Okay, so Tara Marie got me thinking and well, we all know how that mess can turn out. I'm not sure where I am going to end up but I figure we'll all just have more questions at the end of this. No. Wait till the end for the questions. What? No, I act completely sane in person. No one knows, shhh.
I reviewed *cough* Beauty Like the Night by Liz Carlyle where I pretty much said it sucked. Hey, I'm just melting it down here. Turns out there are many others out there that love this book. It's okay. I'm happy that you love the book. You are one lucky bastard for loving the book and now, I want to read a book I love ;) Ooops, I digress. (surprise!)
Tara Marie has noted that if she cannot get past an author's voice then no matter how good everything else is, it won't work for her. Me? I'm in complete agreement. I have never read a Judith Ivory book. When people talk about how 'beautiful the author's prose' is, rather than how wonderful the hero or heroine are, I know that author is not going to work for me. This seems to be the numero uno reason people love Ivory so thanks, but, no.
So where does the question come in?
What about when you do like an author's voice but you still hit that bad book? Hmm, maybe I don't really have a question at all. I really thought I did.
I'll trudge along and see what I come up with. Hey, keep all hands and feet in the car until the ride comes to a complete stop!
Uh, oh. Looks like they actually teach full length courses on voice. Ice berg dead ahead!
Let's start with a simple definition and then I will dumb it down even further.
From: Reading Strategies
Voice can be defined as the writer's awareness and effective use of such elements as diction, tone, syntax, unity, coherence and audience to create a clear and distinct "personality of the writer," which emerges as a reader interacts with the text.
Or here:
Asking this question is about as general as asking the Ab Fab darlings, what is Lacroix (their fav fashion designer). They would respond with a prompt sentence that he is a fabulous fash designer who cannot be easily defined but is influenced by many aspects of life. The answer for what is voice is just as ambiguous.
So, let's dumb it down. I *think* that if someone hid the covers of five books and one of them was an historical by Julie Garwood that I have never read, I believe that I would be able to pick her out from the bunch. I dare say, that if MaryJanice Davidson (her link isn't working) had an entry in there, I would also be able to pick her out. Same with LKH and Janet Evanovich. These people have a voice that is so distinctive, at least to me, that I should know them anywhere.
That said, I can't do this with all my favourite authors. For example, Lisa Kleypas, Linda Howard (although maybe), Julia Quinn etc.
So for now, let's take Linda Howard. I think most of us have read her books and from what I can tell, there seems to be a division between those who love Dream Man, Duncan's Bride (me!) from those who love Kill and Tell (boo, hiss), All the Queen's Men (yak) and Son of Morning (*blink*). I have read all these books and I swear at times it's like reading a completely different author.
Dream Man had a paranormal element which I loved but also, the hero was very alpha and the heroine was not the type to put up with shit. These two people sizzled. When they weren't sizzling the heroine had such a wonderfully compelling backstory that I was glued to the pages. All that, wonderful dialogue and great sex scenes and I was all aglow. This is one of my favourite books.
Then I get Kill and Tell. Huh, the heroine is obviously grieving the loss of her father. Still grieving. Still depressed and crying. The hero, a male slut, decides he must have her even though it is obvious she is grieving. What a prince. Yes, then there is the disputed condom scene where there are the people who think it was sexy (not me) and those who had a huge WTF moment (yeah, me). As to the rest of the book, I think I remember something about a rent-a-space and someone coming to kill someone. Whatever.
So, how is it that even though I enjoy Linda Howard's voice, she can write a book that makes me want to tear my own skin off. What? Too much? That's okay, her last one made me want to pry my eyes out from boredom. Boredom! I mean, she's there right? She has the alpha hero and the equally strong but conflicted heroine and ... nothing. No spark, no heat, no passion. Blech.
Duncan's Bride on the other hand was a bouquet for the senses. (lookit me all fancy) Alpha hero and feisty heroine in a modern day marriage of convenience story. Should have been bad but, it is the best of the MOC stories I have ever read. Great banter, sexual chemistry, some relationship struggles and two people falling in love. ::sigh::
I should mention that it is not that I like her earlier books to her newer ones. I enjoyed Open Season and Mr. Perfect and liked Cry No More. Also, I read her earlier books years ago and they gave me hives. I'm thinking of trying them again just to see if my mature tastes have made them more palatable.
So, do I love her voice or just her story telling? I'm wondering because it seems that there are others who can love an author's work based on the author's voice and yes, I do believe I am one of them. I mean, MaryJanice Davidson has some serious issues with her writing but when she's on her game she rocks. So yeah, I read through the drek and still kinda enjoy the story even though I know she can do better.
Oooh, and you so better not talk smack about my Anne Stuart (ooh, The Devil's Waltz is on her front page, Squeeee!!). Even at her worst I am in Heaven and yeah, I can admit that she is not always on her game but there is always something that gives her story a spark. Ooops, fangirl moment. Next!
Janet Evanovich's voice is still there in her later books but, her characters are now spinning their wheels and I am not nearly as excited about her books. LKH has such a distinctive voice that I would know it anywhere and yet, her Anita series has not only jumped the shark, but done a triple sow cow over the bloody thing. So even though her voice is there (and lordy, has it become irritating) her stories are no longer any good.
What the hell, let's loop-tee-loo this puppy.
Loretta Chase. I brought her up at Tara Marie's. I loved Lord of Scoundrels although I do think the hero became someone totally different in the second part of the book which may have been the point but I mean, he was a whole different person! Still, loved it. I decide I must read more from this author and track down previous titles.
Woohoo!
WTF!?
I just didn't get it. How in the world was this the same author? It's okay, they were her earlier books, her next books will be like LOS. Huh? There was one that I can't remember the title to that was supposed to be like LOS but came off wrong and then there was Miss Wonderful and I don't know if I could get much more bored but, I finished the book. I'm beginning to think that LOS was a complete fluke.
TA-DA! Mr. Impossible. Bestill my heart. I loved it and it was beautiful and I'm wondering who in the hell wrote it because I want more!
All the same, I couldn't pick out Chase's book from an anonymous pile of five.
So, not voice? Voice? Bueller?
Anyone else have a headache? I'm heading for tylenol and something that does not have peanuts of any kind in it. Feel free to discuss!
Oh, and just for fun, work 'sow cow' into your blog without discussing skating. You're it!
9 comments:
Ahem.
Lookie Here.
It's not spam, but it is a lovely, detailed, and moving account of a sow cow. Peruse it and feel the tears come to your eyes. (or: read it and weep.)
Cindy:
You know, one of the reasons I like your blog so much is because of your voice. And I am SO WITH YOU on the Anne Stuart thing--even Into the Fire, which most people hated, I didn't mind, 'cause it was her.
I like reading favorite authors who do a misstep--it shows you the seams of their writing, if you will, and I like learning from that. Like Brockway's latest series, which I thought wasn't nearly as good as her earlier stuff, but you could see her tricks better, which is cool.
Loretta Chase is a goddess, even if she does take a misstep here and there.
Anyway. I like Judith Ivory a lot, so there. I've only read one Linda Howard, and I liked it. Never any Evanovich, gave up on LKH, love MJD despite the lack of plot (worse than me, even!).
So I'm with you on the voice thingie.
I'm on your side of the LH split -- couldn't stand those you can't, but really liked Dream Man (reread that one a gazillion times) couldn't finish Sone of the Morning (gah) liked Mr Perfect, and on.
I'm going to have to find AS's Into the Fire; I keep hearing about it, but don't think I've read it -- but it sounds like the kind of book I'd love.
Suisan - *gets up from desk and begins to applaud. Wipes tears from eyes* Beautiful! I had no clue where you were going but wonderfully executed. As for naming a house - I can barely name my animals, I get wigged out when someone tells me the name of their car. What?! I have to name my car? Can I use shitkicker as a noun?
Megan - I have a voice!? *waves hands in front of eyes to keep tears at bay* First, I'd like to thank the academy...
Funny how you can see the seams of someone's writing when they are off their game. I can actually see it better when they are on fire. Okay, not the first read through but on the subsequent re-reads because they are keepers, I can see how some of their tricks. Not all because then I would be the next J.K. Rowling and I would be adored and bask in the....sorry.
You're saying you have liked pretty much all of Chase's work? Hmmm. Interesting. Oh, and I have Untie my Heart by Ivory in the TBR pile and I may just pick it up in the new year. I need to set some goals and maybe that should be one ;)
Meljean - Howard is one of the only authors I have noticed this trend with. I'm beginning to think there are two people writing as Howard. Let's hope *our* Howard gets a crack at the next book.
Seeing as I am a fangirl of Stuart's I can offer no opinion (read it!) on Into the Fire ;)
CindyS
Cindy, you always make me laugh.
LH is one of my all time favorites, a perpetual autobuy, but I never particularly liked Kill and Tell, I can't say why as I can't remember one part of the blessed book, and have never reread it. I'm going to have to pull out my copy and re-read as to see why I didn't like it the first time and why I probably shouldn't like it now.
Favs can't hit the mark everytime, but if the writing is good, I guess I'm easily lulled into enjoying them anyway.
Tara Marie - you are such a sweetheart! I picked Linda Howard because she had written books that I *lovelovelove* and then she has written books where I can't hear her voice. Or if her voice is there then it's not working.
So maybe LH voice doesn't work for me if everything else is not there whereas, say, MJD voice does work for me so I read her drek and yes, I get pissy but there is something there that I have enjoyed.
Like I said, I bit off more than I could chew ;)
CindyS
So, we know a few of us are Anne Stuart fanladies. My only other will-buy-new-at-the-bookstore authors are Loretta Chase, Eloisa James, and Liz Carlyle (besides friends, who I buy new no matter what. I know they do the same with me). What are yours? And should I have done a regular blog post about this? Maybe not, because then I would probably offend someone I know, but don't necessarily count as a must-buy-new friend.
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