Magpie67’s Comments (group member since Nov 20, 2010)

Magpie67’s comments from the Second Wind Publishing group.

Beside the title and the cover catching my eye, I am with Deb... I look on the inside for the excerpt. I like the soft cover titles but I miss the inside blurb.

I use fantasticfiction.com for authors I know and don't know, plus many of the authors list their favorite books (at the bottom) by authors I don't know and I will read these recommendations just to see what types of books they like to read. Especially my favorite authors.... I love to know what they are reading.

It's fun to discover new titles and new authors and it's still wonderful to open a book by a familiar author.

If only I could make more hours in the day to read as much as I would like too.....

:o)

Obviously the reality in the book is the author's license to create. One I like to follow and join in on the pages as the reader. :0)

Too much description and I will skip over it. A nice balance to describ the scene is fine but yes I prefer a dialog driven story. I do enjoy a character's description (thoughts) that goes hand in hand with the dialog.

Such as crime scenes, cops/FBI/detectives and medical examiners. I enjoy learning from the character that makes that scene 3D, real and believable. Describing just enough of the character can give you a great impression of who they look like or imitate. Over describing can bore the reader. Continually giving a perception of the character throughout the story is a good balance especially in a series. That character becomes important and defines the story being told.

I would say if the author can make a nice balance with descriptive and dialogue responses than I personally won't skip over anything. If the description is coming straight from the character and totally grabs me, then excellent!!!! I dig those moments!

I like a little of both I guess.... I tend to like my stories more if the character's are flawed but I don't need total dysfunction. And, I don't need a neatly tied knot at the end of certain genres.

I prefer mysteries though and love to create the whiteboard in my mind as I am solving them with the clues given by the author. I become a part of the story and crime is usually chaos until the pieces of the puzzle are complete. I do love the unexpected twists of things I didn't see coming as well.....

If we are discussing the "The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo"..... I have yet to get past the financial mess which I have heard then the real story begins and gets better.... I don't know, I will have to force myself back to this book. I am not usually a fan of best sellers but was pleasantly surprised with

The Thirteenth Tale

I'm also a fan of Donna Andrews!

I also enjoy fiction mixed with reality such as historical moments or real places and or events. It makes a nice balance and intrigues my interest in the fictional characters.

Every book I read is an escape from the stress of my life which includes, work, children, household duties, the husband, the dogs plus the occasional mother-in-law nightmares.

Reading is the ultimate stress reducer and with each story I find myself involved with one or more characters. I become a part of the story and the my world tranforms around me as I am swallowed whole within.

I just finished The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen where one discovers secrets can be harmful to your health either emotionally or physically. Filled with mother-daughter issues and family disfunctional flaws. I laughed, I cried and I rejoiced with the characters as they trudged thru every day life and their baggage.