Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately if you're standing under a tree on the golf course), lightning rarely strikes. I end up with several possible choices that I debate with myself about. I try to keep the debate internal, as this usually happens on my commuter train, where talking at all is a major breach of etiquette and talking to myself would lead to people abandoning seats. It would be so much easier if I were the sort of reader who liked to rip through books in a series one after the other, but at least for me that leads to diminishing returns.
I recently made an exception by reading the first three books in Chris Grabenstein's John Ceepak/Danny Boyle series in order after getting them for 99 cents each. I was so caught up in Grabenstein's Jersey shore world and in the interplay between Ceepak and Boyle that I did not want to stop reading. I adored "Tilt a Whirl" and "Mad Mouse," but by the time I got to "Whack a Mole" I had become so accustomed to Grabenstein's plotting style that I knew very early on who the culprit was. I still enjoyed it, but if I had waited a couple of months to read it I probably would have enjoyed it more.
But then the short story is done and I am back to square one. Should I choose something different than the last book I read? That is what I usually do, as I like to mix things up to keep it fresh, but sometimes I might prefer a similar author so I have a fresh basis for making comparisons. Should the book match my mood or possibly change it? Do I want an escape, some gritty realism, or perhaps a bit of both? An author I know, or take a chance on someone new? Sometimes it comes down to just randomly tapping on one of the many choices and heading off on a new journey. Maybe next time I'll go with the parent-of-young-children dartboard approach and let my 2 year old pick for me...ha!
Decisions, decisions.
Leave a comment and let us know how you decide...