Musing of the Romantics

Are Book Reviews Necessary?

It's a question that needs an answer. As I was going through my formative years - the only time I ever read a book review was in the Sunday Times - and even then just to pass the time because I happened to be eating breakfast alone. I'm not much for what 'other people' say. I feel the same way about movies. I shudder when someone says, "It got terrible reviews." So what?
I'm at a point, where I really don't give a rat's teased up hairdo, what other people say. Why, because it's their opinion. One definition for opinion is: a personal view, attitude, or appraisal-- the operative word being personal. Certainly they are entitled to it, and I'm entitled not to read it or be influenced by it. I'm entitled to form my own opinion. I don't listen when supposed experts tell me what to wear, so I'm certainly not going to listen when they give their opinion on what to read. The fact is, there are reviewers out there who will give a book I thoroughly enjoyed a "Grade D" - Gotta say, it's a matter of taste. That's what it comes down to, ones personal likes and dislikes. Things rub me one way, they rub you the other.

Here at RNTV - we already review books - in a video format, with Gina's Picks and with the Smart Bitches. But we're thinking of taking a bit further and featuring written reviews. Our reviews will be the facts, and just the facts. We're just going to give you enough information about the book to make your own decision as to whether you purchase it or not. We also provide Book Excerpts every month as do many other websites - you can try before you buy. Make your own decision - what a novel idea.

So - what do you say? Do you read reviews? Do they influence your purchase?

Visit our website and see the latest video with Kim Harrison.  Stop by our message board and chat with all the authors from HOLIDAYS ARE HELL ANTHOLOGY, Kim Harrison, Marjorie M. Liu, Lynsay Sands and Vicki Pettersson

Books Still Outrank TV

How does someone take a picture of a piece of cheese, throw it up on the world wide web and get over a million hits a day? Before we answer that question, let me backtrack a bit.
In a report written in Film and Books Magazine it appears that books still outrank television, but the internet outranks everything else. It would appear that books and the internet are a perfect marriage.

It does, however, beg the question - how will authors fair in this new digital age? It would appear everyone is making a book video. The question is, do you make your own or do you hire someone. Many romance authors work with Sheila English Clover's Circle of Seven Production to get their video trailers produced. But what if the author is relatively new, or her print run is small-- meaning less potential income for her. Does she go ahead and spend money on a book video? Once the video is made, that is only one 1/8th of what needs to be done with digital promotion. How do you distribute to all the various channels out there? You Tube, Facebook, My Space, VEOH, Blip.tv, etc., etc., etc.? Do you need to become a techy? Do you hire a techy?

How will many of us who didn't grow up with a laptop as a pacifier understand all the things we need to understand? How can we gain attention when we are just one voice out of millions and millions vying for attention on the world wide web? How do you pop - how do you stand out? I ask the question again; How does someone take a picture of a piece of cheese, throw it up on the world wide web and get over a million hits a day?

If you were going to put something up on the web to get attention - what would it be?

Visit our website at www.romancenovel.tv

What Others Are Saying About Us

We're excited that others are excited about us!

See what they're saying:

Donna  Lea Simpson at Suite 101.com  and Michael Drew at Internet Connections.

Play Mystery Author Game on Romance Novel TV

Welcome to the land of trickery and deceivery, my darling Mystery Author! Are you up to the challenge of stumping our erstwhile detectives? They've trained with the best and would do Scotland Yard proud. While you ponder our queires, what can Colin (as in Firth) get you? Trust me when I say you'll need sustenance to endure our master detectives. What shall it be? Mimosa, martini, perhaps some caviar?

Join us each week at http://www.romancenovel.tv as our special Mystery Author tries to out sleuth our viewers.  It's a game of skill and cunning.

Next week's Mystery Author features...well wait - if I told you, it wouldn't be a mystery, would it? Find out for yourself. Play the game by logging onto our message board and go to the Mystery Author section.

Thanks to author Jo Beverley for being last weeks most devious Mystery Author, she played a magnificent game and had us guessing until the end. Congratulations to Pam, the only player able to unmask this week's author. If you missed her visit just go to our message
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid422556489/bctid71

What's On Romance Novel TV

For those of you who don't know us, we're a website featuring exclusive video interviews with some of your favorite romance authors.

This week's videos feature Nora Roberts, Eloisa James, J.R. Ward, Lisa Kleypas, Suzanne Brockmann, Karen Hawkins, Anna Campbell, Jayne Ann Krentz, Marjorie M. Liu, Mary Jo Putney, Susan Elizabeth Phillips - and that's only the beginning.With the holiday's fast approaching we're looking for some new books to read. So visit our message board and tell us what you're reading this week. So far our viewers have let us know we must read Halfway to the Grave, Blood Brothers, Down and Dirty, Mine at Midnight, and Night of the Huntress. What are you reading?

Next Wednesday, November 28th, Kim Harrison, Marjorie M. Liu, Lynsay Sands and Vicki Pettersson visit Romance Novel TV. For one day only all four authors will be joining us as special Guest Authors on our message board.There are new book excerpts up on our "Book" page - see what's new for November.

Visit us every day at www.romancenovel.tv for videos, a great on-line community, contests and prizes.

Series -- can't live with them - can't stop reading them.

I just finished Blood Brothers, the first book in the Sign of Seven trilogy by Nora Roberts. It's true, I couldn't put it down. Once again, Nora has written a story where the characters leap off the page and come to life. She has a way of creating families that make you want to know these people. I'm not going to spoil the story for you, suffice it say, it had me turning the pages, until I came to the end. I knew before I started the book, it was going to be a series, but I dived right in anyway. Now I'm waiting until May for the next release.

When I  read C.L. Wilson's Lord of the Fading Light, I was fortunate to have  Lady of Light and Shadows, the second book waiting for me - so there was no interruption in the story.

I finished Jodi Thomas' Texas Princess, the 2nd in the Whispering Mountain trilogy - but I waited a while in between books one and two.

Let's not discuss how much breath has to be held as I anxiously wait for the next in the series of J.R. Ward's the Black Dagger Brotherhood, or for the next in the Psy-changeling series by Nalini Singh.

The point is - it takes a writer time to write these stories we love and devour, yet we whine when the next one isn't immediately available for purchase. I for one, whine for days, "Oh my GOD, I have to wait - why did she do this to me!"  This is what I'm talking about - series, you can't live with them but you can't stop reading them.

What's your take on series?

And don't forget - we've moved to www.romancenovel.tv  - come visit and view the latest video interviews with Nora Roberts, Jodi Thomas, Sandra Hill and Linda Howard.

We've Moved!

Click here and visit us at our new home.  We have exclusive videos featuring many Avon authors. Read our blog and visit our forum for great chats with authors Lori Foster, Jane Ann Krentz and Nora Roberts.  Join our contests for wonderful prizes.  There's always something new at Romance Novel TV.

See you there!

Let's Talk Sex by Jeaniene Frost

In my recent addition of RWR magazine, there was a reader who wrote in to say that she didn’t care for some of the romance books she’d read lately because of the explicitness of the sex scenes in them. I’m not going to quote her exactly, but her reasoning went along the lines of “it’s not necessary” and “it’s too much information”. Now, just for clarity, she was referring to adult romance novels, not YA, where of course there’s a different standard. So that got me thinking (always a dangerous thing :). How do you, romance readers, like your sex scenes? Do you like a teaser, then a fade-to-black/closed-door non-descriptive scene that lets your imagination pick up where the author left off? Or do you, as a reader, want that door thrown open and the lights kept on?

I’ll ante up: Myself, I like descriptive sex scenes (sorry, Mom!). This is not to say that there haven’t been hot “closed door” novels I’ve enjoyed, but if I get to pick my poison, I want it straight up and no-holds-barred. I happen to take the same approach as a writer. Hey, one of the first things people tell you when you start out is write what you love. So I did, and therefor, the sex in my novels is detailed. Why do I like detailed scenes? For me as a reader - and writer - it’s just another part in the journey that I’m taking along with the characters. Plus, okay, I like those scenes just for fun, too. Reading a good detailed sex scene in a romance novel is like watching a hot R-rated for me; a little naughty, and a lot enjoyable.

But what say you, readers? Do you like it laid bare on the pages, or only hinted at, so your mind can fill in the blanks? Which one, and why? Also, who’s your favorite “detailed” sex scene author, and who’s your favorite “fade to black” author?