The TBR Mountain - How I'm Taking Back Control

by Enisa Haines

Image courtesy of: giphy.com

Back in the days when life was simpler, a mix of school/university and leisure time, I hadn't met the TBR pile. I was always reading, devouring in a few days the ten romance novels Harlequin Mills & Boon published every month. Yes, ten novels. Soon a new publisher appeared, Silhouette Books, and the ten books per month grew to twenty. I could cope with that.

Then an explosion happened in the romance novel publishing industry. New publishers emerged, offering sub-genres never before published: romantic suspense, futuristic, fantasy, paranormal and Gothic. Harlequin Mills & Boon introduced new category lines. So many books vying for my attention but life was no longer simple, family and work obligations and using spare moments to write hacking away at my reading time. And the TBR pile took up residence in my home. Five books stacked on my bedside table.

Then the bedside table morphed into one bookcase, then two, then three, the shelves overflowing as the five books unread multiplied to 1500. Add the 1000+ eBooks waiting to be read on my Amazon Kindle app (eReader News Today daily bargain deals sure are tempting) and my stack is now a mountain!

How did my TBR pile get so out of control? I love books. Too much, I now admit. I'll see a promo for a new book release or I'll read a review and I'm purchasing, so I know I won't ever stop buying, but I have to take control of my unread books and work through that mountain. How?

Image courtesy of: giphy.com

I've come up with a plan:

• Resist buying more books to replace the ones read or donated (most important)
• Read the back cover blurb and the first page. Does it grab my attention? 
• Read the first chapter. Do I want to read on?                                                                                   (if the answer to either question is 'no', the book goes in the 'Donate to charity' box)

Am I being too ruthless? Sure, but ruthless I have to be to cull my TBR mountain.

Do you have a TBR pile? Is it out of control? How do you deal with it?


Love to love: reading romance novels

Love to laugh: at the funny gifs I find as I search the internet

Love to learn: all the ways how to tame my TBR pile

Miranda's Musings

What's made the biggest difference in my romance reading?

But first... Thank you, lovely readers, for visiting with us during this exciting BLOGIVERSARY week! I'm gifting one Amazon $US20 gift voucher for a comment posted below, selected randomly by putting all commenters' names in a hat and pulling one out. Ooh, quick, what are you waiting for? So DO comment, and come back tomorrow when I will post the winner. Good luck!
(Check the comments box below to find out yesterday's Treasure Hunt winner.)

So... what has made the biggest difference in my reading?
Easy. THE INTERNET. I grew up pre-internet (yes, I'm that old, le gasp), and information about romance books wasn't easily found. My best find was the upcoming books listed in the back of the Mills & Boon romances. Or hitting op shops and fetes (my purse was smaller then). The library's always been trumps, bless their cotton socks. Any of this sound familiar?

When I found Romance Writers of Australia I nearly wept for joy. And, I met famous authors. I had some severe cases of writer worship happening ... (ahem, this still happens). Join, everyone, join, or find your sister organisation (eg. Romance Writers of America, Romance Writers of New Zealand). The conferences and publications are awesome. You meet authors and get free books. Meet authors! Get free books! Make friends!

From RWA I found RT Book Reviews, which was
then called Romantic Times, and my bliss expanded. I subscribed instantly; a whole new world of information about the romance genre opened up. Not only were there reviews about every romance you could want, other genres and industry trends, but the magazine linked me into a community of international romance readers.

I loved finding websites such as All About Romance and joining a Yahoo romance readers' list. I discovered subgenres within romance (who knew?). I read my way through the early days of the paranormals, and charted the huge change in historicals from bodice rippers (a thing of the distant past) to fantastic I-Can-Save-Myself-Heroines. Cue fave film Ever After...

The Australian Romance Readers Association is also tremendous to belong to. I came home from their last conference with a huge load of books and great new friends. What a terrific way to spend a weekend; and there was much laughing and fun involved. I love ARRA's Facebook page, their monthly newsletter, and the way people enjoy themselves with everything about reading romance.

I'm now so spoilt for choice in my reading. I can choose a 'book' book or an ebook. I can choose chick lit, inspirational, contemporary, historical, paranormal, romantic suspense, whatever! I can find backlists and the order of a series (eg. via Fantastic Fiction, or author websites). If it's on the internet, you can find it. Fabulous.

Tell me, what's made the biggest difference in your romance reading over the years? Anything like my journey? Can't wait to hear from you.

Love from Miranda. xx

I love to love... the fun we're having with the Blogiversary!

I love to laugh... at how easy it is today to find romance books to read.

I love to learn... other people's stories about their reading journeys. Please tell all?

Picture Credits:
Romance Writers of Australia from: www.romanceaustralia.com
RT Book Reviews from: RT Daily Blog | RT Book Reviews www.rtbookreviews.com
 Ever After from: Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998) - IMDb www.imdb.com
Australian Romance Readers Association from: https://www.youtube.com/user/ARRAinc

 

What Was Your Romance Starter Book?

Darlings, Miranda here. Now, we've all got special books from waaaaay back that have graced our keeper shelves for years. These are the special books that kick-started our romance reading, and which we'll love and adore and remember fondly for the rest of time. Let me share a few of mine with you - and I'd love to hear which book(s) were The Ones that hooked you in.

A Man Called Masters by Lucy Walker, an Australian outback romance with a 'manly man' hero, was one of my starter reads. Despite the manly man it was a sweet read, and the exotic setting of the outback was irresistible for city me. I borrowed it from the school library about sixteen million times (no exaggeration), until my sister gave it to me for my birthday. Best! Birthday! Present! Ever! I still have that book, dog-eared and falling apart, but so treasured. Hmm. Maybe it's time for a reread.

Then I studied Jane Austen's Mansfield Park in school. I could not believe we had to read something so wonderful, although there were a few fervent naysayers who did not appreciate Austen anywhere near as much as I did. In hindsight, Mansfield Park was a slightly unusual book to study, but I wasn't complaining. Bliss, bliss, bliss... My sister was given Pride and Prejudice which she hated, and I loved (naturally). Is it time for English class? Fabulous! Race you there!

Then I discovered Leopard in the Snow by Anne Mather. Oh my. Does anyone remember the film that followed? That visual of her floundering around in the snow with the leopard, and the brooding hero who seemed to appear out of nowhere... Ooh. This book sent me off on a huge Mills & Boon readathon - which continues to this very day.

Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer was next, absolute heaven to read; a marvellous gem to discover. Heyer's books sparkle with wit and verve and I delight  in reading them still. Then there was Sarah Dane by Catherine Gaskin, a colonial  Australian romance which handily tied in with my Australian History class. (I'm reading it for research, Mum, honest!) My reading life just kept getting better and better - and I've simply never stopped. I mean to say, why would I? Not when there's so many wonderful books around; we're so beautifully spoilt for choice. So marvellous.

 

So tell me, everyone... What was The Book or Books that kick-started your romance reading? What are the ones that still grace your Keeper Shelf, the ones you can't bear to part with? Old or now, please tell all!

I love to love a new little baby in the family called Atticus. Kissable! Cuddly! Fat and happy! Totally scrumptious!

I love to laugh at memories of myself when I was studying, trying to carve out romance reading time when I had assignment deadlines. All sorts of procrastinations ensued.

I love to learn what other people are reading. So, do tell!

 

Until next time, my precious pets.

Happy reading and love from Miranda. xx

Finding Your Genre

with Enisa Haines

I was nine and reading Harlequin Mills & Boon novels, devouring them really. Young? Maybe. I blame Cinderella. She introduced me at age three, in the guise of a fairy tale, to romantic fiction.

When I began to write, my first attempt was a contemporary category romance. No surprise there. I knew the genre well. With my imagination working best in the midnight hours, night after night I wrote until finally those last two magical words--The End--appeared.

Did I yell out 'Yes!' or grin at the computer screen? No. I sat silent, unmoving. My plot and conflict may have been typical of the Sexy line I loved but the tone wasn't an exact fit and my hero and setting bore no resemblance to the rich alpha male or an exotic, lively city so prevalent in the novels.

Hmm. What to do? Fix the story or start another? In the midst of my dilemma the Silhouette Intimate Moments line arrived in Australia (as Silhouette Jasmine). The Harlequin Intrigue line arrived soon after. Romance mixed with danger.

I love cop shows. A movie-length thriller screens late in the night and I'm wide awake watching. Add a romance into the mix and I'm enthralled. The romantic suspense genre grabbed hold of me from the first moment of encounter.

My mind brimming with romances entwined with danger, I completed one manuscript, then a second, third and fourth. Enthused, I showed the work to critique partners, entered writing competitions, sent query letters to Silhouette Books in New York. Positive feedback. Competition placings and wins. Requests from the editor for partial and full manuscripts. Yes! Romantic suspense was the genre for me.

And yet I felt anxious. Doubt and uncertainty crept in. Why?

Image: www.computertutorsf.com

It's funny the way things that are meant to be happen. After a long battle with illness my father died. In my grief I wondered about the place that was now his home and how he was. In my wondering my imagination came alive.

A new world, a paranormal world, appeared. Characters I'd never thought to write about pushed forward seeking attention. How could that be? I wrote romantic suspense. Searching for answers, I came across an article. To discover my real voice and unlock my true writing potential I have to know my core story (who I am psychologically).

Who am I? I'm serious, my funny gene latent most times. I'm honest, maybe too honest, trust being a big issue for me. My tastes are black and white with no shades of grey in between. Examples: I love rock music and soulful ballads. Pretty Woman and The Terminator (all 4 parts) are my favourite movies. My view on justice is the same. Good battles evil and evil is vanquished. I'm obsessed with all things extrasensory and unknown. 'Is there anybody out there?' is a question I've been asking since I was a child. I haven't had an answer yet but it's a given that the cabinet beside my TV bulges with DVD collections of The Twilight Zone, The X-Files and Supernatural and a bookshelf is filled with paranormal novels.

Light-bulb moment! There it is revealed. My core story. I now know the writer I am.

I write stories set in a harsh world where good battles against evil and characters must fight to survive and embrace love. Stories about truth and trust and justice. That's my author theme. My brand. As long as I am consistent there and write the books I want to write, whether the genre is romantic suspense or paranormal doesn't matter.

Have you, in your writing journey, travelled along one path, or have you changed direction? Was finding your genre an easy trek or one with tangents that confused? Do you utilise your core story in your writing?

Love to love -

The bush. I'm blessed to be able to enjoy it daily where I live.

Love to laugh -

Small example of my bag fetish.

Love to learn - the myths and legends of times past are a great resource when creating new characters and worlds.

Image: courtesy of slideshare.net