jodyrathgeb

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Out of the comfort zone

4/12/2013

1 Comment

 
    Paranormal romance is not a book genre that normally moves me. In fact, I never knew it could be a genre. "Paranormal" - OK, ghosts, ESP, superpowers - and romance?  That's certainly nothing I write, nor something I'd usually seek out to read.
    But Collector's Item, a paranormal romance e-book, was written by Denise Golinowski, a fellow Richmonder and member of James River Writers. I believe in supporting local businesses and artists, including writers, so I decided to take a look. It was simple to visit Amazon.com and download the novel (only $2.99!) to my Kindle.
    What a cool experience! I'm only a few chapters into the book, but already I'm enjoying the mental stretches of characters who harbor powerful animals inside them and a society that doesn't know quite what to do with an entire class of people with paranormal powers. Should these animal-people (the heroine is also a were-jaguar) be given the same right as "regular" humans, or be hunted as trophies?
    And then there's the "romance" part, which so far is playing out like feline mating: part attraction, part resistance and fighting. This is no wimpy romance, friends!
    It's a pretty wild ride as I find myself having to shake free of conventions to understand this new world that Denise has competently and plausibly created.
    Back when I was doing restaurant reviews, I constantly encouraged people to get out of their culinary comfort zones and try new foods. Scoop up some tibs with injera! Try those Texas ribs even if you're a barbecue snob from North Carolina! Need some smaller steps? If you like Chinese, consider branching out to Vietnamese or Thai. You get the idea.
    It turns out that the same is true of reading. An endless diet of Clive Cussler or Stephen King or Mary Roberts might keep your mind fed, but there are other reading pleasures available, too. For a stretch, try a genre that is unfamiliar. You might find delight in keeping up with a style and an author you've never heard of.
    And if I might make a recommendation...
    denisegolinowski.blogspot.com
1 Comment
Denise Golinowski link
4/23/2013 12:06:32 pm

Thank you, Jody, for choosing COLLECTOR'S ITEM to step outside your reading comfort zone. I'm delighted that you're enjoying your encounter with KT and Peyton, as well as Andi & Max. You've definitely captured the spirit of the book. I hope that you feel the same when you finish the book. Thank you again, for taking the time to share your thoughts and I hope to see you at another Writers Wednesday real soon!

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    This blog by Jody Rathgeb existed, on and off, from 2012 to 2020, changing focus  several times over the years. Its last iteration, with a focus on island living, was also posted on Facebook as Beyond the Parrot Paradise.

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