Friday, April 1, 2011

Happy to be wicked!

Hi everyone! So excited for my first post at Three Wicked Writers plus Two! This is truly a wonderful group of authors and I was thrilled to be invited to join. Can't wait to get to know all of you better.

Before I get started I guess I should introduce myself. I'm a fairly new author - my first book, Full Disclosure, released in November, 2009 - but I've been writing since childhood. The writing bug bit me in Catholic school when I discovered writing could garner attention. What did I pick to write? Bible stories. Anything to get my paper on the classroom door with a gold star!

My reading and writing tastes have changed a bit over the years. Now I write predominantly contemporary erotic romance, though I hope to branch out into horror and paranormal stories soon. But for right now, my slate is full of erotic contemporaries. If you'd like to find out more about me or my work, check out my website: www.cariquinn.com

Now then...onto the good stuff!

For my first post I wanted to talk about reader subjectivity. I'm a very fickle reader and I suspect I'm not alone. For example, I was reading a great novella a couple weeks ago. Loved it, thought the sex was hot, enjoyed the characters...then I set it down for a couple weeks. The next time I came back to it all I could do is nitpick and had trouble getting into the story. It's not because I took a break because I often take breaks while reading. But some time between when I was reading the first time and the second my opinions had changed. Was I in a bad mood? Maybe. But I've found there is a sort of "book thrall" I fall under while reading or writing that can sometimes blind me to a book's faults. Like having just enough alcoholic beverages to take the edge off a rough day at work, occasionally conditions align where I'm sucked into a book and I don't see the warts. This is a good thing. Unfortunately it doesn't happen nearly enough.

Sometimes the same thing happens when you go back to read a beloved book and discover it has changed. Obviously not, but it can feel that way. It's so disappointing! I have certain books I depend on - my comfort reads - and occasionally the magic wears off when I go back to them. Talk about a letdown.

Do you have any comfort reads? What are they? And have any of you experienced that "book thrall" I mentioned, either as a reader or writer? Hopefully I'm not nuts. Well, a little crazy's okay...especially considering my profession. ;)

And since it's Friday - yay! - I thought I'd share a few pictures of one of my favorite bits of man candy, model and actor Henri Castelli. He looks great in a tux...or out of it!

17 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Cari, congrats on becoming a member of a very cool site. I love it here and look forward to getting to know you and your work.

I definitely have comfort reads. I love the J.D. Robb mysteries, the Suzanne Brockman Seal Team 16 stories and my Amanda Quick books. I, too have fallen under book thrall and then wondered why I bought it or started reading it. I chalk it up to mood or quirks or something. But, you are not alone. :)

Wow, this guy is HOTT!! He get's an extra T. Have an awesome weekend.

Unknown said...

I believe it depends on the mood I'm in when reading if I pick it apart. I notice mistakes more often and it drives me nuts.

Thanks for pics of Henri. That's the way to get my weekend started! :)

Taryn Elliott said...

LMAO! Love the term, book thrall.
Man, does that nail it! I have those days where i'll let things slide just because I love the chars, or it suited the mood I was in.
I'll have to agree, CP o'mine. ;)

And it's the VERY worst to get disappointed by an author you depend on. THANK GOD, laNora hasn't done it to me. LOL But I do have a few others that have definitely fallen off their pedestals.

Great first post! And look at you sneaking Henri into the post. hehe.

Tess MacKall said...

Welcome, Cari! So glad to have you with us.

I'm not so much a subjective reader as I am a...hmmm...viewer? lol I've never had that happen to me with a book. I usually start a book and will know whether that book is for me within the first chapter. Yes, I put them down too---no choice with our hectic schedules, right. But once a book has me in its hold? I continue--and sometimes I'll find that the middle just wasn't as good as the end too.

But I do have this thing where I'll watch certain TV shows all the time--even the reruns. Sort of like comfort food. lol

Great blog...Again, so glad to have you here with us.

Molly Daniels said...

Congratulations Cari:)

I noticed my impression of my favorite childhood books changed. Reading Nancy Drew, Little House, or even my beloved teen romances as an adult was eye-opening:) I noticed more about the characters, and in the case of Little House, the history involved.

I do have some books I can re-read right away, and others I can put aside and pick up again later. But books not read yet...I usually know by the 1st chapter if I'm going to like it, hate it, or love it. The ones I love, I'll try to read non-stop, unless they are longer than 50-70 pages. And depending on my mood, I'll skip over long drawn out sex scenes after I've read the first one in the story. Call me strange, but sometimes I want to know more about the action/plot!

Regina Carlysle said...

Welcome to the fold, Cari my dear! We're just so happy you're blogging with us here. I've found that as I get older my tastes change some. Books that I adored in my 20's and 30's don't appeal as much as they once did. Figure we're constantly changing and evolving maybe. I'm with Melissa on comfort reads. I have the entire Amanda Quick (Jayne Ann Krentz) collection of historicals and I'll run through all of them re-reading until I've finished them all. Historicals, to me, are soothing and hers are especially so.

Regina Carlysle said...

Oh, and THANKS for the Henry pics. What a nice way to begin the weekend. LOL

Lissa Matthews said...

Congrats Cari! How awesome for you!

Allie Standifer said...

Ohhh Shelly Laurenston is my blankie in book form!
Amazing how much better she can make me feel on a crappy day!

Savannah Chase said...

Hi Cari, congrats on joining the site...Wishing you all the best...

Delaney Diamond said...

Congrats on your new gig! Thanks for the man candy. I'm off to find more hot pics of Henri! Heh-heh.

Harlie Williams said...

Welcome Cari and I loved Full Disclosure and the follow up Ex Appeal. Henri is hot! Thanks for the share on this Friday.

Harlie Williams said...

Forgot, my comfort reads are Jayne Ann Krentz and Julie Garwood comptemps..........

Jen B. said...

My go to "comfort" read include Suzanne Brockmann, Catherine Coulter, Lorelei James, Maya Banks, Jacueline Carey, Karen Marie Moning and Gena Showalter (but there are a least a dozen more). I'm not much of a rereader. I tend to revisit specific scenes or characters. I have experienced reader thrall a couple of times. I always figured that it was just an off day or I had lost the rhythym of the story and it was hard to get it back. What I find frustrating is when you find a series you love, you find the rhythym the author uses for that series and then suddenly WHAM, out of no where the author changes speed. It's like a whole new set of rules and you have to struggle get the rhythym going. Welcome to Three Wicked Writers. It's one of my favorite blogs. I look forward to reading your future posts.

C. Zampa said...

Nice to see you, Cari! Congratulations on your first post! I enjoyed it.

And I love that you wrote Bible stories. As a youngster, I drew Bible characters, so I SO related to your and your stories!

Welcome and look forward to more posts from you!

Cari Quinn said...

Hi everyone! So sorry to be so late but I didn't get home from the day job till almost seven. No rest for the wicked. ;)

Glad you guys enjoyed the pics of Henri! I definitely have a couple of comfort reads myself...namely la Nora and Jeaniene Frost, though there are a few other books I'd love to reread. Very cool to know others are like me too!

I'm so excited to be a part of such a fun group! :)

Mia Watts said...

I've never seen Henri Castelli before, but OMG! wow. I see the draw, baby. I see the draw.

I'm glad to be a wicked nube with you!