Auto-Buy, for a long time I didn’t know there was such a term. I thought it was normal for everyone to have series on their bookshelves. I mean I grew up bouncing between my house, my uncle’s house, and my next door down the street and around the corner neighbor’s house able to find books by the same authors on their shelves, some had a few different titles but I spotted the same authors– Louis L’amour, Piers Anthony, Isaac Asimov, Heinlein, and the SF/F magazines. But as I grew and became responsible for spending my hard-earned allowance on books, I noticed I was looking for books by certain authors on the upcoming release/anticipated arrivals sheets or shelves at the library and my local B’Daltons or Walden’s Books. Then I discovered the internet and author websites with upcoming release dates so the instant I spotted a book by one of my favorites it became mine, even if the cover was meh, provided it was new to me it went home with me. Finally, as I became an active participant in the book world/community someone mentioned the term “Auto-Buy” and it resonated. I realized what my parents, aunts/uncles, and neighbors all did was Auto-Buy, and by default so do my siblings and I. Don’t get me wrong, we all try new authors as well but we continue to maintain and occasionally prune the list of authors whose books we always buy. Of course, I can’t talk about the subject an an Auto-Buy without mentioning some authors who are on my list like Shelly Laurenston, Holley/HE Trent, Nalini Singh, Priscilla Oliveras, Ilona Andrews, Lauren Dane, Tanya Huff, and Anne Bishop.
What are your thoughts? Who is on your Auto-Buy list? How do you define an Auto-Buy? Is it the author’s voice? Is it the tropes the author is known for using? Is it the promise they will handle triggerish subjects in a complete and sensitive manner? Do you have to own every single title written and published by an author? What if you only buy titles released after you discovered the author? How about if they change subgenres or even complete genres? With the rise and establishment of self-publishing how about known pseudonyms? Do you have to actually buy the books or could you borrow them from the library – place a hold/request on new releases? Or what about a digital subscription service like KU or Scribd? What about audio books? Screen readers? Text to Speech devices? Or what if it isn’t the author but the editor or the cover model(s) or it is part of a multi-author verse/series?
Don’t forget to join in the conversation all month using the hashtag #RomBkLove and check out some of the earlier posts! Thanks Ana for inviting me to participate :).
I found that if I like an author I almost always like that author. there are some authors, if I don’t like their book I never like them and some go between sparkly and meh. I have some books in paperbacks, hardbacks and now e books. I love the way they have with words and I read them over and over. you should try Dick Francis and Lois Bujold McMaster. I used to have to own all of an authors books, but I’m getting away from that a bit if I can get them at the library, but what happens ten years from now when the library discards their books and I still occasionally read it. e book it is!