Book Quality – The Ultimate Intimate Reading Experience


Almost opened with Quality Books, but then quickly reversed the wording seeing the big difference in where I'm going with this post.

Quality books would speak of a book's content. ...Solid storytelling, as in delivery; Page-turning, as in pacing; Fierce premise; as in a SINGLE solid principle for each story told. These are the primary nuggets of how content builds a quality book.

But then there is one more attribute that gives the ultimate reading experience. After a book's content, 'book quality' is the most important facet of a book's life. But before I get to really get going, let me throw off the pacing a bit here. The last thing I want is for this post to come off as a diatribe alluding to physical books being better than ebooks. It is not what this is about.

I would not be the reader I am today had it not been for access to Free Libraries; just about how I equate the ebook technology, and blogging industry. The ebook platform, in particular, allows access to books to today's population, in a similar fashion as to how libraries offered that access to readers like myself; once upon a time hurrican'ing through libraries 15-minutes before closing, and being limited to checking out only the number of books I could reasonably carry in my arms on one trip. It's highly unlikely I would have afforded this habit had the only choice to reading been to purchase the book at retail prices. Most readers are simply readers, and not necessarily collectors, or interested in purchasing books. And I don't have to research this because I used to be this reader.

Today however, since publishing, my reading habits have blended into a fusion of old mystic chairs surrounded by a collection of books that piques all of my senses; soy milk covers, beveled font, thin gray or yellowing pages ...sequestered by an exclusive reading experience. What else can I say? ...Other than I've always been a very private person, leading me right to my experience reading The Secret Sense of Wildflower (a Novel) by Susan Gabriel.

This novel embodies every nugget I believe a book should contain for that primavera lift. The storytelling is impeachable—a little sad, but not painful. It was very well-paced—evenly yoked throughout the story. And the premise is phenomenal. I couldn't get enough of this young girl's presence of mind in the way she observed her world. And, if all of this wasn't enough, the book was darn attractive too. I try to avoid swearing, but I swear the cover felt like holding butter.

Rather than rewriting my review of Susan's book in this post, I've linked it here. Beyond the cover is a story that I must also admit, tugged on my feelers, or more like reminded me of how special the gift of a secret sense is. A powerfully inspiring intimate experience I invite others to try.

It's Not Just a Book. It's An Experience.

Comments

  1. dear penpal - what's with the rapid posting?

    for me a book's appearence and feel are like the bait and hook. there are many times in the book store when i think "god, whoever designed this jacket gave the writer a huge gift." i have to admit to being a collector of books. i have an odd phobia surrounding used books and spend way too much acquiring new copies. i also dislike anything that mars the cover, like "book club selection" or "finalist for award". i like my cover to represent the work of art the book should be.

    you have some beautiful covers but i suspect you yourself are responsible for those. the susan gabreil cover is lovely and your reveiw made me put it in my amazon cart.
    xx
    ps with regards to your other post - it is impossible for you not sound like you know what your talking about. you can't hide quality

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  2. hysterical! 'Finalist book award marring your covers!' haha. But I really did like Susan's book and I'm sure you will too.

    Thanks about my covers. My son doesn't care for them, or my art, so my daughter and I had to pin him down, knee him in the back, and make him like them. That's how we get unanimity around here!

    and oh, about the blogging streak. That was my husband. He kept calling me to do stuff, so I had to keep typing, to look busy. Family!

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