Giving New Authors a Try…

This is a topic that has come up often on the web, but I thought it might be interesting to discuss here. Let's face it, some of us don't like to try new things. Or... we find something we like and we just stick to that. Some of us tried something new once and it disappointed us. So, we vowed never to try anything new again. It's a nice safe way to live... And a somewhat sure way to avoid disappointment (until the tried-and-true disappoints us… but that's another post…)

Anyway, when it comes to books, I can see how this method can come in handy. Books are expensive. And--unless you are a true bookaholic and have a book buying habit that defies all reason--it stands to reason that you would stick to what you know. And I do realize that as a bookaholic and a new author my views on this topic are so biased I can't claim anything but biased. However, I am going to try my best to present an unbiased… Aww… forget it…

Let's just change the whole flow of this post… Here's the thing, in my humble opinion, even my favorite authors were new authors to me at one point in time. There was a moment in the bookstore where I picked up a book because the cover looked interesting or I had heard something about this author, whatever... And I took the book home on the slight chance that I might like it. And lo-and-behold I did like it! And I gloomed on to the author, read her back list if she had one, or waited for her next release if it was a first novel. That's how relationships between authors and readers are made. Isn't it beautiful? Ahhh...

So, it's always funny to me when I hear people say they only read author "X" because author "X" never disappoints and they seldom try anyone new. I have my automatic buy authors for sure. But even the most prolific of them can't write fast enough to keep me in book buying and book reading heaven forever. I need to try new authors because my toppling over to-be-read pile demands that I keep it toppling over. It's like that monster plant in Little Shop of Horrors, "Feed me, Gwyneth…"

Anyway, I thought I'd put the question out there to you all. I love trying new authors and it's not just because I am one or I play one on TV. I like feeling like I am discovering new talent and I am one of the first to be in the know about how wonderful this new author is. What about you all? Do you try new authors regularly? Are you more conservative and stick to your tried-and-true? Have you discovered any new or new to you authors that you want to tell us about? What are your thoughts on the topic?

Happy Reading,

Gwyneth