? Would it be the same for your dad? Why?
5) Has reading a book ever made you extremely angry? Why? (Again, please don’t identify it; we don’t want hurt feelings here.)
6) What do you feel when you think about a long winter weekend spent downhill skiing? Is there anything you’d rather spend a long winter weekend doing?
7) How many blogs do you read on a daily basis? Why?
8) How many books do you read in an average week? Why?
9) Compare your answers to 7) and 8) above and tell me something significant about that.
10) Make up your own question, something no one has asked you yet but the answer to which you’d really like to share with the rest of us. Extra points for creativity.
There. That ought to keep you all busy for a while so I can get some stuff done. I’ve got company coming later in the week and the house is a mess.
*Extra credit can be used to purchase merchandise on the BCB Merchandise page. You can’t find the link? Really? Keep looking. Take your time.
KD James 
Oh, you’re sneaky you are.
1) The last time I couldn’t finish a book (and this doesn’t happen often) it was because it dragged on too long without anything happening. Lots of backstory and omniscience, lots of stuff about what the character was thinking and feeling. I know some people like reading books like that; I’m not one of them. I lost interest.
2) I did (1) instead.
3) There isn’t just one book. Basically these are stories that are very character driven. And lots of dialogue. I’m a dialogue junkie. And there is often humor … not that the story must be a comedy but because sngst is boring, humor isn’t. Authors who keep me coming back include Jennifer Crusie; J.D. Robb (and NR as well but Robb more); JAK (all incarnations); Agatha Christie; Kay Hooper; Rex Stout; Dorothy Sayers; Parnell Hall (his Stanley Hastings series, not the puzzle lady); Jane Haddam; Tim Cockey … just off the top of my head. And I don’t think its a coincidence that the majority of these are women writers. I think women are more dialogue and character oriented in a general way. Insert appropriate exceptions and disclaimers here.
4) Mom and I have much the same taste in books so pretty much anything except Terry Pratchett which she just doesn’t seem to get. For Dad I’ve recommended Clive Cussler and Bill Bryson. Don’t ask me why, they just felt more like Dad’s kind of authors. I personally love Bryson, but a little Cussler goes a very long way.
5) Oh yes. For many reasons. Because the author took the story in a direction that I felt betrayed the reader. Because a protagonist acted stupidly which always strikes me as a cop-out on the author’s part. Because a character I otherwise enjoy spends too much time wallowing in angst.
6) In my version its everyone else who is out skiing and I have the lodge and the crackling fire all to myself, along with a tall stack of books.
7) Daily? Just one. Throughout the week I visit 3 or 4, intermittently. Why? Because blogs are usually about the ideas and opinions people have and I like stuff that makes me think. A good blog is like good conversation that way.
8) Average? 3-4. Why? Because I don’t have time for 8-10 what with work interfering and all. Why do I read so much? Because I enjoy it more than anything else I do.
9) Okay, there is a connection. A good book pulls me in and holds my attention much the same way a good conversation does. My favorite books always feel a bit like I’m eavesdropping on a conversation (dialogue, remember?). I guess I like to see the way people tick, even imaginary ones.
10) Why are you happy?
Why not be? I’ve got decent health, really good people in my life, a good mind, a sense of humor, I like the person I am – most of the time, and my bills get paid every month. That’s pretty much all I need. Everything else is a bonus. Admittedly I like a nice bonus as much as the next person.
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1) Last book I didn’t finish…hasn’t happened. Even the books I think are bad, I still read, really, I do.
2) Most movies we watch on DVD in our bed and for some reason I fall asleep, regardless of how good the movie is.
3) TELL NO ONE, by Harlon Coben, at least right now. I’ve also re-read WITHOUT REMORSE, Tom Clancy and HELLO DARKNESS by Sandra Brown a million times. I find the way the stories were crafted amazing. They are books I pick up to study and find myself just reading for the sake of reading. Doesn’t happen too often.
4) For my mother? Hmmmmm, something self-helpish. Maybe the 7 habits of highly effective people or something. She’d enjoy that. For my step-father, acutally, I just recommended to him TELL NO ONE, because I know he enjoys a good thriller.
5) Yes. Because they didn’t get it right. It was dealing with alcoholism and the person had obviously never been to an AA meeting or had ever meet a recovering alcholic in their life. It was very unrealistic and having had personal experience with this, it just pissed me off. Also, another book where it was portrayed as a love story, but the heroine dies in the end. I hated it!
6) I think, “Yeah! No flipping Hockey!”
7) I read eight. Because I like what they have to say.
8) I read at least one book a week, but not always fiction. There are times I focus on craft.
9) I like to read things that are interesting to me, only me and it’s all about me.
10) So, book done yet? And how are those green m&m’s?
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Oops, I guess you meant questions to me. sorry, I didn’t read the question throurghly. lets try this again.
10) something no one has asked me, but the answer to which I’d really like to share with the rest of us? Hmmmmmm, “Are those implants?” my reponse, “No. These calves are all mine!” Snort.
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1) I don’t finish a lot of books. I give them a try, and if they don’t hook me quick, back to the library they go.
3) The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Every year and sometimes several times a year since grade school. It captures me, throws me completely into a world that is nothing and everything like my own, and keeps me there until the end. Every time.
There’s more too.
4) Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers for Ma. It’s interesting theology in a moving story. It’s good writing, and I know she’d love it.
Sure, I’d recommend it to Dad, but wouldn’t expect him to actually read it. For him, I would have to go and get the book, physically put it in his hands, and then give a minimum of 10 minute written and oral presentation of why this book is worth the hours of the precious time he would spend reading it. Within the presentation, I should include a song or poem that I found giving tribute to the book, a list of people who have recommended to book, (making sure to remove any one he doesn’t like from the list) and occasionally do a one woman reenactment of the opening scene of the book to get him started. But yeah, I’d recommend it.
6) Ouch, that’ll hurt. A lot. Tons of bruises. Mostly in places nobody but me will see. But the instructor might be cute and it’s outside playing instead of inside working, right? One hospital visit does not mean I should avoid skiing forever. Why not spend the weekend trying to hurl myself down the mountain?
Snowboarding.
7) One. ‘Cause I can’t not.
8) Four or five or ten. ‘Cause I can’t not. Even if I could not, why would I not?
9) Priorities, addictions, whatever. Hey, I know they’re good for me, and I appreciate the joy they bring into my life.
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ok, since we all seem to be suck-ups: (and you should be careful BCB; i may start talking about other people’s answers and then they’ll talk and soon you’ll have a hundred posts you have to wade through)
1) i’m not ctually sure what the last book i put down was. in the beginning, like JJ, i used to never be able to put a book down, but thankfully i got over that. in general, it’s TSTL and/or weak/helpless females; overbearing, asshole males; or the book is boring (and this can be caused by lack of action, lack of good writing, lack of dialogue, etc, all depending).
2) movies: i actually rarely walk out of a movie, though if i was it would be for the same reasons as #1.
3) mostly, a book that makes me smile can have me coming back for more, or if i am so in love with the world/characters the author created. common rereads: Troon McAllister, Anne Bishop, Lee Child…ok, this list could be really long, never mind.
4) i recommend any book i think she will enjoy; sometimes she takes me up on it (mostly if she can find it in audio format, since that’s how she gets through most of her books). same with my dad, though it would be different recommendations. they both have different tastes: my mom likes self-help, mystery, suspense, and nonfiction work relating to things she does; my dad likes history, war, and those Uncle John Bathroom Readers.
5) hmmm, depends how you mean. i’ve gotten angry over and with characters- what they do, what they feel, how they are written. i’ve gotten angry that the author doesn’t give a book an ending it deserves. there was only one book i actually wanted to physically tear apart. the book wasn’t particularly good, but at the end the author said something that was so boldly inconsiderate (and unexpected) of a victimized group that even if it was just the opinion of a character, i hated it. the idea just immediately triggered my hot button and i went spewing. if it wasn’t a library book i probably would have ripped it to shreds. even thinking about it is bringing back all that hot rage. now, there have been books when i have gotten angry along with the characters, or at the characters, but never at an author (well, there is one author, but as soon as i saw where she was going i put down her book and haven’t tried to read her since).
6) well, skiing would be cool to try, i guess, but there’s so many other things i’d rather spend my money/time doing. if i’m spending a weekend skiing, cool, but it’s not my top priority.
7)obviously J&B. then sometimes i check out other blogs, but no one except them constantly. soon to be ours too. why so little? well, i do have to leave my room sooner or later. why i read them at all? because i learn things- either about the peorson writing it or about a subject matter.
8) books? well, there was a point when i would say 12 (and that’s a low estimate), but since being up here in Santa Cruz, really depends on the week. why? hello, cause i love to read. it makes me think and it teaches me things (about things in life and craft). i’m going to do as much as i can. (besides which, my future profession is going to be in the book business).
9) i seem to spend a lot of time reading. hee hee that i have a serious addiction (hey, i could be into drugs or something; this is much better for me). though MCB had a really good answer too.
10)oh, sure, make us do work now. let’s see….Q: how has your taste in books changed over the years? A: i’m a lot less patient- before, i would read the book no matter what; now they have to hook me right away. i also have less patience with things characters do that i don’t like; i’m more judgemental, i guess you could say. i think more about what i read. i focus even more on the craft and writing style that goes into things (though i think my best times at that were in 9th-11th grade). i reread more because i don’t seem to find many new authors i really enjoy, and i’ve gone through the backlist of most of my favorite authors (still working on Pratchett). ….see, just took a ten minute break to read. i’m a book worm. anyway, i focus more on the messages of the story than i used to. some other stuff, probably, but that’s the highlights and i have homework.
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You make me laugh and you make me think.
1)A chick lit book. Too breathless, too superficial and the writer can write better than that damn it.
2)Buddy Afraid something bad was going to happen to some of the animals and I can’t stand that. Hated Babe
3)Humor, I like the characters and the story pulls me in even after many reads. I have a number of authors I reread regularly Georgette Heyer, Dick Francis, Mary Stewart, Lois Macmasters Bujold’s Miles V series, Anne McCaffrey’s Pern series, Suz Brockmann Many other authors I reread occasionally. I reread when I’m stressed or busy or just can’t find something new I want to try right then
4)My mom and I have different tastes in books. I do buy them for her and lend them to her.
Dad Don’t Look Down. I’ve given it to him on CD but don’t know if he’s read it yet
5)Yes there are books that have made me mad. I forget them ASAP so can’t think of one right now
6)I’d prefer to spend the long winter weekend cross-country skiing
7)No blogs daily at present because I don’t have access. I read the ones I do because I enjoy them. Total blogs I read regularly less than 5
8)First, I don’t have an average week. I read fast. The number of books I read per week depends on what else is going on, whether I’m writing, if it’s fiction or non-fiction. The better I like a book the faster I read it because I don’t want to put it down. I don’t count them. But I know I’ve read 10 in a week before, maybe more but I wasn’t doing much else.
Right now I’m not reading fiction because I’m doing Nano. But come Dec, watch out. I’m stock piling them I can count the number of TV shows I watch during the week on one hand. Books, no.
9)I read more books than blogs. If I spend a lot of time reading blogs then I will usually compensate by backing off and reading books, writing. Yeah and once in awhile I spend time with my family.
10)I’d love to come up with one but my youngest son has read 7 books while I’ve been sitting here and he wants to go home
At the momen
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BCB,
You make me laugh!
Such thought provoking questions that take time to answer–yes, you’ll certainly keep the kids busy for a little while so you can work. Nice.
I’m enjoying your blog!
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