Some things in life age well. Wine. Scotch. Men and women with good bones and healthy physiques. Well-crafted furniture. Master paintings. And books.
Yes, I said books.
As I’ve been updating seventeen of my backlist titles for reissue in the coming year, I must say with shameless lack of humility that my books do age well. Going back to my first novel published in 1994, THE RELUCTANT VIKING , I have been reviewing them page by page, looking for errors, modernizing the content (Hey, Dolly Parton would not be considered the epitome of sexy lady today; nor would Kevin Costner, nor, God forbid! Mel Gibson, appeal to the younger reader). In the process of these new readings, I have been remarkably surprised at how enjoyable they are, even after all these years.
And one added plus is that I get to make changes I deem necessary which has resulted in a major do-ever. I am “unkilling” two secondary characters in MY FAIR VIKING (now retitled THE VIKING’S CAPTIVE, January, 2011). Selik and Rain were the hero and heroine of THE OUTLAW VIKING, but I had them die in MY FAIR VIKING a few years later. Readers were outraged. So, voila! Now, they are no longer dead.
The reissue schedule for the first few months will be: THE VIKING’S CAPTIVE, 1/11; THE BEWITCHED VIKING, 2/11; and THE BLUE VIKING, 3/11.
But I digress. In the past few months, I have found myself going back to my keeper shelf, reading some oldies that I haven’t picked up for many years. While some of the early ones are hit or miss for me, probably due to my changing tastes, like Johanna Lindsey, Jude Deveraux and Kathleen Woodiwiss, others not only withstand the test of time, but often improve. I’m thinking Mary Balogh, Loretta Chase, Deb Smith, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and others.
So, do you ever go back and read old book?. Which ones withstand the test of time for you? Which ones no longer appeal?
As always I wish you smiles in your reading, but especially at this time of year, I wish you holiday smiles. In that vein, to one lucky winner who comments here in the next two days, I will off one signed trade paperback copy of ‘TWAS THE NIGHT and deliver in time for Xmas giving. In addition, Borders is offering a free ebook copy of ‘TWAS THE NIGHT for the next few days only.
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