Running With Quills: Whatcha readin'?

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.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Whatcha readin'?

Do you ever get on a genre-within-the-genre reading streak? Recently, I reread Lord of Scoundrels for the umpteenth time and for a while thereafter it was all historicals, all the time. I blasted through several titles each of Sherry Thomas, Amanda Quick, Eloise James and Elizabeth Hoyt.

Then I took a shorter sprint through Urban Fantasy, with the first book in Kathryn Smith's The Nightmare Chronicles, Lori's most recent (to me--I'm always racing to catch up with my TBR pile) Servant book and the second to last in Rachel Caine's Weather Wardens series (see caveat above).

A few days after hosting Christie Ridgway, I finished her Dirty, Sexy Knitting and am now on a Contemporary streak. Dogs And Goddesses, The Paper Marriage and True Love and Other Disasters were my most recent reads. Soon I'll be off on another tangent.

How 'bout you all? What are you currently reading? What's in your To Be Read pile that you haven't yet gotten to? And do you ever go on an author specific or genre-within-the-genre reading bender like I've been known to do?

32 Comments:

Anonymous said...: I'm incredibly busy right now and will be lucky to get through my book club's selection before we meet - Everything I Need to Know About Being Female I Learned from Judy Blume, a compilation of essays about BLume's books.

I definately get on reading benders. I re-read series. I've read the entire Harry Potter series twice, plus listened to all the books in a row. I've read the Twilight series twice and listened to it too. I'll jump into my old book boxes and re-read five or six old Amanda Quick titles, or all the Donavan books by EL. I have such a hard time with already running series, like Kate's Wolf Tales. I want to start with the first one and I can't find it, then I have to spend a lot of money to buy the rest. I suppose I need to dust off my library card and get myself to the local branch. It's all worth it though.

Zeusly; 11:21 PM
Anonymous said...: Yes, I do. but especially author specific binges (gets expensive now that I have my Kindle)Once I start I have to re-read everything by that author, (or a specific series by an author)! I just did that with Debbie Macomber, Julia Quinn, Jayne castle, Mary Balogh, Linda Howard, Amanda Quick,. I have done it with Susan Elizabeth Philips, Ann Stuart( not every old title, lol), Karen Robards, Julie Garwood, Elizabeth Lowell. I am thinking of starting at the begining , and in order for once, re-reading all of J.A. Jance's Beaumont and then Joanna Brady series. I like to do that in preperation for the release of a new book in a series!

Ok, I read alot.---------------Jill; 12:00 AM
kris b said...: susan you have been reading alot lately! :-)
I dont have much time during the week in the summer sigh. wish I did!
I do reread specific time periods together then I think I need more of those! but.. i have to be in the mood for some of them, sometimes I start one and then say nope dont wanna read that time period and go find another book, I do like to reread series all together which is ok if you have them all and they aren't lent out but.. if they are I just read the ones I have! I am still working on getting jaynes older books when I have time I want to read more of the arcane and havent had time to look for them summer is so busy!
and well its hot too have to find some air conditioning i think!
then a good book :-)

Kris b; 3:58 AM
Lori Foster said...: Sadly, I've had almost zero time for reading lately, but back in the good old days... Yes, I read in groups. I'd enjoy historicals for awhile, then contemporary single title, then categories, and sometimes, when reading time was available but limited, I read novellas in anthologies.
One of these days I'll get my life back in order so I can read, read, read again!

Lori; 4:47 AM
Dorthy said...: Right now I'm flying through fictional books. I've been adveraging 1 fictional book a day, yesturday I read 2, but they were both only 180-190 pages.

I'm slowly reading a non-fiction Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton. Its about a band of U.S. Soldiers who rode to victory in Afghanistan following 9/11.

I do go on an author specific and genre specific benders sometimes.

My TBR pile...wow, well it has a LOT of books in it. Right now I'm on a Harelquin kick. I'm participating in the 60 connections challenge where you try to make 60 connection with ONLY harlequin books. Its been really fun and intresting, and I only have 2 books left to read to get my 60 connections! When I'm done with that challenge, I think I'm going to take a break from reading, you know for a day or two.

Looking at my TBR pile the first 10 books I see (non-harlequin)
To Catch a Highlander -Karen Hawkins
By Possession -Madeline Hunter
Hidden Agendas -Lora Leigh
Killer Secrets -Lora Leigh
Shadow Game -Christine Feehan
Let Sleeping Rougues Lie -Sabrina Jeffries
Beware a Scot's Revenge -Sabrina Jeffries
Only a Duke Will Do -Sabrina Jeffries
Never Seduce a Scoundrel -Sabrina Jeffries
Bruning Wild -Christine Feehan
Any Given Doomsday -Lori Handeland

The First 10 in my Harlequin TBR pile.
The Shocking Lord Standon -Louise Allen
Familiar Stranger -Michele Hauf
The Texas Rangers Twins -Tina Lenoard
Texas Ranger, Runaway Heriss -Carol Finch
Taming the Highlander -Terri Brisbin
Surrender to the Highlander -Terri Brisbin
Kiss Me Deadly -Michele Hauf
Back to Life -Linda O. Johnston
Summer at the Lake -Linda Barrett
The Sherriff of Horseshoe Texas -Linda Warren

Those are just the first 10 of each pile, both piles have about 40 books in them at the moment, and I have more coming from Harlequin that haven't arrived yet.; 7:56 AM
Kate Douglas said...: Good morning--I'm babysitting grandkids and have discovered there's not much reading time, but I'm headed to town (their parents are home!!!) and plan to stop at the bookstore. I'm STILL trying to find Cutting Loose, Susan! Finished Sunny's LUCINDA DARKLY and liked it so much I reread it, but I tend to read whatever sifts to the top of the TBR pile. In the past week that's been everything from contemporary to paranormal to dark erotic romance (Sunny's) so I guess I'd have to say my standard choices run the eclectic gamut--it doesn't even depend on my mood or frame of mind, because whatever I choose to read will generally take me OUT of whatever mindset I've got and put me into one of the author's choosing--which, of course, is what I love about reading!; 8:15 AM
susan andersen said...: A theme I'm seeing here is busyness. I'm just the opposite--I seem to find more time for reading in the summer than I do any other time of year. That could have something to do with the fact there's not much on TV. :)

ZEUSLY, I like to reread my favorites, too. I'm working myself up to rereading all the JD Robb series. I love the character growth in that series. The problem is finding the time for all of them.

JILL, yep, I get on the author specific streaks sometimes, too. Last year it was JR Ward. This year it was Sherry Thomas and Elizabeth Hoyt.

KRIS B, you need to visit the Pacific NW. It's nice and cool up here. :); 8:56 AM
susan andersen said...: LORI, face it, babe, you've been a busy, busy girl. Hopefully all will settle down soon and you can get back to reading. I've been lovin' it, because I'd been going through one of those busy times, myself, when there just didn't seem to be enough hours in the day. But things are smoothing out--at least temporarily.

DOROTHY, just in your TBR it looks like you have a lot of author specific books. Happy reading!! I'm going to look for that soldier book for my husband--it sounds like something he'd really enjoy.

KATE, you know I have serious grandmother envy issues. Maybe someday, she said with a sigh. Re: Cutting Loose--HQN isn't nearly as good as some pubs for keeping books on the shelves. My Avons are still avail in most bookstores, but I'm lucky to find the most recent H. However, they are always available at B&N.com or Amazon--and they qualify for the free shipping with $25 worth of stuff. (that's never hard for me when it comes to books:); 9:05 AM
Anonymous said...: I often get stuck on a series. Read the first book then can't quit until they're all read lol. But I learned long ago not to do author-specific binges. Especially in genres that tend to be formulaic. I once blizted about a dozen books by a prolific author I loved, who shall remain nameless. After about 4 books, I started to catch on to the "pattern" (you know, boy/girl meet chapter 1, make love chapter 4, fall in love chapter 7, marry chapter 9, happily ever after and repeat) and just got frustrated. So instead I now mix it up among my fav authors in each genre and mix up the genres too, just to keep it all fresh and enjoyable :); 9:55 AM
Lou said...: I love romantic suspense and just discovered a new author, Allison Brennan so I'm locating all her back list and reading them. She writes in trilogies, although all her books are stand alone.

I'm bouncing from one foot to another waiting for Susan's Bending the Rules and for Jayne's new trilogy.

I don't normally read historicals, but I love Stella's and Amanda's.

When I'm stressed, I go to my favorites like the Donovans (EL) and read all of them again.

Reading is my favorite escape.; 9:57 AM
susan andersen said...: Anonyomous, that's how I feel about music. I have my favorite artists, but I don't want to listen to the same voice for an entire album. So I take songs from all my faves and make my own CDs mixing and matching the styles and voices.

LOU, it's almost here--less than a week now. *G* And, yes, isn't Allison great?
Don't read historicals, huh? I love those because times were so different and it's easier to believe in those larger than life heroes. LOVE those guys. :); 10:07 AM
DFender said...: Hiya Susan!

Yep, I go on genre benders... I've even been known to go on Author and/or Series benders.

Oddly enough, I'm mixing things up these days. I'm currently reading Iris Johansen's novel Deadlock (contemporary). Just finished Robert B. Parker's Brimstone (western - Everett Hitch). Next is Laurell Hamilton's (fantasy - Anita Blake vampire hunter) Skin Trade... Clive Cussler's Medusa (contemporary/NUMA Files/Kurt Austin).

I can't remember what I have after that... LOL. I'd hafta look. I'm the same with music... from the Kingston Trio to Godsmack. Go figure. Cybil much??? LOLOL.

Happy reading!
Deb; 1:48 PM
Judy F said...: Hi Susan,

I just finished Christie Ridgway knitting series. Loved it. Now I am reading Catherine Coulters latest FBI thriller. God I love Savich and Sherlock. It never gets old for me.

Your book is on order so I am hoping to get that in the mail soon.

I go on tangents too sometimes. I have a slew to get to. Way to long to post here. LOL; 2:07 PM
Anonymous said...: Currently I'm reading Patti Berg. She writes delightful romances, although she hasn't had a book published in several years.
Just finished reading several of the Daisey Dalyrmple mystery series by Carolla Dunn. Excellent mysteries set in 1920 England.

Louis; 3:14 PM
annie said...: Well, I just finished AQ's PP. Pretty darn wonderful, I might add!
In the TBR pile is LF's Scandalous, EL's Chain Lightning and a couple Suzanne Brockman's. Yeah, I've been known to re-read the oldies. I have JK/AQ in hard copy (most of them), so I "go-back" to them often and I think I've re-read Head of Heels at least 4X's. I especially love the scene when Coop sets Roni up on the bar...hello!
I find that I have several genres going at the same time, romantic suspense, good old fashioned mystery, historicals, non-fiction, and self help (latest is Charlene Proctor's "Goddess" book). I may be a "renaissance woman", huh! annie; 3:25 PM
wstridgerunner said...: Trying to figure out what I'll be reading is an impossible task! I'm very fickle; right now I'm going through a Harlequin Intrigue readathon, but then without warning I'll be picking up serial killers and things that go bump in the night. Then without realizing it, I'll be devouring historicals!

Right now I'm waiting for my day off to read Catherine Coulter's Knockout and Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love's Phantom in the Night. Of course there is Colleen Thompson Beneath Bone Lake sitting beside my couch waiting for me too.; 4:31 PM
Anonymous said...: I Susan. I am currently rereading a few things while I await the end of summer madness you and Jayne are creating. I shiver in anticipation! I am also reading a little light erotica, some menage, light bondage, romance. I have just finished rereading a couple of connected Dorothy Garlock romantic westerns-I would have slapped my grandma to get to a man like John Tallman when I was young. Oh yeah, I did get one very much like him, and I'm keepin' him. I am so busy right now with my son in town and work that I am kind of in a holding pattern with my reading habits, and an old favorite sometimes satisfies the addiction, I mean urge to read a story while I await the upcoming releases(OMG-double entendre!)

See ya in the funny papers
Lynne Thomas; 8:13 PM
Sue G said...: I too, go on kicks...sometimes author related, sometimes genre. I also tend to re-read series after a new title is released. (They're like old friends)! Just finished Catherine Coulter's Knockout and John Sandford's Wicked Prey. Already finished Pretty Poison and am anxiously awaiting the late Dec. release of Fired Up. Loved Dogs & Goddesses too, Crusie & talking dogs, what's not to love???Recently re-read all the Donovans and Rarities books, more please Elizabeth!!! I just plain love reading and I MAKE time to read at least 1 hour EVERY day, even if it is just a re-read of an "old friend"; this is "ME" time, decompression time...it keeps me sane. Sue G; 8:35 PM
Stella Cameron said...: Susan:

That's a bunch of books. Good for you.

I'm just finishing the fourth TWILIGHT book and admit I'm rushing a bit because I'm going to Donna Leon next--have to get a Guido Brunetti fix. Then I have a Charlain Harris Sooky book.

Big breath. Then I have promised myself I'll read Kevin Belmonte's William Wilberforce which I'm promised is compelling and it had better be:)

My TBR titles are completely out of hand. I read every day but when I'm close to deadline the down times get shorter.

Stella
Great blog, Susan; 9:05 PM
susan andersen said...: DEB, mixing it up is good. I get in moods, but then other times I just grab whatever lifts my skirt. And that mixing music, thing? Totally works for me.

JUDY F, I can see I'm going to have to try out Coulter's FBI series. :)

LOUIS, Patti is a friend of mine and she's been diligently submitting proposals. It's a tough market out there at the moment, but I feel someone's bound to pick her up soon. Because, you're right. Her books are delicious

ANNIE, you know I read the part about Head Over Heels and stopped dead. Then I skipped the rest to start dancing.*g* Just kiddin'. Well, not about the dancing part, but about the skipping the rest. :); 9:56 PM
susan andersen said...: WSTRIDGERUNNER, yep. Sounds like your tastes run the gamut alrighty.

Lynne, Lynne, Lynne. You get your fanny over here right now and clean this screen. I read "would have slapped my grandma" and spewed tea all over it!

SUE G, Catherine Coulter seems to be a recurring theme here today. Clearly I've been missing stuff! I read the Prey series for the longest time but gave up. Not because I didn't like them, but because I started getting too confused with their similar covers and Prey always in the title. (it was probably about the same time I hit peri-menopause :)

STELLA, are you enjoying the Twilight series? I loved the first, was lukewarm on the second, liked the 3rd but never read the 4th. I had it here for months, but finally gave it back to my friend. I did sneak in the Charlaine Harris book, though. Got that one for mother's day.; 10:06 PM
Erin said...: I definitely go on both author binges and genre within genre binges. (but i think my author binges tend to be spurred into action from the genre binges.)

Sometimes I'll get in the mood for some historicals, so i'll reread some Julie Garwood historicals, which then remind me how much i love/miss Julie Garwood, so I'll start reading any and all Julie Garwood. etc.

I was craving some good westerns (romance westerns i mean) awhile back, but I couldn't find any that I liked that I hadn't already read. darn. (but that means i can then re-read EL's westerns, yay.)

I'm not currently reading anything. I'm cursed with a gift of reading really fast. I know - you'd think this is fantastic thing, right? but i finish books too fast. 3 hours and I'm done. that's an expensive habit considering how fast it goes! lol. I'm actually waiting for several books to come out though.

Susan - Coulter's FBI series is good. Savich and Sherloch have great chemistry and Max is a hoot.; 10:15 PM
susan andersen said...: ERIN, have you read Susan Kay Law's western historicals? They're wonderful. She's now doing women's fiction, which is also great but I miss her historical work. I think a lot of it is still in print, if you care to check her out. I'm a slow reader, which I always thought was a detriment, but you've got a valid point. I get my $8-25 worth in price per hour. *g*; 11:35 PM
Molly said...: I'm reading Duncan's Bride by Linda Howard (great so far), The Joy of Writing Sex by Elizabeth Benedict (wouldn't recommend it), and A Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family by Mary Ostyn (interesting). It's an eclectic mix. My TBR pile is overflowing with romance (historical and contemporary) and mystery. I rarely let myself indulge in author-specific benders; I like to spread the reading love around. ;); 8:30 AM
Kate Douglas said...: Thanks, Susan! Time to place an order at B&N, I guess. There are a couple of yours I'm missing! I did find Stella's Cypress Nights when I went out, though, and the grandkids were adorable, but damn I'm exhausted!!!; 8:49 AM
Jayne Ann Krentz said...: So many books, so little time. I have to admit that I never had a TBR pile until recently. I would just buy a book or two at a time, read them, put them on a "share shelf" in my condo building and then go buy another book. No stacks.

BUT I just got a kindle and my life has changed. It is just too darn easy to stack up books on a kindle. I see a TBR pile building before my very eyes. I'm doomed.

--Jayne; 8:57 AM
Stella Cameron said...: Susan: I've been fascinated by the apparent lure of the Twilight series. The first book was hard for me at first. I have to work hard when reading repetitive stories but slowly became pulled in. The fourth book has several amazing scenes and I'd like to know how the YA audience reacts to them.

Any response to the Charlaine Harris?

Jayne: The Kindle is attached to my body now. As you write, it's too easy to order books and I'm getting pretty bad but I always know I've got choices coming up.

I realize few may be interested, but I've also started the William Wilberforce, Hero for Humanity and this is hard to put down. It's so easy for the big stories of quiet men to go almost unnoticed.

Stella; 10:29 AM
Anonymous said...: Ladies, let me tell you, I put the Kindle app on my Iphone and suddenly my purse (which is a little crossbody sling) carries an entire library everywhere I go. Technology rocks!

Oh, and Susan, I have some special screen cleaner that works really well. I'm sure it will work on tea since it daily cleans up the little smudgy fingersmears of grandgirls on touchscreens. Ever watch a two year old play whack-a-mole on an Iphone? It's priceless! I'll be right over.
Happy reading,
Lynne Thomas; 11:03 PM
ms bookjunkie said...: I seem to be on a Georgian kick lately, starting with Jo Beverley's Mallorens a few months ago and bingeing on Lynne Connolly just lately. Not that I haven't been reading lots of other stuff in between as it catches my interest, but the underlying craving right now is for Georgian (and more Richard and Rose soon, plz Lynne!). I think I'm going to stop by the library for Heyer's THESE OLD SHADES. Yes, definitely.; 3:01 AM
Katheryn said...: I definitely go on reading streaks, a couple of summers ago I couldn't seem to race through enough Jane Austens.
Sadly, like many others busyness is what slows me down. This summer in particular I seem to have less time than usual. Despite this, I have really been enjoying A Woman without Lies, by Lizabeth Lowell. It's been great because I found it as an audio book at http://www.audiobooks.net which makes making time for the book a whole lot easier. Here's to more time for reading for the rest of the summer!; 7:50 AM
susan andersen said...: MOLLY, Duncan's Bride is a classic! Loved that book.

JAYNE, I'm fairly new to TBR stacks, myself. Didn't used to understand them...then suddenly found I had one that keeps growing larger and larger.

STELLA, I liked the new Sookie book. Loved it in parts, kind of picked it apart in other parts.

MS BOOKJUNKIE, Oh, yeah. Heyer is queen--her work has legs!; 7:55 AM
Blackpaws said...: I am on a sci-fi kick at this moment...anytime a Anne McCaffrey or Todd MacCaffrey( the son who is taking up the reins in the Dragons of Pern series) is out in the bookstores, I immediately go in "Between" with the dragons of Pern!!; 6:28 PM

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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Whatcha readin'?

32 Comments: