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I probably shouldn’t even admit this, especially in this forum, but I simply can’t help myself. I’ve been in the romance writing business for more than ten years, I actually joined RWA in 1996 at the tender age of…well, let’s just say it was indeed somewhat tender. In any case I had heard about RWA a year or so before I joined in a most interesting manner. My mother went to a booksigning at our then local bookseller and met none other than Nora Roberts. She told Nora that she had a daughter who wanted to write romance and they struck up a conversation in which Nora gave my mother the 4-1-1 on all things RWA. Then she signed a book for me. As I mentioned I did eventually join RWA and I’m so thankful for the second-hand advice. Here comes the confession part…I’ve never read that book. In fact up until a week ago, I’d never ready ANY of Nora’s books. I know, I know, how is that even possible? And to be honest I’m not really sure other than to say that when I first started reading romance I never read any contemporaries and then by the time I started those, her backlist was so overwhelming I didn’t know where to start.
Last week though I was itching to read a romantic suspense and well, she’s the queen in that regard so I headed to our local bookstore here and decided to start the JD Robb series. At the risk of sounding like a complete idiot and stating the obvious, WOW, Nora Roberts is a fantastic writer. Okay, y’all can laugh, I deserve it. I admit it, I felt like a moron. I called my mom and made my announcement, then my best friend. I mean I’ve always respected her a great deal and found her to be a wonderful spokesperson for our genre, but still I walked past her shelves at the bookstore. Clearly I knew on some level that the woman was talented, no one can be that successful without a measure of talent, but I never realized just how much. Now I’m totally hooked.
I feel embarrassed that it took me this long to give her a try considering I owe a lot to her for pointing me in the right direction. And I’m bummed that I’ve been depriving myself for so long. Good thing is though her books don’t tend to go out of print so I should be set up whenever I need a Nora fix. So how about you? Do you have any similar confessions?
Filed in: Jaunty Post
Oct 25th
2007
6:07 am
Taryn Raye Said:
My confession(s)- I haven’t read Nora or her J.D. Robb books. I agree it’s probably the degree of how many books she has published. It’s daunting. I will get around to it though. My sister-in-law was reading one last weekend.
Another confession- I have tried reading a few of the beloved Lavryle Spencer, but I just couldn’t get into them.
And my grandmother loaned me her Mitford series by Jan Karon and I can’t even finish the first book. It’s seems slow and sluggish to me and that’s only the 1st of 9 books!
I feel guilty about it because my grandmother loves the books and thought I would like them too, but I just don’t know if I’ll be able to read it and what do I tell her when I return her books? LOL It’s a tough one.
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Oct 25th
2007
6:32 am
brownone Said:
Okay…I’ll admit it too..My name is brownone and I have never read a Nora Roberts or JD Robb book.
For some reason, like Taryn, the sheer volume of books is daunting. And she’s EVERYWHERE…the grocery store, the pharmacy, Walmart, Kmart,Sams, Target..I mean EVERYWHERE!!
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Oct 25th
2007
7:40 am
AndreaW Said:
I’ve never read Nora either! I don’t know why, just never have. And being such a glommer, I’m afraid to read one because if I do and love it, I’ll go broke buying her backlist! lol
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Oct 25th
2007
8:25 am
Rainy Said:
I, too, had seen a gazillion Nora Roberts books taking over book shelves, but for whatever reason, never read one until a book of her was made into a Lifetime (I think it was Lifetime) movie.
After seeing the movie, I had somewhat different expectations of Nora so I picked up one of her books and really enjoyed it.
I’d done the same thing with Luanne Rice. Her books seemed to be everywhere but I don’t know…Finally I picked one up and thought, gee,she’s pretty good.
It makes me wonder who else I am missing.
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Oct 25th
2007
9:27 am
Shana Galen Said:
I can’t believe so many of you haven’t ever read Nora Roberts! I really like her, and the thing that annoys me is how uncool some people–not any of you–make that seem. It’s like saying you want macaroni and cheese when everyone else wants to go out for Greek/Chinese fusion. The new cuisine might be great, but sometimes you want some filling, hearty, old-fashioned mac and cheese.
If you haven’t read Nora, I recommend starting with one of her books that’s not a series: The Villa, Montana Sky, Angel Falls, Blue Smoke.
So here’s my confession. I’ve never read Rosemary Rogers or Kathleen Woodiwiss. I have been trying to read The Flame and the Flower for the past few weeks, but wow! it’s tough to get past those rape scenes. They are really bothering me. I also have Forever Amber, but I might need a break between TFATF and that one.
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Oct 25th
2007
12:57 pm
Margo Maguire Said:
My confession is that my reading material is only maybe 1/4 Romance. I like a lot of non-fiction and …ahem … “literary” fiction.
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Oct 25th
2007
12:59 pm
Stacy S Said:
I’ve read her Nora books. Only read one JD Robb and didn’t care for it. I’m thinking I might like it now though. I’ve read so many different types of books this year. My confession: I’ve never read Kathleen Woodiwiss. I am going to try one soon though.
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Oct 25th
2007
1:20 pm
brownone Said:
Okay..here’s my confession…I have never read a Nora Robert, JD Robb, Kathleen Woodwiss, OR Joanna Lindsey. For some reason I just don’t pick ‘em up. I see them plenty of times at our discount bookstore but I just don’t buy!
I mean, I see Nora/JD books EVERYWHERE!! Sams, Target, Kmart, CVS, Walgreens, heck even the grocery store! I think the sheer volume of books she has out freaks me out for some odd reason! I’m probably like Andrea who is afraid of going broke by adding another one to her list (especially one with such a large backlist).
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Oct 25th
2007
2:27 pm
Lois Said:
Another non-Nora-reader here too. LOL I think part of it is that I have plenty to read and plenty of authors I watch for that I just really don’t need another one, especially one who has sooooooo many books under her belt. LOL And I’ve only read one Kathleen Woodiwiss, A Rose in Winter. . . not sure I can get myself to picking up The Flame and the FLower personally, but who knows, maybe one of these days.
Lois
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Oct 25th
2007
2:59 pm
Helen Said:
I confess as well I have never read a Nora Roberts or JD Robb book either not sure why but I probably will one day.
Have Fun
Helen
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Oct 25th
2007
3:02 pm
RobynDeHart Said:
Well, someone has to be reading her.
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Oct 25th
2007
4:14 pm
Mary M Said:
LOL, yes that someone must be the NY Times list.
I don’t have a confession, sorry, but I remember your post about your Mom and Michael Jackson in Las Vegas and was thinking that your Mom has amazing experiences.
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Oct 25th
2007
4:36 pm
Shana Said:
So who HAS read Nora Roberts?
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Oct 25th
2007
5:20 pm
Carol Said:
I’ve been reading Nora’s books for years! I think they are great and I love her J.D. Robb in Death series. I have quite a collection of her books and I well keep buying them as long as she keeps writing them! lol
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Oct 25th
2007
5:51 pm
Jenna Petersen Said:
Oh God, I’ve never read Nora either. It’s never been a secret that I’m woefully uneducated in the romance classics, too. Someone actually blogged about that once and brought me up as if I was PROUD that I hadn’t read things like WHITNEY, MY LOVE and stuff.
I’m NOT proud!!!!! I feel like crap about it. I just never feel like I have time anymore.
But Whitney, My Love is in my bag right now, to be read during this trip to Seattle. I have a whole plane ride home for it. I WILL read WHITNEY MY LOVE if it kills me.
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Oct 25th
2007
5:54 pm
Stacy S Said:
I do read her NR books, just not the JD Robb ones.
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Oct 25th
2007
6:55 pm
Clarisse Said:
I’ve never read Nora either but I think I am with Andrea on the “why” of that. I’m a glommer and if I read her and I loved her I would have to take out a second mortgage to buy her backlist.
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Oct 25th
2007
10:48 pm
Anne Mallory Said:
She’s one of those authors I know I can always count on. I like her paranormal trilogies especially.
I’ve never read one of her JD Robb books, but I keep wanting to – I always forget which one is first when I’m in the store and when I look at the sheer volume of them (I tend to glom single protagonist series’) it’s a mite daunting.
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