Romance author Tamara Morgan is out and about, celebrating the release of her new book, "The World Is A Stage", the second book in her Games of Love series. It releases next week, on June 5th. Today Tamara is writing about books that are so good you wish you could forget them.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tamara Morgan is a romance writer and unabashed lover of historical reenactments—the more elaborate and geeky the costume requirements, the better. In her quest for modern-day history and intrigue, she has taken fencing classes, forced her child into Highland dancing, and, of course, journeyed annually to the local Renaissance Fair. These feats are matched by a universal love of men in tights, of both the superhero and codpiece variety.
Her home is in the Inland Northwest, where she lives with her husband, daughter, and variety of household pets. Feel free to drop her an email at tamaramorganwrites (at) gmail (dot) com or follow her on Twitter at @Tamara_Morgan.
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Books So Good You Wish You Could Forget Them
We all have them. They’re the desert island keepers, the five-star gems, the books that haunt us long after we reach The End. These are the books we turn to time and time again, the ones we can quote from memory and whose characters are as dear to us as our own families.
For me, these books tend to run along the lines of the traditional. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, The Count of Monte Cristo, pretty much anything by Georgette Heyer. I’d also include The Bronze Horseman and The Sparrow as my more modern offerings on that list. Oooh, or Carolyn Crane’s Disillusionists Trilogy or anything by J.L. Merrow or the Amelia Peabody series. (Okay, okay—I’ll stop before this becomes a mind-numbing list of Tamara’s Favorite Books.) The point is that any time I recommend these books to others to read (which is often), I always end up saying the same thing:
I’m so jealous you get to read this for the first time.
There are lots of reasons people want to turn back the hands of time, most of them more noble than wanting to read a book. Sure, you could change the course of history or visit some of the greatest minds of the past. But me? I can imagine few greater pleasures in this world than cracking open Jane Austen for the very first time, or once again discovering the Georgette Heyer backlist and devouring every last book in a matter of weeks. Re-reading is great, but as is the case with all things romance-related, it’s never quite the same as your first time, now is it?
Which is why I’m always on the hunt for the next big “I’m so jealous” book or series. Whether I’m scouring blogs for book recommendations or skimming over Goodreads ratings, I want to see those magical lines that indicate a reader would do anything to go back and read that book for the first time. In fact, I can’t think of a better endorsement than wishing you could erase a book from your memory every time you shut the pages, simply so you can someday have the pleasure of discovering it all over again.
Every writer I know is a reader first and foremost, myself included. I’d love to hear what books you wish you could go back and read with fresh new eyes. Maybe it’s too late for you to rediscover your favorites, but you can always share the love with others.
And that’s the next best thing.
For me, these books tend to run along the lines of the traditional. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, The Count of Monte Cristo, pretty much anything by Georgette Heyer. I’d also include The Bronze Horseman and The Sparrow as my more modern offerings on that list. Oooh, or Carolyn Crane’s Disillusionists Trilogy or anything by J.L. Merrow or the Amelia Peabody series. (Okay, okay—I’ll stop before this becomes a mind-numbing list of Tamara’s Favorite Books.) The point is that any time I recommend these books to others to read (which is often), I always end up saying the same thing:
I’m so jealous you get to read this for the first time.
There are lots of reasons people want to turn back the hands of time, most of them more noble than wanting to read a book. Sure, you could change the course of history or visit some of the greatest minds of the past. But me? I can imagine few greater pleasures in this world than cracking open Jane Austen for the very first time, or once again discovering the Georgette Heyer backlist and devouring every last book in a matter of weeks. Re-reading is great, but as is the case with all things romance-related, it’s never quite the same as your first time, now is it?
Which is why I’m always on the hunt for the next big “I’m so jealous” book or series. Whether I’m scouring blogs for book recommendations or skimming over Goodreads ratings, I want to see those magical lines that indicate a reader would do anything to go back and read that book for the first time. In fact, I can’t think of a better endorsement than wishing you could erase a book from your memory every time you shut the pages, simply so you can someday have the pleasure of discovering it all over again.
Every writer I know is a reader first and foremost, myself included. I’d love to hear what books you wish you could go back and read with fresh new eyes. Maybe it’s too late for you to rediscover your favorites, but you can always share the love with others.
And that’s the next best thing.
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Book Blurb (from author):
Book Blurb (from author):
Danger comes packaged in bulging muscles...and a codpiece.
Highland Games athlete Michael O'Leary is famous for his ability to charm a woman right out of her pants. Maybe a little too famous. When he’s sidelined with a knee injury, his wingman pounces on the chance to take full advantage of Michael’s idle time.
Trying out for the local adult-themed Shakespearean production seems simple, but there’s a catch. Michael must woo the notoriously demanding lead actress, Rachel Hewitt, thereby freeing his friend to pursue a courtship of Rachel's sister.
Rachel hates the thought of handing over the lead role in her admittedly scandalous troupe to someone so wholly uneducated in the ways of the Great Bard. But she’s in a bind, and the only one who can step up is a man who looks way too good in a codpiece—and knows it.
To add insult to injury, he refuses to take the role until she agrees to take his place in some barbaric warrior race. She’ll do it, but not with a smile. Unfortunately, the hardest part isn’t antagonizing her Scottish foes. It’s resisting the one man who seems determined to line and cue her heart—forever.
Warning: This book’s half-naked Shakespearean actors are not approved or acknowledged by people with actual literary merit. Neither are the dirty limericks.
THE WORLD IS A STAGE
By: TAMARA MORGAN
ASIN: B007HCWALQ
Published by: SAMHAIN
Genre: FICTION, ROMANCE, CONTEMPORARY
Format: EBOOK
Length: 513 KB
Release Date: June 5, 2012
Oh yes, sharing the book love is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI'm an anomaly in my family in that I like to reread books; most of my family doesn't. I have a different experience each time I read a book again. But what ones do I wish I could read for teh first time again? Hmmm. Maybe The Hobbit by Tolkien, The Three Musketeers by Dumas, Bitten by Armstrong, The Unlikely Ones by Brown, any of the Greek and Roman myths. There may be others but those sprang to mind right off.
I like that your list is full of sweeping, epic action-based stories. Those are always so much fun to experience for the first time.
ReplyDeleteI love sharing my passion for books..great post.
ReplyDeleteReading books - a despicable pastime where you repeatedly leave your previous love desperately seeking the next thrill. Readers are at best serial monogamists, but many have several several companions on the go at once. We are an emotionally fickle lot with serious commitment issues. In our world a book really is just for Christmas, or any other day you care to name. Feeling thus cheapened, I'm off to seek my next adventure...
ReplyDeletenice posting.. thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete