Saturday, February 04, 2012

How I Find Great Books to Read

I admit that, because it seemed to be the right thing to do at the time, that I may have done it once or twice in my naive-first-published- period and I know you've all been bombarded by them. I'm talking about authors' multiple-postings on social- media network sites exhorting me to buy their books. 


Now, I have to honestly say that I've never bought one of those books unless it was from an author I knew and liked.


But the other day I found a book I adored and I discovered it online.


Before I tell you all about it, let me just thank a great blogger - Ciara Knight - who, every Monday, writes a splendid post on "Did I Notice Your Book?" Check her out if you don't know Ciara because she has such a variety of books and I like the way she's choosing them.


I discovered "The Generation Game" by Sophie Duffy when I visited writing-guru, journalist and wonderful creative-writing teacher Margaret James's blog where she has a "book of the month" spot. 



Sophie Duffy's The Generation Game was January's choice and it caught my eye immediately. Here's the blurb:


Philippa Smith is in her forties and has a beautiful newborn baby girl. She also has no husband, and nowhere to turn. So she turns to the only place she knows: the beginning. Retracing her life, she confronts the daily obstacles that shaped her very existence. From the tragic events of her childhood abandonment, to the astonishing accomplishments of those close to her, Philippa learns of the sacrifices others chose to make, and the outcome of buried secrets.

Philippa discovers a celebration of life, love, and the Golden era of television. A reflection of everyday people, in not so everyday situations.


Although it might not seem like it, when you look at the miserly number of books I feature on the blog, I am an avid reader and get through two or even three a week. But I only write about the ones I like. And I liked this one.


I think it will appeal to anyone who can remember "Blue Peter" when it was hosted by Valerie, Peter and John, and anyone who is an Anglophile. The narrator is far from perfect but I couldn't help relating to her as she lumbered through life making the wrong decisions over and over again - just the type of decisions I've made - and by the time I was mid-read I felt like Philippa Smith was my best friend.


If you think this is a book for you, do get it. And, thinking about the way I found it, I'm about to repeat something I've said before on this blog: blogs are great for book-marketing and for finding good reads.  

10 comments:

  1. Ciara's feature is awesome. I'd just started to follow her when she debuted that feature and my book was the first one! Yes, big surprise for me.
    And considering what is going to happen on February 28, I really hope you like me, because I don't want to annoy anyone.

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  2. So much traffic today about this. Angela James has been Tweeting about it and Alex Beecroft blogged. It's very daunting.

    I reckon trusting to luck and doing the really important stuff will do. I'd sooner keep my friends list [such as it is].

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  3. Don't worry Alex - you'll do the best marketing. You make it seem so easy!

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  4. Oh Elin, so I picked a good day then.

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  5. I follow recommendations on blogs all the time. :)

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  6. Thanks for the tip :)

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  7. Just stopping by to say hi from the campaign. I too am probably guilty of posting too many times about my book, although I don't think I've ever come out and told anyone to buy the book. I've just let them know how they could were they so inspired. It's definitly a learning process.

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  8. Hi Siv *waves* and Bridget too. Bridget, we all are guilty, I'm sure and I think I did tell people... (hides head in shame). But we live and learn, don't we?

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  9. Blogs and indie books go together so well--where else will I get a recommendation to read when there's no publisher saying they've read and approved the book?

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