Judging a Book
It's all in the cover. If you don't like the cover, you're not going to pick up the book. I find myself drawn to the same covers, over and over again. I may not buy the book, but I pick it up and read the blurbs. The publisher has done half the battle there.

For a snarky dissection of book covers, check out Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Books.

We all have different tastes, though, so word of mouth is important to book sales, too.

I probably would not have picked up Blue Moon by Lori Handeland because there's a guy's brawny torso on the cover -- but I'm having a terrific time reading her werewolf story. Her heroine, Jessie McQuade, is a cop in a small town in Wisconsin that's having a wolf problem. Jessie's a cynical, wary loner, smart, but more comfortable in the woods than with other people. I like her a lot.

Blue Moon is a real page-turner, and I'm unhappy that I have to put it down because I have my own writing assignments. The title also evokes the running theme song in the great werewolf movie, "American Werewolf in London."

Weres have their fan base. I've never been one, although I've read a few very good were books. I wish I could remember the name and author of a book about a woman who has to lock herself in her basement with a bag of dog food every full moon. Anybody know that one? Anybody have suggestions for a good werewolf read?  ¶ posted by Marta @ 10:59 AM