Lindi here!
I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas! We were warm here in Georgia, but Christmas still arrived, no doubt.
Update on books–almost finished with Dr. Carolyn Leaf’s Eat and Think Yourself Smart. Such an awesome book. If you are at all interested in food, or changing the way you think about food, I highly recommend this book. I’ve already bought copies for several friends and family members.
So, here is the time where we are approaching a new year. Somehow, the date, January 1st triggers something mentally within us to think things are brand new. And that’s the point of most of the stories that we right.
Our characters want something new, something different.
They survive struggle after struggle to capture this new thing in their life. And since this is a romance blog, a lot of the times, we have our characters meeting and falling in love–a new start to their lives.
I love new beginnings. I know I’ve mentioned before how much I like to write reunion romances. They are intriguing to me because the hero and the heroine have shared a past. And now here they are in a novel, reconnecting. Those romances are fun to write.
New beginnings have a way of attracting people. I love how when writing a story we, as the author, get to think of all these fun ways to start a book and push our characters onto a new horizon-sometimes a horizon they don’t know even exists!
To be honest, that’s one hard thing about being an author. A lot of us LOVE beginnings and have several books started because we love writing that first meet, the first situation of conflict. Everything shiny and new.
Then real life hits. And sometimes I think it stalls me as an author. Just like we have to push through our lives, our characters have to push through theirs, but we have to actually write that! I have started probably 5 books that I haven’t finished. I know authors who have started more than that, and never got past those first couple of chapters.
New beginnings hold so much promise!
Do you ever go into a book store and read the first page or so of a book? I love to do that! (Confession time!) But I really do. Especially if I know an author is a newly published author. I love to see what captured an editor’s eye regarding the story.
What are your favorite types of story beginnings? Do you like suspenseful ones, reunion stories, the blind date type of beginning? I’d love to hear what captures your attention when starting a new book!
Happy New Year!
USA Today featured author Lindi Peterson lives in north Georgia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with her husband and a lively array of cats, dogs and birds. She loves sharing life with her family and friends. Her passion for reading led her to writing, and then God spoke words of love into her heart and changed her life forever.
Hi Lindi. We had a great Christmas, here in South Australia visiting family- awesome beaches, warm weather, dolphins in the bay, doesn’t get much better!!
I love reading most types of “meets”, depends on my mood. Blind dates are fun, reunions are great- especially when there has been some misunderstanding in the past/present, and I thoroughly enjoy a good suspense.
I too read the beginning (and sometimes even the end!!) of books, especially authors new to me. On kindle, I often download a sample first to get a ‘feel’ for the author then go and purchase the book.
New Year blessings:)
Hi Lindi! With grown sons and grandchildren we have been celebrating Christmas all week. Tonight we celebrate at our house. In SW Michigan Old Man WINTER arrived with frigid temperatures and snow. Starting this afternoon we have another Winter Weather Advisory. Glad I am not living in Erie, Pennsylvania, which received over 100 inches of snow this week. As you stated, your characters want something new, something different – as an avid reader, I also look for something new, something different (a new beginning, unusual meetings, reunions, a new perspective). I also read the beginnings of books (print and e-books), especially for new authors. Even though I enjoy romances, there has to be more to the story. That is why I enjoy the Arcadia Valley Romances with the sustainable food culture theme. Or this summer I enjoyed the Beach Bride series, since the brides all belonged to a book club and they meet their hero after writing a message in a bottle. Happy New Year!
I enjoy different types of beginnings and storylines, as I can’t just keep reading the same genre all the time. I also enjoy learning something instead of just reading for entertainment. Have a blessed and Happy New Year ?
I also really enjoy different beginnings, storylines, and genres. I enjoy seeing the creativity of the authors, seeing what they feel God has told them to weave their stories around to bring certain messages to the readers. To me, each author and their stories are intriguing. Happy New Year!!
I like to read the first chapter if possible of a new author to me. I like all kinds of starting’s. I really like to see how God works in their lives and how they respond to His guidance. I am reading one right now where they met of all things on a wrecked ship. It really set the tone for their relationship. She was a passenger and he was a ship wrecker come out to help.
If the story doesn’t pull me in during the first few pages, I usually persevere through the first chapter, but after that, it’s doubtful if I’ll continue reading :-)
Ah—Warm Christmas. :) We have to travel usually to experience that. Sometimes we get into the 60’s here-but not this year. Ooh, and I do like blind dates meets as well!
I don’t think I’ve ever read the first page or few of a book when deciding if I wanted to read it – I always stick to the back. Thanks for the idea! :) Books that always grab my attention are books with a friends-become-more story and the beginning starts with how the characters knew each other in their youth.
Renate—Amen to missing the 100 inches of snow! Stay warm up there. :) Arcadia Valley Romances are amazing, and I’m with you when you say you want more than just a romance. Your Christmas sounds amazing. Enjoy!
Lucy–Happy New Year to you! And I, too, enjoy different genres. Although I can’t lie, romance is my favorite!
Hi!! I love the way you put it, seeing what “God has told them to weave their stories around” because that’s be beauty of it. We could all tell the “same” story, but they wouldn’t be the same at all because God gives each of us a unique perspective and place to write from. Thank you for sharing!
Lori—Sounds like a good book. I do like reading first chapters as well. :)
Margaret–the first few pages do tell a lot! And I get it about not going further. That’s a gracious amount of time to give to be invested in a story. As authors we recognize that and hope to steward it well. :) (I always think–what can make this character’s life miserable?)
Elizabeth–The back is a good place to look! I like to see the writing style as well, which is why I look at the actual pages. I love reunion stories–especially when they knew each other as kids. I saw something on FB maybe, about how a married couple found themselves in a picture when they were kids, and they didn’t know they knew each other. So, I didn’t click through to read, but it was an interesting concept.