I read a neat article this morning about a dedicated knitter in Cambridge who participates in yarnbombing -- the practice of anonymously leaving or covering something in a public place with knitted or crocheted work. Some of these projects aren't small, either; I've seen a photo of a tank covered by a yarnbombing (which you can check out too if you scroll down here.) While some people don't care for the practice I think it's charming.
I've often handed out my books to strangers in public a few times, but I always ask first if they'd like one. Just shoving a book into someone's hands seems a bit rude to me. I've also read about releasing books in the wild, ala Book Crossing, but I've never purposely left books in a public place to be found by anyone (accidentally, however, I have -- and I apologize to whoever found my old copy of Brave New World on that park bench three years ago.) I think my main hesitation is the prospect of a child too young to be reading my adult fiction picking up the book and reading it without letting Mom and Dad know. Under those circumstances some books can be like Pandora's box.
I most like finding out what people enjoy reading and without warning giving them books I think they'll appreciate. I think of those as book drops -- the gift of a story I believe is suited to the recipient but that they don't expect. I have pretty good luck with matching the book to the person, too.
Today I want to try a controlled book drop experiment -- on you all, of course. In comments to this post let me know in general what sort of stories you enjoy reading (and it seems to work better if you don't tell me the names of your favorite titles or authors, but instead describe the type of story) by midnight EST on Sunday, July 15th, 2012. I'll choose three names at random from everyone who provides me with a description, and send the winners a book I think they'll enjoy reading. In return, I ask that the winners tell me after they've read the book what they thought of it so I can post the answers here on the blog. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something at PBW in the past.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I like books with strong female protagonists who don't suddenly discover their paranormal abilities after wild monkey sex with the solitary, muscular, brooding hero who hasn't had sex in at least 500 years. (I'm serious.)
ReplyDeleteI enjoy fantasy with romance, strong heroines/heros, good vs evil, magic...Horror novels that scare the beejesus out of me (particularly pyschological stuff), sci-fi with a bit of romance, exotic worlds, psychic abilities, time travel...
ReplyDeleteI could go on, but that should be enough.
I LOVE this idea, and I've considered using Book Crossing for my poetry chapbooks. It's a really neat idea.
What a wonderful idea! As a librarian, I've left a few books in places to 'set them free', like doctors' offices and cafes. I usually choose all-ages titles (and since some of the cafes have 'kids' sections, I choose kids books for those). As a small child, we didn't get many books, so I'm a sucker for donating to book drives, too.
ReplyDeleteMy book loves: I read both fiction and non-fiction. For fiction, I enjoy fantasy (often YA) and historicals (both romances and things like the Long Winter). I love to get to know a character as they grow and change through experience. I loathe grimdark stories with nothing but angst--you know the kind. Oprah-type stories where everybody dies of malaria or gets killed or becomes addicted to who knows what. A bit of dark is fine, but there better be some hope at the end.
I also adore non-fiction, and I admit that I often curl up with a non-fic book for hours. My favorites here are craft books of all kinds--I quilt, knit, and garden. I've begun playing with art journaling and have taken teeny tiny steps with bookmaking (so much fun!). I recently read a great book about growing roses called the Right Rose in the Right Place, by Peter Schneider, and he's convinced me to branch out a teeny bit in my rose choices. I'm going to try planting something outside my comfort zone.
Entering for my daughter (in her 20s), who just told me she has discovered she loves stories centered on a naive, unlikely, young female protagonist who finds her strengths and saves the day, almost always with the help of an equally unlikely mentor/guide.
ReplyDeleteI love strong female heroines, the kind who have inner strentgth, and tortured heroes. Forbidden love and spaceships are an added bonus :D
ReplyDeleteI like historical fiction a lot. I also enjoy fiction that involves serial killers or some kind of minor mystery.
ReplyDeleteI discovered the amazing, wonderful world of Ray Bradbury because of a passed along book. It literally changed my world view.
ReplyDeleteI love wit and humor between the two main characters; bantering that makes me laugh. For the most part, these days I read paranormal/urban fantasy, though I also love a good mystery.
Give me lots of action, a plot that makes sense, no gratuitous sex--just the good kind--and characters I'm sorry to leave behind when the book is done, and I'm a happy reader.
So. Not too hard to please, then.... ;D
I love historical romances or science fiction romances.
ReplyDeleteI like books where the hero or heronine saves the day/world/universe and gets their romantic interest of choice. Humor is a bonus. All else is brain candy.
ReplyDeleteOoh, interesting concept :). I'm in it for the story, so it's hard to limit. I generally prefer non-modern except where urban fantasy and all shades of romance are concerned. I prefer stories with strong characters, though whether complex narratives or candy reads depends on my mood. It's easier to say what I don't like than what I do, because it's the smaller category. I'm pissed off by self-righteous or arrogant main characters who use the people around them without either noticing or caring. And I love being transported to different places or times, to see a bit of our world, or one that only exists in fiction, that I might not have experienced in real life. That's why in non-fiction I tend to prefer anthropology or historical biography over straight information.
ReplyDeleteI love a good fantasy or sci-fi story that is set anywhere but Earth, preferably with non-humans, and entirely new cultural concepts. I'm flexible in terms of story, but things I don't go for are straight romance, erotica, and I've yet to meet a truly excellent horror novel. In short, I love fictional stories set in new places with an anthropolical focus in the background.
ReplyDeleteLovely idea... and one I've been known to use on my friends... they all know they're most likely to get book gifts from me.
ReplyDeleteIn fiction reading I go for the fantasy. Alternate worlds, historical, urban, high fantasy... I love them all as long as it's just different enough from this world for me to escape properly. Oh and don't forget the strong characters (personality strong, not necessarily beat up all the bad guys strong), engaging story, well paced action, romance and the happy ending. Such a sucker for the happy ending.
In non-fiction my college degrees come out to play. History, anthropology, psychology... especially when we're talking eras prior to the Industrial Revolution. There's a reason I don't have the traditional baskets or dishes decorating the top of my kitchen cabinets... it's articulated gauntlets and steel helm made to fit me instead.
Any type of romance ;)
ReplyDeleteI read almost anything except straight Urban Fantasy and series that have one H/Hn and no ending after 47 books. I need my HEA at the end of each book or at least a HFN. It's a rare author who can interest me enough in a story to buy the fifth or sixth book in their ongoing saga (Gabaldon comes to mind, though I'm not reading her anymore either). I prefer historical paranormal or time travel, but straight historical or contemporary is good too. :o)
ReplyDeleteRight now, I'm reading a book on poisons though...
I've done the bookbomb. I spend time on a forum with a large group of friends and when one of them mentions a book they've thought about, I'll send it to them. Not quite the same as leaving it in a public place, and I know the ages of the bombees, but it's still fun.
I love both paranormal romance and romantic suspense. Romantic suspense with paranormal elements is the best of both worlds. :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoy historical fiction with vivid locales and strong characters that make the plot fascinating and the novel enthralling.
ReplyDeleteA book that has drama, profound storyline with relationships that are meaningful and long lasting.
ReplyDeleteI like Paranormal Romance or Urban Fantasy that is heavier on the plot and characters than how many times they can hop into bed. Give me Great Characters in a Good Series and I will read everyone. Love the idea of passing good books along. I find the best reads that way.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is definitely Romantic Suspense, or Romantic/military/suspense, some humor is a plus.
ReplyDeleteI love adventure stories. Currently reading Book 9 of the How To Train Your Dragon series by Cressida Cowell and it's off to a killer start. Book Crossing is a really cool experiment; commit random acts of literacy! You never know where a book will end up.
ReplyDeleteI share books with friends and family regularly, but the closest I've come to encouraging a stranger, is sending to folks I've met online :)
ReplyDeleteI prefer fiction.. specifically mysteries, fantasy or paranormal with a twist or some unusual element. I do like the odd romance, especially historicals :)
Hmmm... urban fantasy-no magic powers coming out of thin air, romantic suspense-no nookie when the earth is about to blow up, please, or SMART erotic romance. And I do mean SMART erotic romance.
ReplyDeleteI am really anything paranormal. I verge into other genres at times. And love romantic suspense as well. And if you combine rom sus with paranormal I am about as happy as I can get. I really read on mood. But always come back to the paranormal genre. Doesnt matter if its straight para or UF classified either.
ReplyDeleteI like UF/PNR that have multiple book story arcs with fewer than 10 TSTL moments. :)
ReplyDeleteP.S. Having problems with commenting via Google Chrome-? Am I just having my own TSTL moment?
I love sword-and-sorcery fantasy best, but I enjoy cozy and historical mysteries, too. Good writing and a strong story will send me out hunting for more of that author's work.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy stories about regular people (women or men, young or older) being thrust into circumstances that force them to become heroes.
ReplyDeleteThis kind of story telling works for me whether its mystery, literary fiction, or fantasy.
I prefer, though, that the story is not about fate -- i.e. so and so was fated to lead their people and discovers this after a prophecy, a test, a mentor tells the, they find a secret book, etc.
My reading preference at the moment is romantic suspense with a little comedic relief thrown in. What a great idea. I'm interested to see how your book dropping works out.
ReplyDeleteYou've made me think some about my BookCrossing drops, that's for sure. :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoy books with a least a little romance. I also prefer contemporary but with a 'there's more to the world than what you see in the everyday' feel to it.
Love the idea! I love smart psychological books that keep you on the edge of your seat.
ReplyDelete