Quick: a small non-poll

[kinzel]

A few questions for the readers in the peanut gallery:

Would you rather read:
a theme anthology
a year's best anthology

In a bookstore would you rather buy:
a new novel by someone you've heard of but never read
a new novel by someone you've never heard of

Would you more likely buy:
a novel set in a tie-in universe
a novel set in an original universe

The first thing you notice about a new author is:
the title of the book is good
the cover art of the book is good
the gender of the author

When it comes to cover blurbs you:
almost always read them
almost always ignore them
read them if they're by authors you like
always think they waste space
consider writing to the blurbers and ask them what were they drinking when they wrote the blurb, and where can you get some of *that*?

Do you go to book signings?
Elucidate above

Are you a member of the BTC -- that is, the Book Turners Club? Do you turn books by authors you like cover face-front in a bookstore?
If yes, above, will you do it for us RSN? Thanks!


Do you go to science fiction conventions?
If yes above, do you go because particular guests will attend, or for the general fun of it? Do you have a "home" convention?



For the writers:

do you think the audience for your work is:
mythical
average read-anything types
hardcore fans
geeks only
housewives in Iowa
your agent first, then your editor
the marketing department at B&N

And one last question...
do you listen to podcasts?

If so:
http://fledgling.fireheartfoundry.com/2007/12/19/fledgling-chapter-23/
the latest Fledgling podcast from Fireheart Foundry

Comments

Reply and Additional Info

[wjb3-reads.livejournal.com]

I would prefer a theme anthology.
I would rather buy a new novel by someone I've never heard of.
I would more likely buy a novel set in an original universe.
I first notice if the title is good.
I always ignore blurbs, unless they have a URL to the complete novel review.
I go to book signings.
I turn books by authors I like face-front in the bookstore.
I go to science fiction conventions for the general fun but my "home" convention (EveCon) was terminated due to organizer exhaustion. I met a gamer during my LARP at EveCon; became friends; dated her five years later; married her.
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Additional Notes:
Most anthologies I actually buy are collections of short stories by the same author. We have covered every wall in our house with book shelves. We have no room for stories we do not re-read.

I go to book signings mostly to give the author positive, non-monetary feedback (empty signings suck); hear the author read their work; talk about future projects; interact with other fans; get presents signed for my friends.

Most of the new authors I buy are specific titles recommended by friends and blogs. If you take 5- 60 minutes to talk to me, or blog to everyone, the novel was important enough for me to examine it at the bookstore. There are few authors I buy every book they write, so specific titles are important when I am looking at a new author.

Not only do I turn books by authors I like face-front in the bookstore; I organize their series in publication order; I make sure all their books are on the same shelf and contiguous; I restock from behind the visible books.

In the bookstore, a title is more likely to catch my interest than cover art. If you are alphabetically next to an author I am searching for (next new book), you have a better shot. Once something catches my interest; I read the back cover; I read the inside excerpt; I flip to a few random pages and read; I read the first page; I add them to my shopping cart in order of interest. When I am ready to check out, I take the top books from the stack, until I run out of money. The ones I cannot afford are returned to the shelves in the correct order (I am staff at a professional library).

My favorite authors are good at characters. Plot is nice, but I can sum up most books in a few dozen sentences. The joy of reading is the journey with the characters. My friends and I often debate the "Crossword Puzzle Effect" in novels. Each sequel fills in more of the characters and universes background. Just like a Crossword Puzzle, the easiest are done first. Writing a good 12th novel with the same characters and universe is much harder than writing a good 2nd novel. Most authors who write good sequels, take longer and longer for each sequel. They fill the time between sequels by working on new universes and tinkering with the sequel. They also try and moderate the "God Effect". When you make your characters Godlike by the end of the 1st novel, you have nowhere left to go. Jo Clayton's Diadem Series is a classic of how to build a 4 dimension character that grows, makes mistakes, has the mistakes come back to haunt her, has the good choices come back to save her, becomes godlike, then after 9 books is delegated to cameos in other novels.
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Re: Reply and Additional Info

[wjb3-reads.livejournal.com]

And one last question...
do you listen to podcasts?

Oops, last question hidden behind writers questions.

I am currently trying to get podcasts to work, having dial up does not help. We might cave and get FIOS 2008 or 2009.
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