Thanks to the Bradford Bunch for having me here today! For those who don’t know me, I’m Christie Kelley and Laura Bradford is also my agent. I sold in a two book contract May of 2007 to Kensington for their Debut Author program. Every Night I’m Yours was a February 2008 release and I’m currently working on revisions for Every Time We Kiss, which is scheduled for March 2009.So what do I write, you ask? I write Regency set historical novels that are sexy and emotional. Or so I think. Every Night I’m Yours was definitely sexy but Every Time We Kiss is much more emotional.
I was recently asked by a reader why my book was so short. I was a little confused by the question as my book was about the standard 348 pages or close to 100,000 words. The reader said she usually only reads longer books and while she loved Every Night I’m Yours, she wanted more. My first thought was more what? Sex? I thought there was plenty. Emotion? Again, thought I was okay there.
She just wanted more story, a bigger plot.
It was hard to explain that most romances are meant to be quicker reads. But it did get me thinking. The older romances I grew up on were indeed much longer and more sweeping with exotic settings and bigger external plots. I kind of miss those stories. And yet…would I have time to read them today?
Not a chance.Between working, writing, two boys, a husband and a house under major renovations, I’m lucky if I get five minutes a day to read. I need those faster paced less complicated stories.
I’m curious about how others feel. Do you miss the long, sweeping novels with bigger plots? Or are you satisfied with shorter, less complicated stories?
I’ll give a copy of Every Night I’m Yoursto one lucky commentor!
THE WINNER IS COMMENTER #4 - ESTELLA! Estella, please email Christie and get her your address so she can mail you the book!
May 10th, 2008 at 9:27 am
I’m a big fan of regency set historicals. Your book sounds really good. I’m adding it to my wish list. I like both long and short books depending on what is going on in life and how much time I have. In summer, the shorter books are better for me. To me a 348 page book is a long one.
May 10th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Thanks, Kammie. I actually thought 348 pages so on the long side too. But everyone says it’s a quick read. I hopoe you enjoy it.
May 10th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Hi Christie,
I prefer books that are over 300 pages, so your book would have definitely kept me satisfied. I also enjoy short reads, too. Many of the ebooks I read are short. I have read on the blogs that there is a trend to make books shorter. I have noticed that the Harlequins books are only about 180 pages long. The length of a book is not important as long as the book is great and you enjoyed the story.
May 10th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
I don’t care about the length of the book as long as it is well written.
May 10th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Hi, Christie!!
I’m with Estella–the length doesn’t matter to me–as long as the book and plot draw me in, I’m good.
And I sure do love the title “Every Night I’m Yours.”
May 10th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Welcome, Christie!
I love the longer books as long as there’s enough story for them–I imagine many among us has read a 300 pages book that had enough story for half as many pages. Of course, the opposite holds true all too often, and we find stories so crammed with events, characters, plots and subplots, that it seems even six hundred pages wouldn’t be enough for them.
*blink*
Okay, the shorter version of the above is: the length should fit the story, and that’s what makes me happy.
Have a great weekend, everyone–and a Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms here.
May 10th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Hi Jane,
You’re right, there definitely seems to be a trend toward shorter books. Many publishers that used to be in the 100,000-110,000 word market now seem to be in the 90-100k area.
May 10th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Hi Estella,
I’m with you. It’s all about the story. Though I do find myself searching out faster paced stories than I used to read. I think that’s my time shortage though.
May 10th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Hi Cynthia,
Thanks for stopping in. I wish I could take credit for the title but that was my editor’s doing. He came up with both titles.
May 10th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Hi azteclady,
I agree that the length should fit the plot. And Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s. My boys are planning on giving me a day off. Yeah right
We’ll see how that goes.
May 10th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Hi Christie!
Hm, recently this topic has come up again - and I will say that I do miss the longer books. Of course, as you and azteclady said - the plot and length should match. There are few things worse than a book that drags on another 100 pages just because. Then again, books can suffer if they’re too short. In a way I’m glad they’re not longer because I have a personal problem - where if I like the book, I must finish it. This sometimes keeps me up until 3-4 am. So - if the book were even longer… I shudder to think the result. Still - generally, I could go for longer books.
May 10th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
It doesn’t matter about the length of a book, just that it is well written. Sometime I will choose a shorter book because of time, but most of the books I read are around the 348 page length. I love historical and that how long most of them are. My way of looking at it that’s why they make book marks.
May 10th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Denise A. Agnew
May 10th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
I actually prefer the shorter length because of time restraints. Don’t get me wrong; the longer length is great if I have a greater amount of time to read as I don’t like to have too long a break before I start reading a story again. I usually have to go back and glance over the book to get the story if I’ve been away from the book too long.
May 11th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Congrats on your sales and releases, Christie! I love the titles and will definitely check out your books. The fact your book is 348 pgs but people are saying they read it fast is a great indication of your pacing. I’d say that’s a HUGE compliment!
I miss the longer sweeping romances. I fell in love with authors like Elizabeth Lowell and Judith McNaught and love Nora’s longer books. I do think others are correct though when they say the story dictates the length of the book. Some stories are just shorter, and some are longer. I can’t imagine JR Ward shoving her vampire books into 300 pgs, and I’m glad she doesn’t. Likewise, I’ve read some great shorter books that would have been ruined had the author tried to draw them out.
May 11th, 2008 at 9:17 am
I think I’m with the majority of the posters this weekend- I don’t mind the length of a book- short or long- but is the story good? I’ve read LONG books that should have been edited with an iron fist and short ones that were too short. I think every author should follow her muse and let it dictate shortness or longness of a story. I’m just getting back into historicals because years ago I felt they were too long.
May 11th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
As long as a book is good, it can be any length and I will enjoy it.
May 12th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
As long as I enjoy the read it doesn’t matter what the length of the story is!
May 21st, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Congrats, Estella!
Thank you, Lauren and Christie.