AAR

[dick]

Maybe it's because everybody's so entranced by the elections, but has anybody else noticed the decline in the number of posts per day? Except for a flurry at the beginning of each new ATBF and those ubiquitous threads I found odd--grades, covers, and freakoutishness--the boards are about as interesting as mush without molasses. Even Wild West partisanship doesn't engender much of it.

What's happened? No one interested in lousy styles, pairings whose happy ending is impossible, decline of sub-genres?

Maybe it's the time of year; September always seems to bring on melancholia of some sort. Just check out country-western music.

Maybe it's the sameness of romance fiction; after all, it's nearly impossible to find something new to get whipped up about when the recipe's so circumscribed. That's never stopped readers from commenting, though--until lately.

Maybe it's just ennui. I've thought of putting a new subject on the board--something like: Romance readers have no imagination--just to get the juices going.

Or I might try a little irony, something like: Women usually want the last word, don't they?

[sssspro]

I've got to say, I've noticed the same thing Dick, and its not just on this website. Honestly, for me, its mostly that I've been on this board for a long time and have said most everything. I don't mind repeating myself, and do so often.

Every once in a while I throw something into the mix, new or old, but I don't have many "pressing" romance topics on the top of my head that need to be expressed. Sad but true. I have also found that my reading habits have slumped. I WANT to read more, but the long, engaging historicals that I so love are NOT very abundant right now. All I keep seeing are shorter and shorter erotica and less and less substance. So my reading is Blah, and thus my responses are blah.

[Tee]

I've noticed the lack of posting, too, dick. Perhaps all of your thoughts have some validity. I'm guessing, with me, it's the lack of books (good or bad) in my life right now. My "wish" list is the smallest it's even been. My TBR pile is practically non-existent. You have to read in order to post on a site such as this and there it is for me. Also, some of the all-encompassing threads (books read lately, etc) almost encourage a list-type response which doesn't pull in much discussion. We've been over that in another thread (yours, I believe).

Maybe with the election brouhaha regarding Palin, the hurricanes of late including Ike which is not sounding good at all, school beginning, etc, people have been keeping more abreast of these issues rather than message boarding. It'll be interesting to hear others' opinions.

[Gail K.]

No offense to "old" blood, but we need new blood around here. I took a hiatus from posting but upon returning I see the same familiar (but enjoyable!) "regulars." Yet the number of new registered users has increased apace. I wish they would speak up! We're not that scary.

-Gail

[Yulie]

[Tee]

[Gail K.]

LOL, Tee. The previous post was my attempt at delicacy.

Speaking of MIA posters, where are LadyNaava, sula, nikki, katiebabs??? I need "partners in crime" on the cover threads! It could be all man boobage, all the time, around here! (dick will be thrilled, I'm sure )

[Yulie]

I think Sula and Katiebabs are mostly blogging these days. Not sure about Nikki, she does post occasionally.

Gail & Tee, when I started posting here last Septmeber, the two of you were very friendly and encouraging. So definitely lurkers shouldn't be scared to post .

[Tee]

[Elaine S]

I agree with everyone on this thread. I attribute part of it to the generally low standard of books released lately - you only have to look at the grades new reviews are getting - and part of it to a bit of ennui and a sense that, like others, I've said my piece before. Also, on a personal basis, I can't get my head round fantasy, time travel, vampires, shapeshifters (whatever they are), etc. and so find that a lot of posts are not "en genre" and deviate from the more traditional definition of romance and thus I am not inclined either to read or comment on some of those threads.

I would like to see more contributions, too, from new members and more from our author members as well. I also wonder if we have gone a bit PC and are a little unwilling to say something pretty stark and provoking.

Here in England it has been a dismally wet and miserable summer but I've not had much time for reading and seem to be doing most of it on backlists.

Good on you, Dick, for stirring the pot!

[Gail K.]

[xina]

Well, I'm in the midst of reading and am excited to post about my books when I've finished. I'm reading the Robyn Carr Grace Valley series and am almost done witht he first book. Love this author....she's got the town down perfectly and the characters seem so real. Thanks to all who kept recommending this series. I know Tee was one of them, but I've seen this series listed before countless times. Another book I am reading is My Best Friend's Girl by Dorothy Koomson...(not to confused with the movie coming out with the same name...it is not this book). This book is wonderful...so heart wrenching at one moment and really pleasant and funny the next. Love this book. I'm having fun in my reading latlely.
As for the lack of posts...I've notieced too. I've been busy and check in when I can and there is never anything new!! Everyone enjoying the Fall, I guess.

[ladynaava]

[Linda in sw va]

I've gone from reading 2-3 books a week to 1-2 books a month and most of them are not romance.

I have sort of fallen out of love with the romance genre but every so often a gem will come around. I still check the reviews and try to keep an eye out for new releases that look like they'll be interesting. I tend to like books that don't follow a politically correct line - such as Linda Howard's recent Death Angel which I absolutely loved. Gems like this are few and far between though.

I still have a good interest in vampires and shapeshifters but that's moved into urban fantasy these days.

I am reading the latest Nalini Singe, Hostage To Please and so far enjoying it.

Linda
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"The Bookshop has a thousand books, all colors, hues and tinges, and every cover is a door that turns on magic hinges." ~ Nancy Byrd Turner

[NoirFemme]