Connie's Corner

Connie - Something's Telling Me It Might Be You

I couldn't believe it when I read this prompt. I had actually just made this very remark. You might think, "Gosh, did she leave her husband? Has she got a new beau?"

Nah! I was at the library trying to pick out an interesting book.... Which leads me to wonder, "How do you pick out a book to read?" I mean if no one has recommended anything to you, and you're just browsing the stacks.

I used to look for authors, but I found that reading several books by the same author could get boring. They tend to write the same old stuff with a some little new twist. I don't like to be able to guess what's going to happen so author shopping is out. Think Jodi Picoult.

Now I look for titles, first. If the title is appealing, I check out the cover. If I can connect with something there, I read the first three or four pages, looking for the hook or....something of mutual interest. Then I might turn to the middle and read a couple more pages...just to make sure.

But even this way is not sure fire. It all boils down to content. A book can have the most beautiful cover ever and the most intriguing title and still be a dud. Sometimes it's just potluck.

One thing I have found very unreliable are the recommendations. Yes, the ones by the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, blah blah., or the famous authors who found it fascinating. Phooey. I don't waste my time. The more of those usually directly relates to how awful the book is going to be .

Even the book blurb can be misleading sometimes, but if the title, cover, and reading a few pages doesn't turn me off, I confidently drop it in the book sack and say, "Something's telling me it might be you."

until next time....c