What’s everyone doing this weekend? I know Nora can’t wait to get her hands in the dirt of her gardens. I’ll limit my black thumb to pots of flowers and get outside for a walk or two. ~Laura
All posts by Laura
Teasers and such
If you don’t want to read anything about Thankless in Death, please back out of this post! I’ve covered up the information, but just in case, you need to know.
Thank you to everyone who shared their opinions on spoilers in such fun and upbeat ways. I deliberately left out my opinion on the subject other than to say it’s sort of a moot point for me because I read the books early.
So how do I feel about them? I think it’s fun to find out some elements before reading a book but not how they are written into the story. I feel, strongly, that plot elements like a killer shouldn’t be in spoilers. I think every reader deserves to find out life-changing events in an ongoing series (such as Eve becoming pregnant or a captain) on their own.
Case in point: I honestly believed that New York to Dallas was a book that would be undermined by spoilers. That to know some of the big plot points going in would make the actual reveals anticlimactic.
So I’m stating in advance that if information that rocks an In Death character’s world comes into my hands, I’m not going to post it here.
Perhaps it’s far more correct to say I lean toward teasers about a book — the first chapter, the cover — rather than outright spoilers. And in the case of Thankless in Death, it’s a nice one.
I’ll share it below, If you want to read it, you’ll need to highlight it with your mouse. And then, I’m going to disallow comments. Just let the little bit of news simmer for now:
The Irish are coming back for Thanksgiving dinner along with Nixie, Kevin, Elizabeth and Richard DeBlass. Readers have been clamoring to see Nixie again so this should make everyone happy. Haven’t read the scene yet, but I keep imagining Nixie and Kevin teaming up with Sean to bedevil Eve.
Laura
How do you feel about…
spoilers?
It’s so interesting to see how readers react to spoilers — even the idea of them. Some people actively search them out, avidly piecing together a book before they have it in their hands. Some people don’t even read jacket copy on a book in order to preserve the surprise and let the book open up to them naturally.
It appears to me that readers seek spoilers more when they deal with a series like the In Deaths, rather than stand alone books like Whiskey Beach. Is that because a reader is more familiar with the In Death world and wants to know what’s going on as soon as possible? And I noticed that a lot of people were avid for details of the last book in The Bride Quartet and The Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy because they wanted to know about the last happy ending. Whereas nobody really knows Eli and Abra in Whiskey Beach and therefore they may be more willing to let the book surprise them. I’m not sure.
A small perk in this job is that I read the books a little early so I already know the spoilers. And I don’t normally share them because it seems a little like teasing, but I do have a little insider information about Thankless in Death (September) that will please a lot of people.
As we figure out the ins and and outs of a blog about Nora’s books it seems to me that there can be a place for spoilers, carefully concealed from easy view. But I thought I’d gather some opinions and then see where we go.
Thoughts? ~Laura
Thanks! (and an In Death question)
Thanks to everyone who visited, lurked and/or commented on our very first blog post yesterday! It was so much fun to read all the stories about how readers found Nora’s books whether they were written as Nora Roberts or JD Robb.
I was a reader before I ever even thought about working with Nora. The first book for me was The Law is a Lady — when it was abridged for Good Housekeeping Magazine ages and ages ago. I don’t have the original, but I do have a Language of Love edition that I still pick up for a re-read every once in a while.
In the middle of all the comments yesterday Becky posted: “I have not read JD Robb. Are they as good as all the rest?”
It’s a question that deserves an answer from all of the In Death readers so I thought I’d repost it.
I’ve read the In Deaths since the first book came out in June 1995. I actually anticipated it greatly, because even though her name wasn’t on it I knew Naked in Death was by Nora Roberts. For me, the visuals of the book were nearly overwhelming — I could see that New York of the not too far future and I loved it. And when I met Nora at the RWA conference that summer, I believe I stammered that out in a nervous rush.
I keep reading the series for Eve, first and foremost. But the beauty of the In Deaths is watching her change from an aloof loner to a woman who (to her regular amazement and periodic dismay) has a family that starts with Roarke, Summerset and Galahad and encompasses an amazing cast of characters.
So Becky, my answer is yes — they are as good as all the rest.
What are your thoughts about the In Death books? And how do you describe them to people who haven’t read them yet? ~Laura
Getting to know you
Let’s start the conversational ball rolling! Which book by Nora Roberts/JD Robb was your first? And do you still have your copy?