Shout-out to Alex and the awesome co-hosts for today:
Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen Jacqui Murray, Chemist Ken, Victoria Marie Lees, Natalie Aguirre, and JQ Rose!
March 3 question -
Everyone has a favorite genre or genres to write. But what about your reading preferences? Do you read widely or only within the genre(s) you create stories for? What motivates your reading choice?
As you can see from my (pathetically small) finished book list from last year, I read from many genres. I read (or had read to me, actually) a lot of young children's books at my pre-covid job. (I only add them to my lists if I remember to write a review.) So not only do I read a wide range of genres, but I'm also willing to jump into differentt age groups.
For example! Here's a book I've added to my Amazon wishlist. It's by my fellow Operation Awesome team member, Kate. Chasing the Taillights has a combination of a sibling bond story and an LGBTQ 🏳🌈 guy who has a secret crush on his best friend, and this me wanting to read it. (Knowing the author is a cool bonus.) Here's more about the book:
Chasing the Taillights
Chasing the Taillights
Lucy and Tony share nothing except genes. Tony’s the champion diver destined for greatness. Lucy’s biggest concern is getting Cute Guy from the burger joint to ask her out.After an accident kills their parents, the siblings are forced to rely on one another—and decide whether to reveal their secrets.
Lucy can’t tell Tony what she knows about the accident for fear of destroying the tentative bond between them. If she doesn’t confess, she might lose her mind. If she does, she might lose the only person she has left who loves her.
Tony has problems too. Between diving practice, classes and concealing the crush he has on his best friend Jake, Tony needs to find room in his life for his sister, but his own stability dwindles with every passing day.
As the siblings struggle to overcome a lifetime of past conflicts and jealousies, they discover they might have more in common than a love of rock music.
"A heart wrenching story of survival, of hidden truths, of loneliness, confusion and guilt as two teens struggle to overcome both their loss and the barriers that have kept them strangers. Emotionally charged, filled with great dialogue, both inner and outward, the struggles feel real and powerful." - Tome Tender
And then he’s there.
He steps into the room, his huge frame filling the doorway. He starts toward the bed then stops, his lips pressing together into a thin, white line. He drops his brilliant blue-eyed gaze to the floor for a moment and swallows hard before he looks up again. The scruffy beginnings of a beard shadow his chin.
“Hey, Lucy.” He tries to smile as he crosses to the bed, but his lips tremble too hard for it to be convincing. A muscle jumps in his jaw like a tiny fish trying to escape. “Thank you for being here, Peter.”
“I wish I didn’t have to be.” Peter gets up and gives Tony a brief hug. My brother’s arms don’t move, just hang stiffly at his sides, hands clenched into fists.
Peter lets go and moves aside to let Tony sit next to me. “I’m going to get some coffee. I’ll be back soon.”
Tony watches him go, not turning back to me until Peter’s tall, lean figure has vanished into the hallway. When he does, his eyes are red-rimmed and exhausted. Purple crescents lie beneath them. He looks like shit, but something about the way he’s studying me makes me certain I look worse.
“Oh, Jesus, Lucy.” He shakes his head, a pleading expression on his face. “I have no clue what I’m supposed to say right now.”
I blink up at him. I need him to tell me what happened. I need him to explain it to me. I try to form the words, but they won’t come. My mouth, stitched up like a quilt, won’t shape what I need to say.
“Dad?” I manage after a long battle. “…Mom’s…” I can’t say it. If I speak it aloud it’ll be true.
I’m holding my breath. My chest aches and I let it out in a gasp. The pain is back, sharp and stabbing at my side, a dull throb in my neck and shoulder. Tony reaches out and touches the side of my face. I flinch, hating myself for it when his fingers are as gentle as rain.
“They’re dead, Lucy. They’re both dead.” His eyes lock onto mine and I know he’s telling the truth. The bleak, stunned look on his face tells me more than any words could. A sob escapes him and he starts to turn away.
EW100 (100% off March 7 thru 13)
Writing Book Reviews As An Author by J Lenni Dorner https://j.mp/2HEn84B
PLEASE SHARE!
Operation Awesome: March 2021 Pass or Pages Entry Form! https://t.co/7UOle5Utu6#WeNeedDiverseBooks #LGBTQIA #romance #querycontest #queryletter
— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) March 3, 2021
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/
Are you ready for April?
That does sound like a good book to read. Adding it to my list!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it!
DeleteI would love to have a job where I read or had read to me books for kids. I write MG and YA and read a lot of books in a wide range of genres in MG and YA as well as some adult books.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's a great gig.
DeleteThat's great that you are reading a fellow author's book.
ReplyDeleteAlways.
DeleteThanks so much for the shout out, J!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome.
DeleteSounds like a great book. :) I have been diving more into kid friendly books lately, because I read to my kids in the evenings and I don't want to have to explain certain things to their young minds just yet...
ReplyDeleteYeah. Gotta reach a certain age before cracking the spine of a Stephen King novel.
DeleteAlways a blessing to read and promote fellow author's book! I remember when the A - Z blog challenged started, and haven't participated since the first time. But what a great accomplishment to those that take on the challenge.
ReplyDeleteThere's always this year.
DeleteSounds like a great book!
ReplyDeleteAnd I think you probably read more than I did last year. My reading numbers have been terrible lately.
Yeah. The pandemic has really thrown me off my game.
DeleteNow that I've been spending less time in cars and public transit I've been reading more and listening to less podcasts. The downside to working from home is my writing has suffered from my lack of schedule.
ReplyDeleteI’ve been down the social media/news rabbit hole far too long. I need to dive back into books. I’ve not given up entirely, but I realize how little I’m reading except at bedtine.
ReplyDeleteYou know, any books read is good! Like Rebecca, I'm mostly reading at bedtime.
ReplyDeleteLots of reading and writing happening for you — sounds fantastic! I’m trying to review more of my kids’ books, it seems to help me understand why they’re good (or not). :)
ReplyDeleteOh, my heart!!! That snippet packs a punch and pulls me in.
ReplyDeleteI love to read across genres and age levels too
Good post, Lenni. I have a TBR list filled with books from fellow Indies. At first, I read them as a favor. Now, because they're great. I'll check yours out.
ReplyDeleteThat book sounds awesome. Looking forward to the A to Z challenge this year. I missed it last year due to family issues. Hoping to connect with more people this year.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in college, learning to be an elementary grades teacher, I took a class in kid lit. I loved reading those amazing books filled with fantastic imaginary stories. Chasing Taillights sounds like a winner. Congrats to Kate!
ReplyDeleteJQ Rose
I don't think your reading list was pathetically small. I read and reviewed thirteen books last year. My intention for this year is to read more. We can do it!
ReplyDeleteYvette Carol http://www.yvettecarol.wordpress.com
I wouldn't be reading kid's books if not for the submissions DLP gets, but I have found some excellent stories that way.
ReplyDeletehttps://writerunboxed.com/2021/03/05/there-will-be-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-679742
ReplyDeleteI've read a lot of YA books in my teaching career, and currently still do so to recommend books to my students. My personal reading habits, I read a wide range of genres but more historical fiction especially those set in the ancient world.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouraging comment on my blog. Chasing the Taillights sounds like a very good book. The title and cover are eye-catching!
ReplyDeleteI like your reading list. It looks quite extensive. Getting reviews...I don't know how I'll do it with my college memoir when my time comes. All the luck with your writing endeavors. Have a beautiful Sunday!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book! Thanks for sharing the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome approach to this month's question: paying tribute to a book you love.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a really good book.
ReplyDeleteHave fun with A to Z!