A Vast Sea of Genres

Over the past couple years, I’ve found that my primary reading focus has been Young Adult literature. It’s what I enjoy reading the absolute most which is probably why I write YA. But for me to be an author, I feel that I have to feast upon a variety of different literature genres. I rather adore Middle Grade works like Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer or Fablehaven by Brandon Mull. Plus, a whole slew of fiction genres have been a part of my literature study.

Being a lover of YA, it’s somewhat difficult to pull myself away from them for a while to eat up other genres. One genre I try to implement into my joyrides through words are the classics. I don’t do it much, but every once in a while I’ll read one.

Right now I’m reading Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. It’s rather hilarious just how far apart they are on the spectrum—one steeped in darkness, the other flowered with romance.

I’m reading Dracula out of a traditional book, but listening to Sense and Sensibility on audio book in order to utilize my time in an effective manner. I’m just gonna use the cliché: Hitting two birds with one stone.

I like to call my book a “Horrific Love Story.” These two books are very useful to add a dark aura and romantic touch to my story.

With saying this, the classics and all genres for that matter can help to improve an author’s writing because reading is research for a writer. Technically YA are where I get my stylistic ideas, but other genres aid me to formulate a story. Plus, I’ll be honest, they’re just fun to read.

I love reading. It’s a delight to become absorbed in a story, even if it is outside of my most beloved genre—Young Adult.

What is your favorite genre? Do you have a hard time branching out to read other ones? Or are you able to slide from one to the next with ease?

Paper, Rocks, Scissors

I’ll admit this post has nothing to do with rocks or scissors; I just thought it would be a cool title. It does have to do with paper, though. More specifically, I’ll be talking about paperback and hardback books.

I was talking to my sister about this subject. Her husband has been reading a series of books. The next book in the series has yet to be released in paperback. He really wants to read the next book but doesn’t like hardbacks. He says they’re too heavy, not easily portable.

Here’s a picture of the book I’m reading (Dracula by Bram Stoker). I absolutely loved the cover when I purchased it, but it was only available in paperback. It’s so prettylicious! Don’t you think? But I haven’t even read a third of the book and pages are already falling out. That totally bugs me.

As I talked with my sister, we decided we like hardback books the most. I take a book with me everywhere to sneak in some reading whenever I can. Without the hardcover it could get really banged up. Plus, they’re less susceptible to pages falling out. Yes, a con to the hardback is it’s heavier. But I’m not too concerned with that issue.

Plus, typically books are released in hardback first, then a year or so later they come out in paperback. I don’t like to wait for a book to come out in paperback. I’m greedy—want it NOW! And I’m sort of OCD about books in a series either being all hardback or all paperback. They look more copasetic as they rest on my bookshelf.

It’s okay to like paperbacks. It’s perfectly fine to like hardbacks or both for that matter. To each their own!

So, are you a paperbacker or a hardbacker? Maybe you’re not partial to either. Possibly, you have a Kindle. What do you like about your preference? Or do you just play Paper, Rocks, Scissors with a bookstore employee to decide which to buy?

Hey, I brought the title into the post. I’m supercool! Uh, not really, though!

PS: Don't forget to enter to win one of these books, Imaginary Girls or Hereafter, on my blog. Follow this link to enter. You have until Thursday afternoon. Winners will be announced on my Friday blog post!