Watching: Rugby World Cup
Listening to: Elmo songs!
Making me smile: My little boy smiling at his daddy
The other day I was purchasing Nalini Singh’s latest Guild Hunter book (which was fabulous by the way) on my Kindle and noticed an old Johanna Lindsey book was on sale for $0.99. With a fond smile for the terrible Fabio cover that I always secretly liked (and a vague thought that I probably had the book on my bookshelf but I hardly ever get to my bookshelf anymore now I’m digital) I clicked Buy.
I eventually got around to reading Lindsey’s Hearts Aflame and felt like I was a teenager again, reading a romance book under the covers with a torch after ‘lights out’ at boarding school! I really enjoyed the Saxon-Viking story and promptly redis
covered my way to my somewhat dusty bookshelf. I found Lindsey’s sci-fi story, Warrior’s Woman which was always a favourite of mine and has an even worse Fabio cover that I also secretly liked (-:I was also very happy to discover my best friend (who shares a Kindle account with me) had by chance bought some old categories which are now available in ebooks and also happened to be old favourites of mine (Nora Roberts’ Mackade Brothers books are next on my TBR pile!)
Reading all these old favourites that I haven’t read for years is such a great experience. It boggles my mind to think I was in high school when I last read some of these books and now I’m a wife, mother and romance author myself!!!!
Has anyone else stumbled across a book you haven’t read for years and been transported back to when you were young(er) and just discovering the wonders of romance novels?
Anna, I haven't recently read any books from my teenage years, but I did buy a song on iTunes a couple of days ago that I was obsessed with as a teen: Is It A Dream by The Damned. I had one of their albums, Phantasmagoria, and played it over and over and over when I was 14 / 15.
ReplyDeleteOn a whim, I had a look on iTunes, bought that song (and will probably go back for the rest of the album) then went searching on the net. Seems they're still together and performing in Europe.
Twas a lovely wander back to my teens. Though now I might need to go and buy the JL books and relive your teen years too! :)
Hey Anna, I love re-visiting books. I think you read them with new eyes if there are years in between.
ReplyDeleteRecently, I read Anne of Green Gables again and loved it as much as when I was a kid. However, this time I was also very aware as a writer of how deft LM Montgomery was in protraying PE Island and the community. I still yearn to visit there, she painted it all so vividly.
Hi Rachel --
ReplyDeleteSo true that a song can instantly transport you back to when you were younger! Even to an instant moment and you can remember what you were wearing, hearing and smelling at the time.
Right now I'm listening to Elmo songs (-: Hubby and I were driving yesterday and listening to (and singing) Elmo songs -- when we got where we were going, I realized bub had been asleep in his carseat the entire time!!
Hi Zana --
ReplyDeleteI might have to reread Anne of Green Gables too!
I often try to read my fav authors so I can *analyse* how they work their magic. Mostly I end up engrossed in the story and not even thinking of analysing! Guess that's a true sign of a talented writer.
Anna, those covers sure are a seriously wicked pleasure! :-)
ReplyDeleteSexy/Presents/Moderns were my first introduction to the world of romance, and I devoured them as a 15-16 yo. But then I moved onto other kinds of romances (and other kinds of books), but in the last year or so I have rediscovered my love of the Sexy M&B Romance. Have been having a lot of fun with them too. :-)
Anna, I would love to get a hold of Shanna by Katherine Woodiwiss. I loved, loved, loved that book. Probably had a cover like that second one up there. You can't go past a chest like that!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle --
ReplyDeleteHee, hee, the covers are great, aren't they?
I have many fond memories of reading stacks of my mum and aunt's Presents!
Hi Robyn --
ReplyDeleteI checked the cover for Shanna! There was a "sweet" one with an innocent-looking heroine but then I found the one with (not a chest) but a sexy muscled male back and arm (-:
Anna, for my last birthday a friend bought me three books I'd loved as a teen but have never been able to find since. A fabulous present! One's a Roman romance set during the year of the 4 emperors, one's a sci fi, and one's a fantasy. I can't wait to read them and revisit my teenage years!
ReplyDeleteAnna some of my fav books are decades old. I still have some very old category books from Madeleine Ker and Helen Bianchin and a couple of old historicals I treasure =)
ReplyDeleteHi Mel --
ReplyDeleteI have some fond memories of Helen Bianchin categories too (-:
Oh wow, Anna! Takes me back!
ReplyDeleteWARRIOR'S WOMAN was actually the first romance I can remember reading (I'm sure there were others I've forgotten!), and it was the book that inspired me to write romance. I love it. I'm sure Ms Lindsey's authorly talent might have something to do with it, but it's pretty hard to go past the totally rockin' cover. I wish I had her hair (and her man, just quietly). I bought a copy on a library old-book-sale table just a few years ago. That was a great day!
I think I got some old Roberts' on my shelf, too. The MacGregors. Not too far different to the McKades. :)
Ooh, and Stephanie Laurens' Bar Cynster series was another early one I adored.
I downloaded HEARTS AFLAME, and you've reminded me to go read it! Thank you. :)
E x
Hi Anna :)
ReplyDeleteLovely discussion, as usual :) I did stumble across some of the novels - by Rosemary Rogers ;) And realized that I've been a fan of historical romances once to the extent of hoarding up on hers ;) LOL! Now I am sticking to contemporary..but well.. my reading tastes keep changing with the season!
Anna, I love re-visiting my old favourites and Nora Roberts and the MacKade brothers are high on the list! I like her MacGregors too. And her Enchanted series...
ReplyDeletemmmm, must be time to revisit the keeper shelf for a walk down memory lane!
:)
Sharon