I've been perusing sales numbers recently for my 20 Harlequin novels. The fact is, they haven't all sold the same number of copies. Some have amazed me with their popularity, and some have disappointed, but all of them confound me. When I am whacking away at those keys, I'm completely convinced this is my BEST novel ever, one that really speaks to the readers, a pulse pounding thriller that will fly off the shelves. Trouble is, sometimes I'm wrong. Gasp! Sometimes, for reasons which I can't explain, my book just isn't what people want to read. Go figure! Was it the theme? The cover? The timing? A dull premise? Tired prose? No idea.
So tell me readers and writers...when faced with a shelf full of romantic suspense novels, what makes you pick one over the other? What themes really trip your trigger? Do this confused writer a favor and share!
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I'd love to help Dana, but I'm much of a suspense reader, so I'll have to defer to others.
ReplyDeleteThanks anyway, Jean. 😀
DeleteWhen perusing LIS titles, I look for specific authors and/or pick up and read the backs of books whose covers catch my eye. Yours would catch my eye, because my daughter plays the violin. And because it's unique. Hope it sells like gangbusters!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sandra. My daughter plays the euphonium, but that doesnt exactly scream suspense.😀
DeleteDana, you figure this out, share it, and you'll make a million
ReplyDeleteI will...Pamela, and i will share with our LIS team first!!!! 😀
DeleteI read the back of the book of authors that i like or an interesting cover, then i read the excerpt n buy those that i m hooked n want to read more, i read less suspense than i use to as my job assisting people with a disbility n my life in past 2 years
ReplyDeleteI thing sometimes readers avoid certain books due to life situations as if they r like me u read to escape ur reality
DeleteI feel that way too. I would probably never read a book with an elementary teacher protagonist. I know that job inside and out so it's not interesting to read about. Not sure I'd want to read about a writer protagonist either!
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