SBD--tipping the scales back

I finished my 8 RITA books at long last. All 8 were put out by big name publishers. I'm not going to talk about the books because that wouldn't be kosher. But let me just say that to rinse out the flavor between some of those stale, predictable stories and their stale, flat characters, I picked up my computer to read me some Carrie Lofty, Sam Winston, Bonnie Dee and Bettie Sharpe. If I had more print books to go through, I'd probably line up AM Riley, Shiloh Walker....just in case. Okay maybe I should actually draw up a list of my faves some day but that's not the point.

Back on track: Get it yet? To make myself read what promised to be a bland print book, I'd promise myself an ebook at the other side.

The point at last:
I am turning into an ebook snob.

Never mind the fact that only a few of those print books were dreary and the others were just fine. The truth is only one was great as the ebooks I read over the same period and none took risks or stuck in my brain cells the same way. And as I picked up each of the books I thought "I can always go back to the zombies or assassins if this is another paint-by-numbers."

I was a print book snob for years and years. It's gone way over the other way. Way, way.

Obviously I've found plenty of ebook writers I like--it's easy to do with so many releases every week. With my long list, I can download books I know will at least have interesting characters.
Even with their worst work, my favorites have something great glimmering in their stories. If not the plot, then the people. If not the people, then one particularly memorable scene.

After only a few years of ebook reading, I'm sliding into deep snobbery mode.

I look over at my bookshelves to prove how wrong I am. Yo, Kate. Look at those wonderful keepers!

The first book I see on my shelf is Shadowheart. Excuse me? Know any ebook writers who can beat Laura Kinsale for something new in Romancelandia? Any FNV who'll take the risks and out-write her?

Silence and then...No. And ...

yo, back at you, Kate. It's not actually a competition. You're done with contests, remember? [I don't fight fair with myself.]

BUT

Even when I look at my shelves of good stuff, I can't escape the fact that in general, while I might be able to count on the print books for consistency, I count on the ebooks for flashes of brilliance or unpredictable fun. I just don't expect to find that in print books any more.

Time to buy a pornographic paranormal (since that's all the rage and whatever is the rage always has to worst new stuff. A few years ago it would have been chicklit) ebook --there are plenty out there.

I think it's important rebalance the scales and if the excellent stuff loaded on the print side won't do it, I'll have to load something bad on the other, eh? I'll wade through something entirely derivative, likely stolen from inspired by another writer I wouldn't read, probably with a half dozen M/F/M menage scenes. I'll read it all the way through in the name of fairness. Or silliness, or both.