How Many New To You Authors Have You Discovered This Year… That You Loved?
Monday, October 29, 2007Posted in: book talk
I was thinking the other day that I haven’t been as adventurous this year in terms of trying many newbie authors.
I used to try at least one new author a week, but just lately, I seem to be sticking to the authors I know and love.
I wasn’t sure what was so different about this year, but then I remembered that a lot of my newbie authors in the past have been at EC, and since EC have stopped producing quality erotic romance, and seem to be doing the whole porn thing, I’ve stopped spending my money there.
My favourite find this year without doubt has definitely been Dorothy Koomson, but I have to say, I haven’t found any other book that managed to move me the way My Best Friend’s Girl did.
So, how have you guys fared so far? Have you found many to-die-for newbies, or like me, have you been sticking to the authors you already know and love?
Marg
October 29
7:56 pm
I’ve managed to try about 90 new to me authors this year, including Dorothy Koomson! One of my other favourites is Elizabeth Hoyt.
shiloh walker
October 29
8:21 pm
Only a couple, but I don’t read as much as I used to. Tara Janzen and Marjorie M. Liu stick out in mind.
Getting ready to try Gennita Low and I suspect I’m going to love her, too.
And Karen… sniff… I still put books out at EC from time to time. Do you think my stuff is porn? Sigh….
Sarah McCarty
October 29
8:25 pm
I’ve tried several but none have sucked me in. I experimented a lot more last year. I didn’t think about it but that may be why I’ve been sticking more with authors I know this year. I think one new to me author this year was Maureen McKade. (Might have been last year) Really loved Reason to Believe.
*frown* I missed Dorothy Koomson. How did this happen? Did you all discuss her when I was in a writing haze? Must go check her out.
Tracy
October 29
9:31 pm
New to me authors that I found this year and loved are:
Elizabeth Hoyt
Lisa Kleypas
Beth Williamson
byrdloves2read
October 29
9:35 pm
I was looking through my calendar and discovered about half of the books I’ve read this year were authors I hadn’t read before. Some aren’t exactly “new”. For instance, I’d never read Susan Elizabeth Phillips before this year so I had a lot of backlist to work on. Thanks to you I read Koomson. Also glommed Ann Christopher after reading Risk. As Sarah mentioned, Maureen McKade was new to me this year too and she’s just wonderful. Oh and Sandra Schwab’s Castle of the Wolf was good. Also discovered Betina Krahn whose characters are a bit anachronistic but a lot of fun.
Ack, guess I’d better stop. I’m getting a bit carried away.
Wendy
October 29
9:41 pm
I don’t have my records in front of me, so can’t give a complete rundown, but by far the author running away with My Biggest Discovery Of 2007 award is Megan Hart. She literally saved the Harlequin Spice line for me, and I think she’s writing some of the best, under appreciated and challenging erotica out there.
And yeah to people discovering Maureen McKade! She’s firmly sitting on the throne that Maggie Osborne vaccated upon her retirement.
Rosie
October 29
10:13 pm
I probably haven’t tried as many new authors for two reasons: I’m buying waaaaay less e-pub only ebooks and I my tbr is just crazy. I get lots of great recs from other readers and that’s been feeding my habit to try new to me authors.
So far this year Megan Hart, Elizabeth Hoyt, Cheryl St. John, Jo Goodman, CL Wilson and Alexis Morgan were new to me and I enjoyed their books.
Karen Scott
October 29
10:23 pm
Oh yeah, I forgot about Elizabeth Hoyt and Megan Hart. Their books were fabulous!
Shi, when was the last time you had a book out at EC? *G*
Josie
October 29
10:25 pm
My fave new-to-me author for this year is Karen Rose. I’ve read her entire backlist in the last couple of months. Highly recommended if you like good romantic suspense.
Elizabeth Hoyt is also a fave 2007 find.
Sarah McCarty, you are a new to me author as well (thanks to Karen’s recs) and I’m sooo looking forward to getting my copy of Caine’s Reckoning!
LesleyW
October 29
10:50 pm
If I had to pick one that’s stood out for me, it would be Ilona Andrews. Yep, I’m an urban fantasy fan. 馃檪
Bubbling under – Toni Andrews, Megan Hart, Lisa Valdez.
There’s still some authors I want to check out whose books aren’t released til November or December.
Haven’t read Sarah McCarty’s book. 馃檪 But it’s ordered and hopefully the wait won’t be too long.
Shiloh Walker
October 30
12:37 am
馃檪 In May! And Karen… it’s a contemp… a friends to lovers type thing, even.
Got another one coming out in December.
sula
October 30
1:09 am
This has been a pretty busy year for me in terms of running across new (to me) authors. Some of the ones that come to mind: Elizabeth Hoyt, Karen Ranney, Julia Quinn, Sarah McCarty, JR Ward, Jo Goodman, Jennifer Crusie, Madeline Hunter, Loretta Chase…
jayzus, most of those are NOT new authors, but I can blame my ignorance on being in Africa for the past few years with no access to libraries and bookstores. lol. At least there’s lots of good stuff for me to catch up on. 馃檪
Jaci Burton
October 30
1:20 am
Kristan Higgins – absolutely wonderful contemporary romance. Fun and romantic. Best stuff I’ve read in years and she put two books out in the past year. Not nearly enough.
I love finding new authors! 馃檪
Jaci Burton
October 30
1:21 am
Kristan Higgins – absolutely wonderful contemporary romance. Fun and romantic. Best stuff I’ve read in years and she put two books out in the past year. Not nearly enough.
I love finding new authors! 馃檪
Kat O+
October 30
1:23 am
I’ve tried a few good ones this year: Laura Kinsale (yes, I’m late to that particular party), Shana Abe, Meljean Brook, CL Wilson, Bob Mayer (with Jennifer Crusie). There were more, but these authors wrote some keepers.
Lynne Simpson
October 30
1:36 am
I’ve been in a near-total reading slump this year. The one major exception is Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series. Other than that, I’ve been reading a lot of nonfiction.
路:*篓篓*:路.Mad.路:*篓篓*:路.
October 30
2:21 am
I’ve discovered a bunch of new-to-me-authors this year. More than I discovered last year, that’s for sure…
Maya Banks
Lauren Dane
NJ Walters
Shelley Bradley/Shayla Black
Anya Bast
Cecelia Ahern
Gail Faulkner
Megan Hart
Shelly Laurenston
Tessa Radley
Barbara Pierce
Ciana Stone
Jory Strong
Annmarie McKenna
Dee Tenorio
Eve Vaughn
Beth Williamson
Brenda Williamson
Kate Steele
Jason F. Wright
Kate Poole
To be honest, I think part of my list were mentioned here and that’s how I first heard about them. 馃檪
路:*篓篓*:路.Mad.路:*篓篓*:路.
October 30
2:24 am
Bad bad me, I forgot Elizabeth Hoyt on my list too.
Lori
October 30
3:04 am
I think everyone discovered Elizabeth Hoyt this year. And wasn’t that trilogy just fab?
Oh Mad, you must have just had a fantastic reading year! Look at all those great authors you discovered this year.
Anonymous
October 30
3:34 am
E books are new to me this year, but I will say a couple of my favorites come from a pub you’ve put through the wringer a bit over cover art, LOL.
Eve Vaughn is one I really enjoy. And Emma Ray Garrett, too, from that same house. I actually picked up their books together in a series and thought they were far and away the best of the five, but I liked Stephanie Burke’s well enough to pick up a couple more of hers and I really had a great time with those choices too.
A friend of mine and I just discussed Ms. Garrett’s latest, which my friend was ticked about, but I like that the stories are more than just sex, though the sex is hot. Not all of her work is for everyone, LOL, but then I’ve found a lot of authors have work that isn’t for everyone.
I’ve also enjoyed Silvia Violet this year. She has stuff with a few different e-pubs and in print and everything I’ve read has been great so far.
In the print world, I was a bit let down my L.L. Foster’s (Lori Foster) urban fantasy, but I can’t fault the story for that, not really. It just didn’t end up going where I hoped it would. Hmm, let’s see… Kim Harrison is another new to me this year and I’ve devoured all of her series. Fantastically vivid writing and memorable characters all the way around.
As you can see, I lean toward erotic and urban fantasy. I guess that’s because when I was young it was what I wanted to read but it simply didn’t exist. Now that I’m retired, LOL, well I finally have lots of time to read as much as I like, so I’m catching up!
Shirley
Michelle
October 30
3:38 am
I have recently discovered Megan Whalen Turner. I don’t even remeber how I found out about her first book The Thief. Her books are fantasy. But the third book The King of Attolia is one of the most romantic books I have ever read. It is completely delightful-witty, charming. There is political intrigue galore. I am a complete fan girl of this series.
Rosario
October 30
8:06 am
I’ve actually tried more than 50 new authors this year, but only 3 of them are authors I really, really loved:
Sharon Cullars
Karen Rose
CL Wilson
Anonymous
October 30
9:19 am
I stick to the romance authors I like. Tried (at your recommendation) Dorothy Koomson and Nora Roberts, but otherwise I absolutely love:
Sharon Cullars
Roslyn Holcomb
(sometimes) Eve Vaughn (she seems to over-do it with the “erotic” so it comes across as smut)
Marilyn Lee (same as above)
Aliyah Burke
Karyn Langhorne
For me all these authors write my favourite genre in romance, I/R, so I don’t feel the need to branch out as I’m still a little iffy about such books and have to constantly stop the eye-rolling when authors get too “unrealistic” in their story telling……
Chandra
Anonymous
October 30
9:21 am
….oh yeah, forgot Shiloh Walker, though she’s not I/R, I like her stuff……
Chandra
Anonymous
October 30
9:25 am
….ooooooh, how could I have forgotten Dyanne Davis?!. She has written at least 3 books I’ve read that got my juices going. All I/R, well written and thought out. Her recent “Many Shades of Gray” have me re-reading just after I finished…….
Chandra :-))))
Anonymous
October 30
9:31 am
By the way Karen, I just scrolled down your blog and saw you’re a fan of R Kelly. I was too, till I read he was arrested for having sex with a minor. My conscience won’t let me continue to support such an animal……..
My last post for today, but had to say something…..
Chandra
lisabea
October 30
11:53 am
Kresley Cole
J R Ward
Nalini Singh
Meljean Brook
Elizabeth Hoyt
Joey Hill
Just to name a few. I quit my job this year and discovered the on-line community of romance readers. It’s been a GREAT year for reading.
vanessa jaye
October 30
12:27 pm
A lot of my new authors (for me) don’t write romance (don’t expect titles from me):
J.A. Konrath – mystery/thriller
Robin Latham -wrote a really fun futuristic erotic romance. I’m looking forward to book 2.
M.C. Beaton writes the Hamish MacBeth mystery cozies.
Anna Davies wrote the most excellent The Shoe Queen (women’s fiction in 1920s Paris)
Kristan Higgins – I *know* folks are saying she’s contemporary romance (and that’s how she’s marketed) but imo, she’s woman’s fic with strong romantic subplot.
Jessica Bird – I’m splitting hairs, because I read her as J.R. Ward first, but I think I like her JB stuff better.
Shannon McKenna – Tried her fist book when it came out, it didn’t click. A DNF. Tried it again this year, loved it.
Katie Allisters Noble Intentions. Loved this one. I loved so hard. And it’s hot. But, nothing else I’ve tried of hers has worked for me.
Maureen Jennings – Her Murdoch Mysteries take place in my home town, Toronto (Canada) in the early 1900s.
Anna Campbell
Karen Rose (although, I’m not certain that I actually started reading her in the past year/12 months. It could have been a bit earlier.
Elizabeth Hoyt
Megan Chance – An Inconvenient Wife
Tasha Alexander – And Only To Decieve (Historical Mystery with (developing) romantic subplot.
Jo Goodman – If His Kiss is Wicked.
Carrie Vaughan – Uban Fantasy/Paranormal books. Her Kitty books are fun.
Luann McLane – Just finished her Dark Roots and Cowboy Boots. Fun read.
I’m probably missing a bunch more authors. All in all, I guess it’s been a good years in terms of finding new authors/good reads.
Jenyfer Matthews
October 30
12:50 pm
Jennifer Crusie and Jennifer Wiener (It is a great name after all 馃檪
also Adele Parks. She’s more women’s fiction but I love her stuff.
Darlene
October 30
1:00 pm
I’m going to jump on the Elizabeth Hoyt bandwagon, but the two new authors I’ve been recommending to everyone I meet aren’t romance authors.
I highly recommend Susan Palwick’s sf novel The Necessary Beggar, which does have a strong romantic element.
I also recommend Scott Lynch’s amazing fantasy The Lies of Locke Lamora, which looks like it could have a romance in the futures.
sallahdog
October 30
1:10 pm
I have several that are mentioned here already..since they were authors karen turned me onto… Koomson,Cullars..
but I just read a few days ago, a paranormal (I know, I said I was bored with them) by Ilona Andrews, “Magic Bites” which was GREAT!! I mean, so good I went back since it was her first novel and I couldn’t read her backlist, and read some of my old favorite paranormals… It made me realize that its not the genre that has gotten to me, it was the lack of telling an interesting story..
Kathy K
October 30
3:37 pm
Until this year I’ve been very slow to try new authors; I’m one of those readers that sticks with the tried and true. But this year a couple of things got me trying a lot of new authors. I got a huge gift card for Chapters (Cdn book chain) and I signed up for the eHarlequin 2007 Challenge. Since the beginning of the year I’ve been finding new, and new-to-me, authors all over the place… and Loving it! Some of the best:
Shiloh Walker
Lora Leigh
Julie Miller
Abby Gaines
Rachel Vincent
Jason Pinter
Tessa Radley
Lara Adrian
Keri Arthur
Vivi Anna
Pamela Palmer
Shelley Galloway
Jennifer Armintrout
Diane Pershing
Megan Hart
Lucy Monroe
Nalini Singh
Lynn Viehl
and I’m pretty sure that there are more that I’ve forgotten for now… and then there are a number of the authors that have been mentioned here… looks like I’ve got some more to look for!!
shiloh walker
October 30
9:05 pm
馃檪 Man, reading some of the comments put a smile on my face.
Thank you, Kathy K and Chandra.
Karen Scott
October 30
10:49 pm
Shi, it sounds familiar, I’m wondering if I read it already?
Ann Bruce
October 30
11:40 pm
Loretta Chase and Jo Goodman (I know, I know, they’ve been around for years). I’m glomming them and I’m in historical heaven.
Shiloh Walker
October 31
12:08 am
I just hope it wasn’t goat porn.
:-O that’s a disturbing image all around, ya know. Goat porn.
Giselle
October 31
1:24 am
Does my TBR count? Cuz I have several new to me authors there. I’m normally not very adventurous when it comes to trying out new authors.So far I’ve actually read two: Elizabeth Hoyt and Eloisa James. I have Jo Goodman, Maureen McCade (sp?) TBR soon. Right after I get thru Stuart’s latest.
Angelia Sparrow
October 31
3:35 am
I’m in the 50 book project and while I’ve read a lot of authors I’d never read before, the only romance ones I’m really liking:
Kiernan Kelly. her “Change of Heart” was great.
Willa Okati. Funny, smart and very sweet.
Anne McAllister. Read a couple of her Silhouettes, and enjoyed them very much.
Miki
October 31
4:09 am
Talk about coming late to the party – I just read my first Jo Beverly this year 馃榾 . And yeah. I loved it.
Like many here, I read Hoyt for the first time – but I’ll admit the 2nd book was the best for me. The first and last were okay, but not to rave about.
Loved Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, then hated the second one!
I finally read (and enjoyed) Valdez’ “Passion”, but the excerpt for the next book is enough to tell me to pass on it. I don’t get off on heroes who like to make their heroines cry. Ick, ick, ick.
Dani Harper’s “Heart of the Winter Wolf” definitely made me want to read the sequel.
And a couple more new to me, but only read one book and not willing to say lurv yet:
Casey Daniels (paranormal, mystery, lite (the heroine wasn’t shallow enough to call it chic lit, but it had that flavor))
Mark Del Franco (urban fantasy mystery)
Melissa Marr (young adult urban fantasy – I was actually not sure about this one, but I absolutely loved how she ended it!)
Kristie (J)
October 31
10:45 am
My big find this year was Lisa Marie Rice. I’ve read 4 of her books and loved ’em all. Linnea Sinclair was another excellent find. And I really loved Sharon Cullars too.
I read Elizabeth Hoyt first last year and I’ve long been a Jo Goodman fan but it’s nice to see so many others have found these two authors
Diane V
October 31
8:51 pm
Six best finds this year: Rosalyn Hardy Holcomb, Shelley Laurenston, AnneMarie McKenna, Maya Banks, Jennifer Rardin and Melissa Marr.
Ronyelle
November 1
8:47 pm
My favorite new obesssions this year are Maya Banks, Jacquelyn Frank, Shayla Black and Nalini Singh
Anonymous
November 2
11:18 am
I’ve been spending a fortune mostly in print, following authors that used to be (some still are) in EC like Cheyenne McCray, Marie Janice Davidson, Shiloh, Lora Leigh, Angela Knight, Diane Whiteside, Jaci Burton, Christine Warren, Anya Bast and Lisa Marie Rice.
From EC that I currently read are: Marly Chance, NJ Walters (new discovery), Sherry King, Judy Mays and Tielle St. Claire.
Print authors that I always buy:
Nora Roberts, JD Robb, Linda Howard, Elizabeth Lowell, Lisa Kleypas (only historical author I faithfully keep reading), Jennifer Cruise, Charlaine Harris, Susan Andersen and Kelly Armstrong
New authors that I love:
C E Murphy, Patricia Briggs, Karen Chance, Carrie Vaughn, Ilona Andrews, Lynn Vielh, Lillith Saintcrow and Rachel Caine.
Casee
November 5
9:06 pm
The best new to me author this year is Robyn Carr. I adore her books.
Sarah McCarty is another. I don’t know why I waited so long to read her.
I also loved Lara Adrian.