Tuesday, July 14, 2015

What's On Your Mind?




Next week I'll be traveling to New York City to attend the 2015 Romance Writers of America national conference. During the conference, I'll also be participating in a panel discussion about trends in romance publishing. Authors are always interested in hearing what readers are thinking so, in addition to my own opinions, I would like to also convey what is important to you, the Romance Dish readers. I hope you'll take a minute to share your thoughts on the questions below.






How old are you?
Under 30
30 - 50
Over 50

How many years have you been reading romance?

Where do you live?
US
Canada
Australia
Somewhere else

If a US resident, in which region do you live?
West
Midwest
East
Southwest
Southeast
Northwest
Northeast

On average, how many books do you read per month?

What percentage of the books you read are paper? 

What percentage are digital?

Have those percentages changed over the past year?

What factors affect your book buying?
Price?
Print vs Digital?
Sub-Genre?
Something else?

Where do you find out about books?
Social media?
Blogs?
Word of mouth?
Book review magazines?
Authors' websites?
Something else?

What entices you to buy a book?
Reviews?
Price?
Sub-genre?
Personal or online relationship with author?
Word of mouth from other readers?
Author's social media presence?
Something else?

Do you belong to any book clubs or reader groups?
How many?
Are they online?
Are they run by a reader or an author?
What do you enjoy/not enjoy about these groups?

Are you a member of any street teams?
What do you like/not like about being on a street team?

Where do you prefer to interact with authors and other readers?
Blogs
Social Media (which one?)
In person

Are you more likely to buy a book by an author you have met at a reader event?
Is the impact different or the same if the event is online vs in person?

What are your favorite sub-genres of romance? What makes them a favorite?
Historical
Contemporary
Paranormal
Romantic Suspense
Young Adult
New Adult
Women's Fiction
Category Romance
Something else

Have you discovered a new sub-genre in the past year?
What do you like/not like about it?

Have you started reading books (or reading more books) with a particulara theme/setting in the past year?
(Ex: mafia heroes, WWI, WWII, American Revolution, etc.)
What do you enjoy/not enjoy about these books?

Are you a regular on any social media platforms?
Which ones?
Have you started or stopped using any particular social media during the past year?

How much of your book buying dollars are spent on self-published books?

Do you buy self-published books by unknown authors or only those authors with whom you are already familiar?

Have your book buying or reading habits changed in any other way over the past year?

Any other thoughts?

Are you attending next week's RWA conference or Literacy Signing?

One randomly chosen person answering today's questions will receive a package of books and swag from next week's conference. (U.S. only)




22 comments:

  1. I've been reading Romance for the past 12 years. While raising my 7 children I didn't have time to invest in reading. But I've made up for that. Kids re all grown & on their own. Reading has become my addiction. Historical romance is my favorite with all the sub genres I come across. Lately I've been drawn to a lot of WWll historical romance. It's an era that makes me think of my late Mom & Dad I think. It's also an era I find loving to read about. I'm over 50 and live on the East coast. I'm hoping I make it to next weeks conference. I've not been able to go to any confernes yet so fingerrs crossed. All my books are print that I read.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comments, Carol! Let me know if you're going to be at the signing next Wednesday. I'd love to meet you in person!

      Delete
  2. I am 68; have been reading romance about 25 years or so.
    Live in the US - Northeast section. I read anywhere from 4 to 12 books a month.
    Buying books are based on fav authors, recommendations and reading the back blurb. Read 99% print.
    Read 99 1/2% contemp romance; occasionally a hist. romance.
    No to street teams or book clubs.
    Prefer to meet authors in person and also "talk" on blogs.
    No sub genres, no particular themes.
    Dont know if I have read any self pub books.
    The only buying habits over the years are an occas ebook. Prefer print.
    Not attending any book conferences in the near future; hope to some day.
    patoct

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, patoct! Are the recommendations that lead to book buying coming from friends, blogs, Goodreads, Facebook or somewhere else?

      Delete
  3. I am 69 and have read romance for around 50 years.

    I live in the southeast part of the U.S.

    I read around 15 books per month and would say that 50 percent are paper and 50 percent are digital. I am reading more digital books because I read a lot of digital ARCs from NetGalley and authors.

    Price is a factor on buying books and I find out about books in every one of those places you listed and probably more!

    I buy books mostly based on the author.

    I don't belong to any reader groups but I do belong to street teams and have found that I will be backing off on that for many reasons. Sometimes, I find the "plot path" an author is taking is not to my liking and I don't want to feel obligated to continue to read their books. And at the risk of sounding mean, some authors feel like they need to set a reward "carrot" out for me, the reviewer, to read/review more of their books. I read/review for the love of it and, quite frankly, I find it insulting when an author waves a "carrot" at me.

    I usually interact with authors on Facebook as I haven't met many authors at an event, I cannot say that meeting them has made me more inclined to read their novels.

    Historical romance is my favorite but I have been reading more Christian novels mostly around the 1920's time period.

    I don't any other input other than to say that reading is my passion and I hope you have a wonderful time. I look forward to your updates and pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am over 50, and I have been reading romances for 20 years or more. I live in southeast USA.
    I read strictly romances, both historical and contemporary. I read about 8 books per month. I sometimes read 2 at a time, one on my kindle and one in paperback. Paperbacks are my favorite, but I have started reading more books on the kindle, mainly because I have been able to get so many ebooks free or at greatly reduced prices.
    I find out about books from blogs like this one and also from author newsletters. Reviews and price are big factors in my book-buying decisions.
    I much prefer interacting with authors and other readers on blogs like this one. I don't like using Facebook for this because all comments and likes show up in my newsfeed. Blogs are more private, plus you are conversing with like-minded individuals. There is still such a bias against romance readers that I frequently don't feel comfortable sharing my thoughts about romance in a public forum like Facebook.
    I will buy books from self-published authors if they are recommended by reviewers I trust.
    The only trend in reading that I don't care for is the popularity of books like 50 Shades of Gray. I don't mind sex, but the sadistic/masochistic elements offend me.

    ReplyDelete
  5. How old are you?
    Over 50

    How many years have you been reading romance?
    Suffice it to say that I started reading my mother’s romance novels when I was ten and have now been reading them for more than fifty years.

    Where do you live?
    US


    If a US resident, in which region do you live?
    Southeast

    On average, how many books do you read per month?
    Based on the number I have read so far in 2015, 22. Other years, my average has been higher.

    What percentage of the books you read are paper?
    10 percent

    What percentage are digital?
    90 percent

    Have those percentages changed over the past year?
    Yes, I have read fewer print books each year since I have had a Kindle.

    What factors affect your book buying?
    Price and subgenre are certainly factors, but the biggest consideration is author.


    Where do you find out about books?
    Social media, blogs, word of mouth (I’m including emails and DMs in this category), databases (Fantastic Fiction, Fiction Database), and authors’ newsletters.

    What entices you to buy a book?
    Reviews, price, personal or online relationship with author, word of mouth from other readers, or occasionally an author's social media presence may entice me to buy a particular book, but for the most part I buy by author. My three dozen or so auto-buy authors claim most of my book dollars.


    Do you belong to any book clubs or reader groups?
    Three—online and author-run. I enjoy the interaction with other readers and all the varied responses, and, of course, it is always a treat to hear from an author, be it hostess or guest.

    Are you a member of any street teams?
    No. If I joined the street teams of all the authors whose books I love, I would have no time to read their books. I do all that I can informally online and in real life to promote the authors whose books bring me much pleasure.

    Where do you prefer to interact with authors and other readers?
    Blogs (primarily Word Wenches), Facebook, and sometimes Twitter.


    Are you more likely to buy a book by an author you have met at a reader event?
    No

    What are your favorite sub-genres of romance? What makes them a favorite?
    I read widely in Historical and Contemporary, more selectively in Women's Fiction, and Category Romance, and rarely in Romantic Suspense. I also read a good deal of mystery with romantic elements. Regardless of sub-genre, I look for books with engaging characters who inhabit worlds in which I believe, books that leave me feeling emotionally satisfied.

    Have you discovered a new sub-genre in the past year?
    No

    Have you started reading books (or reading more books) with a particular theme/setting in the past year?
    No

    Are you a regular on any social media platforms?
    Facebook

    How much of your book buying dollars are spent on self-published books?
    Probably around 20 percent.

    Do you buy self-published books by unknown authors or only those authors with whom you are already familiar?
    Most are reissues or continuing series by authors with whom I am familiar.

    Have your book buying or reading habits changed in any other way over the past year?
    My digital purchases have increased. Also, I’ve read more contemporary romance because more is being published.

    Any other thoughts?
    Just a big thank you to the many authors whose books make my life larger and brighter.

    Are you attending next week's RWA conference or Literacy Signing?
    Only vicariously.

    And, of course, please eliminate my name from the prize package selection pool.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  7. How old are you? - over 50

    How many years have you been reading romance? About 50 yrs.

    Where do you live? U.S.


    If a US resident, in which region do you live? Northeast

    On average, how many books do you read per month? 3 or 4 (I like long books if possible) More if I read shorter stories.

    What percentage of the books you read are paper? 100%

    What percentage are digital? 0

    Have those percentages changed over the past year? I've read one ebook so no.

    What factors affect your book buying? Price, genre, author, time

    Where do you find out about books? Social media, blogs, word of mouth, reviews, authors - everywhere.


    What entices you to buy a book? All of that.


    Do you belong to any book clubs or reader groups? Lots of groups and many authors with some favorites. Sometimes I just enjoy what they have to say on any subject and sometimes it is book related.


    Are you a member of any street teams? No


    Where do you prefer to interact with authors and other readers? FB and blogs and author sites.


    Are you more likely to buy a book by an author you have met at a reader event? I'v never been to one in person but I have bought books from authors I met online.


    What are your favorite sub-genres of romance? What makes them a favorite? Although I read almost anything (sort of stay away from erotica and inspirational but will give some a try). Historicals are my first favorite and any mixed genre with it such as fantasy. I love the history and being taken to another time. I also enjoy suspense - love being surprised. Paranormal and fantasy - again the originality and not knowing.

    Have you discovered a new sub-genre in the past year? I think I've read them all.


    Have you started reading books (or reading more books) with a particulara theme/setting in the past year? Not really - I've always read a variety and I've always read historical the most.


    Are you a regular on any social media platforms? FB


    How much of your book buying dollars are spent on self-published books? I really don't pay attention to that.

    Do you buy self-published books by unknown authors or only those authors with whom you are already familiar? Both

    Have your book buying or reading habits changed in any other way over the past year? No

    Any other thoughts? I'd love to say how generous romance authors and readers are. Contests have been a wonderful way to find new authors and then I will buy their books whenever possible.

    Are you attending next week's RWA conference or Literacy Signing? I would love to but it's just impossible for me.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm between 30-50
    30 years
    US
    12 a month if lucky
    on blogs
    I'm reading more categories of the clean variety
    my favorite genre is historical
    I'm trying to buy less because the cost of necessities has gone up
    Goodreads
    I want to thank publishers and authors for their generoisity in giveaways
    no

    ReplyDelete
  9. How old are you? Over 50
    How many years have you been reading romance?
    I would say about 45yrs
    Where do you live?
    Canada
    On average, how many books do you read per month?
    12-14
    What percentage of the books you read are paper?
    65%
    What percentage are digital?
    35%
    Have those percentages changed over the past year?
    They may change a little,
    What factors affect your book buying?
    It is mostly the author and the price point. If I am buying a book that is digital, I want that book to be considerably less price. If it is an author I read on a regular bases I will slurge. Other wise I might see if my local library has it.

    Where do you find out about books?
    Facebook, Blogs, Reviews and authors websites.

    What entices you to buy a book?
    The author and what the book is about, and then price point.

    Do you belong to any book clubs or reader groups?
    Maybe 5 I have not counted them to be honest.
    Are they online? Yes
    Are they run by a reader or an author? Both
    What do you enjoy/not enjoy about these groups? I enjoy learning about new authors and their books. Sometimes they run off topic..

    Are you a member of any street teams?
    Yes I am a member of a few. I like that we have a mutual love of her books and get to know about the books ahead of time and get a chance a copy of the book. Sometimes the books offered are only offered in PDF and that they are sometimes difficult to read on my e-reader
    Where do you prefer to interact with authors and other readers?
    Social Media and my book and author chats.

    Are you more likely to buy a book by an author you have met at a reader event?
    No, I would buy the book regardless of meeting the author.

    What are your favorite sub-genres of romance? What makes them a favorite?
    Historical, Contemparary, Romantic Suspense/Thrilers, Woman’s Fiction, Some paranormal.

    Have you discovered a new sub-genre in the past year?
    Not that I can think of.

    Have you started reading books (or reading more books) with a particulara theme/setting in the past year?
    I basically will read most themes.

    Are you a regular on any social media platforms?
    Facebook..

    How much of your book buying dollars are spent on self-published books?
    have not really kept track.
    Do you buy self-published books by unknown authors or only those authors with whom you are already familiar?
    If they are recommended to me I will, but not on a regular bases.
    Have your book buying or reading habits changed in any other way over the past year?
    No, they are pretty steady, I don’t put a budget. I just buy what I like.


    Are you attending next week's RWA conference or Literacy Signing? No I will not be able to attend

    ReplyDelete
  10. How old are you? Over 50

    How many years have you been reading romance? About 10

    Where do you live? US

    If a US resident, in which region do you live? Southwest

    On average, how many books do you read per month? 15

    What percentage of the books you read are paper? 25

    What percentage are digital? 75

    Have those percentages changed over the past year?
    2014 percentages were the same. My digital readership has grown steadily from a low of 40 percent in 2010 (when I first started keeping track). I'm lucky that my library has an outstanding list of digital titles for loan.

    What factors affect your book buying?
    Price; Print vs Digital; Sub-Genre;
    Availability at Public Library

    Where do you find out about books?
    Blogs; Word of mouth; Authors' websites and newsletters;
    Amazon/Goodreads pop-up suggestions re similar books

    What entices you to buy a book?
    Reviews; Price; Sub-genre; Reading relationship with author;
    Word of mouth from other readers;
    Wanting to read a book that's not available at library

    Do you belong to any book clubs or reader groups? No

    Are you a member of any street teams? No

    Where do you prefer to interact with authors and other readers? Blogs

    Are you more likely to buy a book by an author you have met at a reader event? Not applicable

    What are your favorite sub-genres of romance?
    Historical; Romantic Suspense; Contemporary; Paranormal

    Have you discovered a new sub-genre in the past year? No

    Have you started reading books (or reading more books) with a particular theme/setting in the past year? No

    Are you a regular on any social media platforms? No

    How much of your book buying dollars are spent on self-published books?
    Not sure

    Do you buy self-published books by unknown authors or only those authors with whom you are already familiar?
    Both

    Have your book buying or reading habits changed in any other way over the past year?
    I'm reading more non-romance fiction and more romantic suspense than I used to.

    Any other thoughts?
    I like romance books, but I don't read all genres. I choose. There should be plenty of differences to satisfy everyone. I've been a bit disillusioned by stories lately that are overwhelmed with sex and bad language--almost like a "one size fits all" approach to romance. I hope that's not a trend.

    I mentioned this once before on the blog--I strongly dislike reading a blog post or an author's newsletter about a reader contest, only to find out that the contest excludes me because it's on Facebook/Twitter/etc. Shouldn't promos connect with the audience they've got? I've dropped some author's newsletters over this issue.

    Are you attending next week's RWA conference or Literacy Signing?
    No

    Have fun!

    ReplyDelete
  11. How old are you?
    30 - 50 - I'm 37

    How many years have you been reading romance?
    As faithfully as I do now, about 3

    Where do you live?
    US

    If a US resident, in which region do you live?
    Midwest

    On average, how many books do you read per month?
    5-7

    What percentage of the books you read are paper?
    1 or 2

    What percentage are digital?
    50-75%

    Have those percentages changed over the past year?
    No

    What factors affect your book buying?
    Price? yes
    Print vs Digital? no
    Sub-Genre? yes
    Something else? my favorite author vs an unknown author

    Where do you find out about books?
    Social media?yes - FB recommendation
    Blogs? yes, I follow a few (yours for example, and if I like the reviews, I'll add them to my TBR)
    Word of mouth? hardly ever. I rather read the blurb and reviews
    Book review magazines? no
    Authors' websites? yes
    Something else? Goodreads groups

    What entices you to buy a book?
    Reviews? yes
    Price?yes
    Sub-genre? Paranormal and historical are my favorite
    Personal or online relationship with author? No
    Word of mouth from other readers? not necessarily
    Author's social media presence? no
    Something else?If I've liked other books in a series or other books by the same author

    Do you belong to any book clubs or reader groups? yes
    How many? 6
    Are they online? yes
    Are they run by a reader or an author? readers
    What do you enjoy/not enjoy about these groups? we talk about we enjoy the most, books

    Are you a member of any street teams? yes
    What do you like/not like about being on a street team?
    I get to interact with my favorite authors, freebies, maybe even ARC's, I get to chat with other readers about my favorite authors and book, and yes, advertise the love for books to the world!
    I don't like Street teams that want you to be present all the time or that want you to "dislike" reviews with 3 stars or lower, or worse, that they want you to comment badly on them. If I see such behavior, I'm out.

    Where do you prefer to interact with authors and other readers?
    Blogs ~ yes
    Social Media (which one?) ~ yes, FB and Twitter
    In person~ I wish! but it's hardly ever possible

    Are you more likely to buy a book by an author you have met at a reader event?
    Is the impact different or the same if the event is online vs in person?
    Not really. It would depend if I like the genre and review, blurb, etc.

    What are your favorite sub-genres of romance? What makes them a favorite?
    Historical and paranormal are my favorite but Romantic Suspense has rapidly become a second favorite. I do like young adult but I haven't had much time for it lately. I much prefer to spend my time reading romance ;)
    Something else: Fantasy was my first love but again it seems I haven't made much time for it lately.

    Have you discovered a new sub-genre in the past year? Romantic suspense, Special ops, military
    What do you like/not like about it? I love the action and the on-the-edge-of-your-seat feel

    Have you started reading books (or reading more books) with a particular theme/setting in the past year?
    (Ex: mafia heroes, WWI, WWII, American Revolution, etc.) More regency
    What do you enjoy/not enjoy about these books? romantic suspense. See my answer above ;)

    Are you a regular on any social media platforms? yes
    Which ones? FB, twitter
    Have you started or stopped using any particular social media during the past year? started Tsu and Tumblr

    How much of your book buying dollars are spent on self-published books? maybe 20% of what I spend on books?

    Do you buy self-published books by unknown authors or only those authors with whom you are already familiar?
    Only those that I'm already familiar

    Have your book buying or reading habits changed in any other way over the past year?
    no

    Any other thoughts?

    Are you attending next week's RWA conference or Literacy Signing?
    No

    ReplyDelete
  12. 1. Over 50
    2. U.S.
    3. Southwest
    4. 25
    All of the books are paper.
    O are digital
    They stay the same
    Price
    Websites - newsletters, blogs
    No bookclub
    No street team
    Blogs
    No, I buy a book because I enjoy that author's writing
    I enjoy historical, womens, contemporary, depth, and family
    memoirs
    World War 11 - meaningful, profound
    No social media
    10% on self published
    New and familiar
    Same book buying habits
    No

    ReplyDelete
  13. How old are you? 61

    How long have you been reading romance? 40+ years

    Where do you live? U. S.

    If U. S., where? Midwest

    On average, how many books do you read a month? 25-30

    What percentage are digital? 50%

    Have those percentages changed in past year? No. What affects your book buying? Price, yes, but other than that, it depends on what the book is about, who the author is, and the sub-genre.

    Where do you find out about books? Facebook, blogs, author newsletters, recommendations from others

    What entices you to buy a book? Favorite author, blurb, sub-genre, and sometimes price.

    Do you belong to any book clubs or readers' groups? A few readers' s groups

    Are you a member of any street teams? A couple. Like advance notice of books, discussions of books, giveaways

    Where do you prefer to interact with authors and other readers? Blogs, reader groups, social media

    Are you more likely to buy a book by an author you have met at a reader event? Nope. Don't go to reader events.

    What are your favorite sub-genres? I love romantic suspense but also read a lot of contemporary. Occasionally I pick up a historical romance.

    Have you discovered a new sub-genre in the last year? Have read a couple of paranormal but am not crazy about it.

    Have you started reading, or are you reading more books with a certain topic or setting? Read more billionaire books and marriage of convenience. Don't have a reason why, just enjoy them.

    Are you a regular on social media? Just Facebook

    How much of your book-buying dollars are spent on self-published books. I don't pay much attention to that. If a book sounds good to me I buy it. Doesn't matter to me if it's published by a major publisher.

    Do you buy self-published books by unknown authors or only those authors with whom you are already familiar with? Either one. Again, it depends on the book itself.

    Have your book buying or reading habits changed this past year? No

    No I am not attending RWA.

    ReplyDelete
  14. How old are you? >50
    How many years have you been reading romance? >40 yrs
    Where do you live? US - New Jersey
    On average, how many books do you read per month? 10-15
    What percentage of the books you read are paper? 99%
    What percentage are digital? 1%
    Have those percentages changed over the past year? Yes - got a digital reader last year, but still prefer print
    What factors affect your book buying? author, genre, price
    Where do you find out about books? book blogs, goodreads, favorite authors websites & their blogs
    What entices you to buy a book? author, reviews on book blogs, genre, description
    Do you belong to any book clubs or reader groups? No
    Are you a member of any street teams? not really, they seem to die out after a while
    Where do you prefer to interact with authors and other readers? thru blogs, read author newsletter, FB
    Are you more likely to buy a book by an author you have met at a reader event? I haven't been to any
    What are your favorite sub-genres of romance? What makes them a favorite? Historical (especially medieval), Contemporary, some paranormal (usually if I've liked the author already from their other genre), Romantic Suspense
    - don't really go for Young Adult or New Adult
    Have you discovered a new sub-genre in the past year? No
    Have you started reading books (or reading more books) with a particulara theme/setting in the past year? looking for/reading more small town series
    What do you enjoy/not enjoy about these books? - like to visit with the characters from earlier books

    Are you a regular on any social media platforms? FB

    Have you started or stopped using any particular social media during the past year? No

    How much of your book buying dollars are spent on self-published books? none

    Have your book buying or reading habits changed in any other way over the past year? No

    ReplyDelete
  15. How old are you?
    30 - 50

    How many years have you been reading romance? 20 :)

    Where do you live?
    US

    If a US resident, in which region do you live?
    Midwest

    On average, how many books do you read per month? 20

    What percentage of the books you read are paper? 1%

    What percentage are digital? 99%

    Have those percentages changed over the past year? no

    What factors affect your book buying?
    Price? I never buy over $2.99 - most of my buys are $.99 - $1.99
    Print vs Digital? most digital since I got my kindle
    Sub-Genre? not really
    Something else? blog buzz/reviews

    Where do you find out about books?
    Blogs?
    Authors' websites?
    Something else? amazon

    What entices you to buy a book?
    Reviews?
    Price?

    Do you belong to any book clubs or reader groups? nope

    Are you a member of any street teams? nope

    Where do you prefer to interact with authors and other readers?
    Blogs

    Are you more likely to buy a book by an author you have met at a reader event? maybe but I haven't attended any
    Is the impact different or the same if the event is online vs in person?

    What are your favorite sub-genres of romance? What makes them a favorite?
    Historical
    Contemporary
    Paranormal
    Romantic Suspense
    New Adul
    Category Romance
    Something else - I pretty much like them all :)

    Have you discovered a new sub-genre in the past year? nope

    Have you started reading books (or reading more books) with a particular theme/setting in the past year?
    eh- not really. but I have started reading more contemporary/rom com

    Are you a regular on any social media platforms? no

    How much of your book buying dollars are spent on self-published books? not much. they have to be fairly popular or well reviewed for me to take a chance

    Do you buy self-published books by unknown authors or only those authors with whom you are already familiar? only those I'm familiar with or they are widely positively reviewed on blogs

    Have your book buying or reading habits changed in any other way over the past year? not really

    Any other thoughts? have fun!!

    Are you attending next week's RWA conference or Literacy Signing? no :(

    have a fabulous time!

    ReplyDelete
  16. 1. I'm 60
    2. Over 40 years
    3. Southwest (Fort Worth)
    4. Between 15-20
    5/6. About half/half
    7. No
    8. Price, but not too much
    9. FB and Blogs
    10. Author most of all, then reviews
    11. no
    12. no
    13. FB and blogs
    14. I've never been to a reader event
    15. Contemporary is by far my favorite, but I also read a few authors of Paranormal books and a few authors of Historical.
    16. I have not started reading a new sub-genre.
    17. I use FB a lot.
    18. I am not aware which ones are self published.
    19. I buy books that I think I might like, not checking to see who the publisher is.
    20. My book buying has not really changed over the past year.
    21. If a paperback, hard cover or ebook is available through the public library system, I will go that route. It's silly to spend money on a book if I can read it for free.

    ReplyDelete
  17. How old are you? 30 - 50
    How many years have you been reading romance? about 30 years
    Where do you live? US
    If a US resident, in which region do you live? Northwest
    On average, how many books do you read per month? 3
    What percentage of the books you read are paper? probably 70
    What percentage are digital? 30
    Have those percentages changed over the past year? no
    What factors affect your book buying? mood Price
    Where do you find out about books? blogs, online chats, review sites, word of mouth
    What entices you to buy a book? Reviews, good excerpt, word of mouth
    Do you belong to any book clubs or reader groups? Yes
    How many? one
    Are they online? no
    Are they run by a reader or an author? reader
    What do you enjoy/not enjoy about these groups? camaraderie, humor, love of books/stories, recommendations on good books
    Are you a member of any street teams? No
    What do you like/not like about being on a street team?
    Where do you prefer to interact with authors and other readers? Online chats or in person author and reader get-togethers, blogs
    Are you more likely to buy a book by an author you have met at a reader event? Yes
    Is the impact different or the same if the event is online vs in person? A little different but not very
    What are your favorite sub-genres of romance? What makes them a favorite?
    Historical
    Contemporary
    Paranormal
    Romantic Suspense
    Young Adult
    New Adult
    Urban Fantasy
    All of the above are favorites, they each give something different depending on my mood but in general reading gives me a mini-vacation from the difficulties, irritations, etc of normal life. Romance novels allow me to fall in love again vicariously.
    Have you discovered a new sub-genre in the past year? No
    What do you like/not like about it? N/A
    Have you started reading books (or reading more books) with a particulara theme/setting in the past year? No
    What do you enjoy/not enjoy about these books? N/A
    Are you a regular on any social media platforms? No, I am quite behind in that way
    Which ones? N/A
    Have you started or stopped using any particular social media during the past year? No
    How much of your book buying dollars are spent on self-published books? around 10 percent
    Do you buy self-published books by unknown authors or only those authors with whom you are already familiar? Usually those with whom I am familiar.
    Have your book buying or reading habits changed in any other way over the past year? Not really.
    Any other thoughts? No
    Are you attending next week's RWA conference or Literacy Signing? No, but I soooooo wish!

    ReplyDelete
  18. You can ask me in person next week! Looking forward to it so much!

    ReplyDelete
  19. How old are you? Over 50

    How many years have you been reading romance? 40+

    Where do you live? US

    If a US resident, in which region do you live? Southeast

    On average, how many books do you read per month? 16

    What percentage of the books you read are paper? 10%

    What percentage are digital? 90%

    Have those percentages changed over the past year? Yes, significantly with my purchase of a Kindle

    What factors affect your book buying? Sub-genre and author, then price

    Where do you find out about books? Social media, blogs, library suggestions

    What entices you to buy a book? Sub-genre, reviews, online presence of author

    Do you belong to any book clubs or reader groups? One online book club, which I like because it is really casual.

    Are you a member of any street teams? Yes. I like when the author is welcoming and appreciative. Left a street team because the author acted like we were there to serve her and berated members for not helping her enough.

    Where do you prefer to interact with authors and other readers? Blogs and social media. Don't have much opportunity in my area for in person events.

    Are you more likely to buy a book by an author you have met at a reader event? I am more likely to buy a book by an author I have interacted with, whether in person or online. Really enjoy meeting authors through Facebook parties.

    What are your favorite sub-genres of romance? What makes them a favorite? I am mostly a reader of Historical novels, but have added a lot of Contemporaries to my reading. I like the escape of the historical novels and enjoy contemporary novels which are humorous.

    Have you discovered a new sub-genre in the past year? Contemporary westerns. Like the cowboy heroes.

    Have you started reading books (or reading more books) with a particulara theme/setting in the past year? Contemporary westerns and contemporary series.

    Are you a regular on any social media platforms? Facebook and blogs.

    How much of your book buying dollars are spent on self-published books? Probably 20-25%

    Do you buy self-published books by unknown authors or only those authors with whom you are already familiar? Mostly by unknown authors.

    Are you attending next week's RWA conference or Literacy Signing? No

    ReplyDelete
  20. How old? Over 50
    I have been reading romance a little over 15 years.
    I am from the US and live in the Southeast but am originally from the Northeast.
    I manage to read at least 4 or 5 books a month, more if I am lucky.
    Most are paper books, but I do have a kindle and have read a few books on it.
    The percentage of paper vs digital has remained about the same.
    Price, sub-genre, author, and the book blurb are important factors in whether or not I buy a book.
    Blogs like the Romance Dish and author group sites are important influences on which books I might buy.
    Reviews, a relationship with the author, and comments from other readers will encourage me to buy a book.
    The sites I belong to on Facebook are mostly author group sites. Nice since they tend to focus on a sub-genre. I did belong to a book club group for a time, but it didn't last.
    I do belong to a Street Team. It is new, so I don't yet know what it is like.
    There is no one way I prefer to connect with authors. In person is the best. Blogs and Facebook pages are a nice way to connect with authors.
    Yes, I think I am more likely to buy a book if I have connected with the author.
    I am more likely to buy a book if I have met the author in person.
    I have always enjoyed history, so historical romances are a favorite. Suspense is next. I grew up with suspense being my reading favorite. Romantic suspense is a natural outgrowth of that. I have been sampling paranormals and find them interesting. The contemporaries I like depend on the author. I tend to like the stories involving everyday people and military or emergency workers rather than those about the ultra wealthy.
    I have been exploring paranormal romances the past year or so. It is interesting because of the wide variety of creatures and worlds. The author can pretty much create what she wants.
    I may be reading a few more Westerns lately.
    I am a regular on Facebook. I do have a twitter account,but find it harder to follow.
    I don't spend much on self-published books. I do get some when the are free, but have become more selective.
    I have been down loading more e-books.
    I do wish I could attend RWA. Maybe another year.

    ReplyDelete