When choosing a book to buy, what do you base your decision on? Do you look past the cover and start reading a random page? Or do you rely on the recommendations of friends?
I must admit that the cover is often the thing that first catches my eye. But before making a decision I always read through the first few pages to make sure the book is for me. These are the things that I look for:
1. Characters that make me smile. Whether they’re gushingly romantic or cuttingly sarcastic, a little bit crazy, a lot bit charismatic, wickedly clever, or charmingly cranky, I want to read about characters that are engaging, memorable, and fun.
2. Diversity. This can come in many forms; race, gender, sexuality, creed, culture, class, species, or philosophy. New and balanced points of view are important. Nay, they are necessary.
3. Poetry. Beautiful words have a way of making me fall in love. Lush descriptions, rhythmic sentence structure, poetic endings, a smart use of similes...Use any of these and you will win me over. Promise.
4. Magic. The very best stories instantly sweep you up and paint a lush and vivid world in your mind. Not only can you feel it come to life while reading, but it actually stays with you long after. That’s what I hope to find every time I pick up a book. If you can capture that, you’re golden.
Karran Willher must cross the galaxy with a woman he’s never met—dealing with pirates, fanatics, and corrupt planetary governments along the way—to find and kill his father for making him immortal. And because it’s his job.
A dwarven magus must enter a world he grew up only hearing of. As he strives to find his place and faces numerous dangers (and at least one too many gnomes) his naivete in life and love may bring more danger than any enemy ever could.
