Running With Quills: Michelle Buonfiglio-Romance: B(u)y the Book® -- Exclusively on myLifetime.com

Welcome to Running With Quills, your online newsletter designed to keep you up to date with what your favorite authors (that would be us) are doing throughout the year. Here you will find the release dates of our new books and get information about our backlists. We'll preview our cover art here long before the books hit the stores and we'll keep you informed about works-in-progress and special projects. You'll also receive advance notice of signings and appearances. From time to time we'll give you a peek at our worlds, tell you what we're reading, and introduce you to some new authors.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Michelle Buonfiglio-Romance: B(u)y the Book® -- Exclusively on myLifetime.com

Hello everyone!
Have I got a treat for you today!
Michelle Buonfiglio, from Romance: B(u)y the Book, is visiting us!
Michelle is a huge supporter of romance novels, a great blogger, and a lovely person.

Let's all give her a warm, friendly "Quill" welcome!

Lori

Buongiorno, Quillsters! Thanks so much for letting me join you for the day, and thanks, Lori, for giving up your spot for me.

The other night I was helping my son with homework. If you’re a parent, you may feel like me, that sometimes it’s like our kids’ homework is really more work for us, no?

Well, this assignment of my son’s really is like work for me. It’s called a “Book Talk,” and it’s basically the same as what I do: The kids pick a book, talk a little about the characters, give some plot points w/out leaking any spoilers, investigate the author and say what special things the author does that make the kid enjoy the book. They present it orally before the class.

Note that the assignment doesn’t ask the kids why they didn’t like the book. The kids just choose a book they love and express what about it they identified with, why they think their classmates might like it.

Um, yeah. My kid always scores perfectly on the Book Talk. So what of it? I just give him a teeny little bit of help corralling his thoughts. It’s not like I write the thing for him. Or pounce on his backpack when he comes home on Book Talk day to see what grade I, em, I mean we – shoot, I mean HE got.

It’s pretty cool that kids in grade school are learning to separate books into their parts, learning about authors and working on expressing their opinions and feelings about how books affect the kids and their lives.

Because that’s what books to, they affect us. And we love to talk about the ways books do that for us. I happen to get paid to read romance and write opinion columns suggesting to folks books I think are great which they might like to buy. Some folks call me a reviewer, but I consider myself a columnist, because I don’t write traditional literary criticism. Rather, I write a hopefully entertaining form of “Book Talk” for the woman sitting at her desk with a few minutes to surf the net and looking for a suggestion of what book to read.

Really, anyone has a right to her opinion about the books she loves. And today the Internet allows us to publish our opinions in myriad outlets. But what makes the difference between a professional “reviewer” and someone who posts user-generated content (UGC, as we call it in the Internet biz) like amazon.com reviews, etc.? Is there a difference just because one gets paid and another doesn’t? What types of reviews do you like best? What code of ethics would you write for reviewers? And…when your kid gets a good grade on a project you helped with, do you feel like you earned it, too?

I hope you’ll visit with us often at Romance: B(u)y the Book at myLifetime.com, and consider linking to my section at myLifetime from your own blog or site. Have a great day!

Michelle Buonfiglio

Romance: B(u)y the Book®

Exclusively on myLifetime.com

http://www.mylifetime.com/lifestyle/entertainment/romance-buy-the-book

22 Comments:

Stacy~ said...: Hi Michelle! It's great to see you over here at the Quills :)

Hmmm, good question. I use a variety of sources to decide on what I purchase, and I find that concise reviews that stay away from spoilers but give a sense of the book (mood, motivation, personality, etc) are extremely helpful in helping me make that decision. Writing something like "this book was wonderful, everyone should buy it" tells me nothing, but if someone were to give reasons why they loved it, well, that gives me something to go on.

Word of mouth from other readers who have similar tastes has been the most effective, and I have book pimps who are extremely effective at giving great recs (not naming names but I think you know who I'm referring to *g*)

But that's not to discredit the ones who are paid either. I don't think one is any better, or worse. Obviously it's a matter of opinion. Some reviewers, paid or not, write reviews which basically repeat the synopsis on the back of the cover and those ones I tend to avoid. They aren't helpful to me.

Michelle I do read your reviews, and I think you maintain the right balance of providing insight into the story without giving away significant points that ruin it for the reader. I think you also try to broaden our reading horizons by showcasing authors who dare to be different or break away from the norm while also giving us what the majority of us ask for. It's a lovely blend :); 5:26 AM
DFender said...: Welcome to RWQ, Michelle! It's nice to have you here :-)

I don't read many reviews but do take into consideration the opinions of those that I respect. Reviews, after all, are just opinions, as you said. I love J.R. Ward's Brotherhood series and Rachel Caine's Weather Warden Series. My Mom and best friend don't agree. I love Mary Alice Monroe's southern stories full of charm and my Mom does too. Who's right? Both! LOL

My son is 17 and studying for his ACT that's scheduled for tomorrow. When he aces all of the portions I'll be so proud to have been a part of making that very busy brain of his.

Like music, I can link books to specific periods and events in my lifetime to date. I can remember where I was when I read my first Amanda Quick historical romance and laughed myself silly. I remember how excited I was when EL dragged me into the world of plein art which I knew nothing about. Stella's wowed me with her Bayou series of characters that've somehow become my make-believe friends. EG, Susan and Lori's stories and worlds have informed and entertained me for hours on end.

Good stories, new information, interesting dialogue and great characters leave a lasting impression on any reader. It's an added bonus that we can interact with the wonderful storytellers here at RWQ and openly wonder at their creativity.

Oy vey, I'm a blather-er-er... LOL. Thanks again, Michelle.

Deb; 5:34 AM
Bookstoredeb said...: Hey Michelle! Great to see you here!

I'm impressed that the schools are teaching the kids about books and how to learn more about them. Reading isn't stressed enough in the schools.

As far as reviews....
I like the way you do reviews. You share the joy and love of reading with us and make us really look forward to those new releases.

I do write a few reviews but I'm not the best at it. I always struggle not to tell to much of the story. Just enough to tantalize but not so much that the person reading it says why bother to read the book, because now I know the whole story!

I hate reviews that trash books and authors. We all know that a lot of hard work, not to mention heart and soul goes into each book and to see someone trash it, just makes me sad. Even if I don't love a book, I try to phrase it gently that it might not be my cup of tea but the redeeming factors are....

I know reviews are just a matter of personal opinion and I try not let a bad review keep me from reading a book. What suits one person may not be a hit with the next person and I prefer to form my own opinions.

Just my two cent worth.

Enjoy your day with the Quills!
Best!
Deb; 5:35 AM
Michelle Buonfiglio said...: Hi, Everyone! This is so totally cool, to visit with all of you! Last year, the lovely Quill women were generous to guest at my joint for a week of Quill-icious blogging, and it was quite the fest!

Deb, so nice to see you! I'm glad you read my stuff, and like to hear you say what I hear many readers say, that negative reviews don't generally keep them from buying a book. Some also say that positive reviews don't sway them either, so there you have it!

I try to share what dfender brings up, how the books I'm featuring affect my life, how they make me muse on -- then riff on -- stuff going on in my life, stuff that went on years ago, or pop-culture and industry issues. I think of it as the way conversations with my girlfriends about sex and stuff spur discussion of romances we've read or are reading.; 6:05 AM
Julie in Ohio said...: Morning, Michelle and ladies of the Quill!!!

LOL! Have you been talking to my kids? I take their grades as a personal test of my smartness.

I'm a nervous review reader. I really only pay attention to the ones done by people I know and trust. I read Amazon reviews for the entertainment of it but nothing that is said there has made me want to buy a book or not.; 6:56 AM
Portia Da Costa said...: Yes, I usually give much more credence to reviews and recommendations by people I know and respect. I don't mind seeing a little constructive criticism, or a reviewer who mentions that certain aspects of a book don't work for them. But I don't think snarking and trashing is helpful for anybody.

I think it's always possible to say something positive and thoughtful about a book, even if it's not entirely your cup of tea.; 7:29 AM
Jayne Ann Krentz said...: Welcome to RWQ, Michelle! Great to have you with us. And while you are here I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your tremendous support of our favorite genre.

--Jayne; 9:47 AM
LeeAnn said...: Hi Michelle. I would be lost without all the reqs I get and the great reviews. But I tend to stick closer to home with the reviews. I have those that I go to all the time and know I can trust and occasionally I will branch out. But as far as reviews posted with book sellers go I tend to be a little skeptical of them. If they’re reviews in favor of the book it might give me that little extra nudge to give the book a try but as far as knocking the book I like to reserve the right to make that judgment call myself because everyone likes different things. Just because it wasn’t their cup of tea doesn’t mean I won’t like it.; 10:12 AM
Jules Bennett said...: Hey, Michelle! I love to chat books. My kids are too little for school still, but I'm afraid if they had to do an oral presentation on a book, I'd have to write them a script:)

Jules Bennett; 10:34 AM
Michelle Buonfiglio said...: Just wait, jules b, you're gonna have a ton of fun with that scriptwriting! Maybe you could set up a class for the other parents of kids in the class and instruct them, too. You could call it, "Embrace Your Inner Stage-Mother!" (Of course, I'm just joshin).

I'm with you leann! hiya, btw. I listen to friends, and get a ton of recommendations from you guys who hang at RBTB. I've learned about so many authors and books from you all. I'm a one-chick operation with choosing novels, so I always appreciate the new reads you all talk about.

I also find that when I hear an editor talk about a book of "theirs" that they feel is awesome, it usually is. They seem to trumpet all the best. Course, I always do what everyone else does, reserve judgment.

Hi, Jayne! It truly is my pleasure , and when someone "like you" says that, it makes me feel like I'm getting it right. I don't really do what I do for props -- though of course I've got an ego, too -- but when a reader says she feels like she found a home when she found us at RBTB, or an author says I understood and represented what was going on within her story? Those are really cool moments for me.

Heya, Portia! I agree about constructive criticism. Really good traditional lit criticism can be a thing of beauty. And I enjoy a good, balanced review, too.

That's an interesting term, Julie, "nervous review reader." Do you mean you feel like they might lead you the wrong way? Or is there something about certain kinds that make you uncomfortable?; 11:11 AM
elizabeth said...: Hi Michelle,

When I have time, I go to a bookstore grab a bunch of new paranormal authors whose "voice" appeals to me. (I figure that out in about four paragraphs.)

When I don't have time, I don't read. *sobs*; 11:12 AM
Donna MacMeans said...: Hi Michelle -

Can't say as I read a lot of reviews. I still stand in front of the bookshelf reading back cover copy to make my purchasing decisions. However, as a newly publishing author, I'm definitely reading reviews written about my work *g*. Sometimes the reviewer misses key components of the book. Sometimes they're spot on. However as long as they give it a thumbs up in some capacity - I'm over the moon.

You never know how your hard work will be perceived. My fingers are now permanently crossed. Thanks and Kudos to all the reviewers who have read romance and advanced the genre through their opinion.; 11:17 AM
MaryKate said...: I have book pimps who are extremely effective at giving great recs (not naming names but I think you know who I'm referring to *g*)

Who??? Me???

Hi Michelle! I have to admit that I write reviews and I'm in the "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all club." And I'm totally comfortable with it. That being said, man, sometimes the negative reviews, if they're well written will really resonate with me. I don't approve of flaming authors, because, hey, hard work writing! But, if you can write a review that tells me why a book doesn't work for you -- I'm all for it.

As for pimping books...yes, I do it. Apparently alot. LOL! It's just that, when I finish a book I really love, I want my friends to read it so I can gush with them. It's one of my favorite things about reading romance, talking about the books with other readers. Even if it's only to say, "That hero was HOT!"; 11:22 AM
Julie in Ohio said...: There are two things about reviews that make me nervous.
One; some tend to lean too close to spoilerville for me. I know that's a shocker coming from Miss Begs-Alot but if it's a book that I've been wanting, I don't want to know. Really.
Two; I guess I just don't want to be lead the wrong way. What scratches your back may not do the same for me or vice versa. And what if the likes and dislikes aren't spelled out so I know what it is the reviewer is getting at.
So yeah, I'm a bundle of nerves when it comes to reviews.

However, I depend highly on recs, so I'm always keeping my eyes open for something new and fun.; 11:42 AM
Julie in Ohio said...: OOPS, there are actually three reasons I'm a leary review reader.
The third being I really don't like negativity. I get all mad and upset at people who bash someone's hard work. Which is just another reason I only go to those I know.; 11:56 AM
Elizabeth Guest said...: Welcome to RWQ, Michelle! It's fabulous having you here. Your continued enthusiasm and support for romance is something every writer and reader of the genre appreciates. So, a huge THANK YOU from this romance writer and reader!

~EG; 1:07 PM
Jules Bennett said...: "Embrace Your Inner Stage Mother"...I LOVE IT! I'm going to get on that:) I'm sure other parents would pay me a small fortune so they don't have to deal with it.

;)

Jules; 3:05 PM
Michelle Buonfiglio said...: well, julesb, that is definitely the truth. Here's to your new cottage industry!

You're very welcome, Elizabeth. It's a terrific industry and bunch of readers who support it, and I'm so happy I'm allowed to be part of it.

Really, Miss Begs-a-Lot!? You don't like spoilers? that is a shawkah. JulieK can always be heard at RBTB going, "oh, just one teeny tiny tidbit, please? I won't tell anybody..."

I hear you on the "over the moon," Donna. Nobody is so well-spoken and level-headed as the woman who agrees with me. :)

hey, elizabeth! I think going to the bookstore is really fun. Even if I'm going in for something someone recommended, I still stand around paging till I find a couple more. I especially love to find category romances that way. And the more outlandish the title, the better!

Hi, MK. That's the most fun part of reading romance, the hanging with the girls aspect of it. I know a lot of folks don't believe this, but I totally don't care if folks disagree with me about my opinions. The neat-o thing that happens on RBTB, is the Bellas have a way of disagreeing w/out getting in anybody's face, or disrespecting their opinions. And that is super cool.; 3:23 PM
Tracey Devlyn said...: Hi Michelle,
Your constant support of the romance genre is greatly appreciated and I admire the enthusiastic and charismatic way in which you do it. I hope to meet you one day just to give you a hug (or *ring your neck*, as I like to say).

Reviews are only one piece of the puzzle when I purchase a book - it doesn't necessarily make or break a purchase from me. I pay no attention to nasty reviewers. A lot of sweat and tears go into crafting and publishing a book, so I can't bring myself to believe that the reviewer couldn't find one nice thing to say about a published book.

Take care and keep fighting for romance!
Tracey; 7:47 AM
susan andersen said...: Sorry, sorry, sorry to be late!! That seems to be the story of my life these days.

Welcome, Michelle!!! It's great to have you here. Like many of you, I take my recs from friends with similar tastes in books. My personal fave review on one of my own books was on Amazon where the reviewer said "Such and such wasn't Susan's worst book--I liked that one. THIS was her worst!" It taught me you just can't please everybody every time.

Like Donna, I get a lot of my new reads from spending time in the bookstore pouring over books. My most recent discovery is Shannon K. Butcher. I'm still reading No Control, which I picked up the other day, so can't give a concise review. Not that a review by me would probably be all that enlightening anyhow-- that's an art form I admire. But I'm telling you, her second book is SO much better than mine was (or my third or fourth for that matter) and her imagery is simply wonderful.; 11:11 AM
Ranurgis said...: Hi, Michelle, it really is nice to see you here and for me to be able to leave some feedback. Unless the rules at mylifetime.com have changed, non-US citizens like me are unable to comment there and I rarely read blogs where I can't.

I think it's great that anybody can post a review on the Internet, though sometimes you can definitely get "reviews" or views by people who just want to slam a genre like romances. I like reading reviews by reviewers and readers but mostly just for fun. I have picked my favorite authors in over 40 years of reading romances and read mostly according to that list. Sometimes I do read newer authors and wish I could read more, but I have too many TBR boxes to have the time to do so.

Why buy new books when you have too many already? I wish I knew because I still do.; 8:00 PM
Stella said...: Michelle: Thank you so much for joining the Quills and sharing an interesting blog.

I think its neat that your boy is being encouraged to take deeper looks at the books he's reading and in discussing various points with him you're helping his efforts.

All the best, Stella; 6:24 PM

Previous Posts

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Michelle Buonfiglio-Romance: B(u)y the Book® -- Exclusively on myLifetime.com

22 Comments: