What Do You Read For?

post by Michelle Griep

Readers are as varied as the shoes in my daughter's closet. Not even kidding. The girl has everything from Uggs to Toms to a pair of flip-flops that are at least seven years old.

Anyway, my point is that people choose favorite books to read based on different criteria, and here are the top three . . . 

A sense of place.

This reader seriously needs a vacation but doesn't have the time or moolah to pack up and head to Tahiti. So the next best thing is to pick up a book and escape.

Fresh prose.

This reader is always on the lookout for phrases that sing, wordsmithing that's jaw dropping, a writing style that surprises. This kind of reader doesn't need an escape as much as a literary experience with fascinating word combinations.

Deep emotional journey.

Character connection is what this reader is all about -- so connected that the reader feels like she's the protagonist and lives vicariously through the story.

So, which kind of reader are you? As for me, I'm the fresh prose seeker. I love it when I find an author who bends words into somersaults that make me smile or gasp. Favorites: Travis Thrasher, Ray Bradbury, Lisa Mangum.