I drove home late Saturday night from the farm where I’d been working on cleaning out my late mother’s home. The seven hour drive was made bearable by the unabridged book on CD, Tomb of the Golden Bird by Elizabeth Peters as read by Barbara Rosenblat. By the time I was passing downtown Houston on I-10, I noticed an odd smell from the car engine as if something were overheating. What could I do but keep going?

By the time I got home and parked, I was too tired to tell my husband about it. When he moved the car the next day, he told me there was a pool of liquid under the car. I was really glad I’d made it home because breaking down at night on the interstate is at the top of my list of nightmares.

Multiple Car Problems

This morning, I called my friendly repair shop and told them I’d be in at nine. They said they’d bring me home. My car wasn’t nearly as agreeable though. It wouldn’t even start. My friendly auto repair shop sent a nice guy to check it out. He jump started it, and I followed him back to the shop where I told the guy at the desk that I needed a new battery and the engine checked. Oh, and they might as well inspect it since I noticed that’s due before the end of the month. The nice service guy drove me home.

Mood Elevator Needed

I decided I deserved something to make me feel better so I jumped in my T-Bird and drove to the nearest store that sold ice cream and books. Selecting my favorite black walnut ice cream was easy. Selecting an escapist book was more difficult. As I perused the meager selection at Randall’s, a woman approached and asked what I was getting. That opened a conversation wherein we both realized we wanted something different that the #1 – #20 best sellers and the few category romances filling the limited number of racks.

I mean, there’s nothing wrong with Nora and the others occupying those slots – or their books – but I wanted something different and so did my book browsing new friend. I suggested one of the paranormals, but she said she couldn’t tolerate another story like that. She was sick of them. Hmmm. Interesting feedback, right?

I began asking her about this book or that – from mysteries featuring food to tried and true authors. She was tired of all of those books. I looked for a new author to suggest she give someone who was just starting out a try, but I couldn’t find anyone on the racks who was new. I did notice a lot more historical romances and even reprints of old Jennifer Blake novels. Ms. Blake was once the hottest thing since sliced bread. I guess the burgeoning historical publishing program has made editors interested in her books once again.

Finally, she unenthusiastically selected a Jude Deveraux novel because she used to read her and liked her. I chose Pursuit, the latest book by Karen Robards, because I hadn’t read her in a while.

What’s the moral of this story? I guess it’s that paranormal has crested. Historical romances are picking up, but I haven’t seen anyone buying them yet. Maybe, it also means that readers want a new voice?

Takeaway Truth

Always ask book browsers what they want to read. That’s real market research.