That’s the condition one gets when summer arrives–and with it, the cessation of school and the influx of children, sunny days, and the siren call of the outdoors.

And when bloggers like me “forget” about blogging.

Sorry ’bout that.

And I don’t have much of wit to share with any of you who might still be hanging around here. So instead, I’m going to ask...what are you reading right now? What are you planning to read in the next week or so?

I’ve just finished a two-book glom of my favorite author (Barabara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters), and I’ll probably go back for more. She’s such a comfort read for me, and this last week has been busy and yet comforting. The weather’s been absolutely stellar here in Michigan. Just beautiful, and I’ve been spending part of the day sitting on my deck reading in the shade.

I just finished Witch and before that read Into the Darkness (both by Michaels), and I’m thinking of digging out The Sea King’s Daughter and Vanish with the Rose. I haven’t read them in years, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy them.

I’ve also picked up Erica Orloff’s Freudian Slip because it sounds cute, but it’s on my Kindle and I might wait for vacation for that one.

So, back at you…what are you reading and what’s on deck for your next book?

I read a lot of books (though not as many as I used to, now that I’m writing full-time), but I start a lot more than I actually finish.

I have no compunction about putting down a book that I’ve started and not picking it up again, for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s because my eyes are rolling too much. Sometimes I just lose interest. Sometimes I lose the book (just kidding. That’s only happened once.). But in any event, I have no qualms about setting aside a book that just doesn’t keep my interest–aka, a Did Not Finish book (DNF).

There are times when I’ll put a book down for whatever reason, then pick it up again later and become engrossed in it. That’s always good, and I’m glad when that happens.

But there have only been a few times (two, to be exact) that I’ve actually been so turned off by the book that I’ve returned it to the store.

One time, I’m embarrassed to say, was the first time I bought a Nora Roberts book. This was back in the ’80s sometime. I must have been in college (and poor), so I wasn’t about to waste my money (even though I still bought wayyy too many books). I’d bought two Nora books–I think they must have been Carnal Innocence and maybe Private Scandals or something like that. Anyway, I read the first chapter or so of one of them and thought it was terrible–for whatever reason. I don’t even remember. So I took both books back to the bookstore.

It wasn’t until several years later that I tried Nora again (this time it was Hidden Riches) because the book was set in Philadelphia around an antiques shop on South Street–a street I’d visited many times since I was living there. I loved the book, and that was it. I’ve been a fan ever since and never looked back.

Although…I still haven’t read either of those two books I returned. But I’m also happy to say that not only is Nora an auto-buy for me now, but I count the In Death series as my favorite series of books after Vicky Bliss.

The other time I returned a book for my money back was when I bought The Juror by George Dawes Green. It was a hardcover, and it sounded really good. That was when I was reading a lot of John Grisham. Anyway, I started reading the book and thought it was okay until I got to a scene near the beginning where we were treated to a full, detailed description of the contents of a fricking toilet. After someone had used it.

Not kidding. To this day, my stomach turns at the thought, and I was so incensed (because there was absolutely no reason to spend time on describing a turd in the toilet) that I returned it to the store and told the clerk exactly why I wanted my money back. Ugh.

So. What about you? DNF v. returning books? Have you ever? And why?

…and it’s not what you’re thinking. (ahem…Kati. Katiebabs.) And all the rest of you who have sordid images of up-against-the-wall nookie.

No, a wall-banger is a book that pisses you off so badly, you throw it against the wall. (Something I’ve had to resist doing since I bought my Kindle.)

Now, in my mind, there are two kinds of wall-bangers. (Besides the hot, up-against-the-wall ones.)

The first is the book that just has stupid things happening. Things that don’t make sense. Things where you’re constantly rolling your eyes at the characters’ decisions…like, for example, the too-stupid-to-live (TSTL) heroine who goes down into the cellar when she knows there’s a killer on the loose and he was last seen lurking outside…

…or when characters do things that don’t make sense. Or the writing is just bad. Or…whatever. And finally you can’t take it anymore, and whip! There it goes. Against the wall.

You’ve had ones like that, right?

The second type of wall-banger is when the book takes a turn that you don’t like or didn’t want to have happen. Like a beloved character is killed. Or the heroine chooses the “wrong” man. (Ahem.) Not necessarily that it doesn’t make sense or is poorly executed, but that you’re not happy with the way it’s going. Shall we say…a difference of opinion with the author. *blinks innocently*

So, I learned last night that I wrote a wall-banger of the second type! (Okay, well, that’s not to say that there aren’t people who thought the books were the first types of wall-bangers…but I don’t want to hear about them. Pleaseandthankyou.)

At my booksigning in Lansing, MI, at the fabulous Schuler Books (*waves to the incomparable Whitney, who is an amazing events coordinator*), we had a great crowd. Wine flowed, chatter ensued, and one of the attendees mentioned that her friend…when she got to a certain page in As Shadows Fade…let the book fly.

Against the wall.

Ooops.

So I had to find out when that happened, and apparently, the friend whipped the poor book at about page 117…where a certain someone said “I’ve changed my mind.”

So, yeah. I’m taking on the responsibility of writing a wall-banger. It feels sort of liberating, in a way. To paraphrase Lincoln, “You can’t please all of the people all of the time,” and I take it as a compliment, really, that the person was that invested in the books/series tha she felt that way.

To evoke such an emotional response from a reader is really the highlight of my day. That means, to me, that I’ve written something that people care about–one way or the other. Different strokes, and all that.

The first types of wall-bangers…not so much. But those second types. Yes. Those I don’t mind writing.

Funny enough, another person at the signing last night had reached that page as well…and had stopped reading. She hadn’t thrown it against the wall (whew!), and she’d come to the signing (not to throw down with me, although she probably could have taken me, with my gimp leg and all…) to say hi and chat about it.

The others who were there told her she had to keep reading…that it would be all right in the end, even though many of them were on the same “team” as she was.

So…what gets you to throw a book against the wall? First or second types of wall-bangers?

I don’t know that I’ve had any of the second types–I mean, I usually don’t stop reading if I have a disagreement with the author because if I’ve enjoyed the books, I trust him/her to convince me it was the right thing to do. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t.

But the first kind…yeah. I’ve had my share.

You?

Just wondered if this was going on your wish list or not.

Or whether you’ll be at the bookstore tomorrow to get it on release date.

Or…none of the above.

So…interested? They’re only printing 12 million copies.

My ride to Mac’s Backs in Cleveland should be arriving ANY moment now, but wanted to say Hi and Thanks to everyone who came out this weekend!

I’m behind on emails and so on, but know that I’m reading them and will respond.

In the mean time, if you’re in the area, I’m at Mac’s Backs in Cleveland tonight from 5-7,and at Paperback Outlet in Warren, MI, on Thurs 4:30-6ish I think.

Here are some puppy pictures…me and Mr. Frodo!