The Disappointment Dilemma - Starting the Wrong Book

WHEN CHAPTER 1 BETRAYS YOUR TRUST

In my previous post, I said I would show you how to make sure your next book matches up to your expectations. We all know that time is a precious commodity, and we’ve all been in the situation when we finally have some peace, we’re sitting in our favorite reading spot (window seat, perfectly positioned chair or stretched out on the couch) with a soft cozy blanket and beverage in hand, ready to escape into another world…

But by chapter two — or sooner — we’re checking our phones, sighing and wondering where it all went wrong. Maybe the story drags, or the characters feel stereotyped, like cardboard cutouts, and the latest plot twist? Well, we saw that coming three pages ago.
Yes, reader disappointment is an emotion we’ve all felt— and none of us are eager to repeat that particular experience.

So, here’s a quick trick from one booklover (and author) to another, try this before committing to a full read:

THE 10-MINUTE BOOK TEST:

1. Read the description — but skip the hype words.
Look for what it’s really about, not just the marketing sparkle.

2. Skim the first page. You’ll know right away if you’re drawn in by the tone, voice and mood.

3. Flip to a random page in the middle. If it still holds your attention, that’s a keeper.

This little ritual (the short-term pain of delaying the choice of a new book vs the long-term gain of waiting and finding a better one) can save hours of frustration, and your chances of finding your next read have shot up dramatically. Now you and your next read really do deserve that blanket and beverage combo.

Now that you know how to pick the right book… Next time, I’ll show you how to make sure you never run out of them.

UPDATES

Allie couldn’t believe this was the fifth day in a row Quareem had devoted to teaching her how to fight. As if that wasn’t challenging enough, each day he demonstrated with a different type of sword: an Arabian scimitar, a Japanese katana, a European broadsword, and a modern rapier. The names confused her, and she ended up giving them nicknames: the thin, bendy one; the massive one she could barely lift; the slender curved one; and the short, thick one with a curved blade.

This is an excerpt from Allie & The Djinn which is currently available for preorder on Amazon, Kobo, and many other digital retailers. I’ll be honest, I don’t get very many preorders, but it increases the book’s visibility, so my thinking is, why not give it a go?

In the meantime, I have 3 days left for advertising and promotion before the release date. It’s around this time I get excited about sending another book out into the world. Then it’ll be on to the next one.

Until then — may your next read be exactly what you were looking for, whether that’s gripping, enthralling, entertaining, etc., and transport you to another world.

Warmest wishes and happy reading.

Teagan.

(aka Author & Chief Book Disappointment Prevention Officer)