The totally fabulous Maura Anderson tagged me

Contemporary, Historical or Paranormal?
I like them all but i’m picky about authors in all three. I love paranormals the most probably, but as it’s what I write most often, I need a break sometimes. I usually move to contemps or sci-fi and then historicals. I do love historicals but it takes me a bit to get back into the language differences.

Hardback, Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback?
Generally, MM. But most of my friends write in trade, so I buy their books that way. Very occasionally I buy in hardback (hey, it’s expensive for a girl addicted to books!) usually just for JD Robb books and the new Sookie books.

Heyer or Austin?
Austin absolutely hands down

Amazon or Brick & Mortar?
I have three children who are holy terrors (read my There are DAYS entry from earlier this week) so Amazon is way easier for me. Plus I signed up for the free plus and I never bothered to unsubscribe so now I get free two day shipping, which rocks I must admit. Still, I do love to shop in brick and mortar bookstores, there’s nothing more satisfying than rows and rows of books all waiting to be fondled.

First romance novel you ever remember reading?
Forever by Judy Blume.

Alphabetize by author, alphabetize by title or random?
Um, no. On the shelf if I’m lucky, more often in four foot high piles because the shelves are all full.

Keep, throw away or sell?
I keep about 1/3 (used to be more but I don’t have the room!) the rest I give away or donate.

Read with dustjacket or remove it?
Remove it, it’s too floppy and it bugs me when I’m trying to read.

Sookie Stackhouse or Anita Blake?
I like Sookie. Sookie is more tangible to me and I like her personality more. Still, I like the AB books.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
I try to make it to chapter breaks but sometimes I just can’t I’m too dead tired.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?
Neither.

Crusie or SEP?
Okay, this question is totally unfair. Because I adore both and really for the same reason – they take unexpected characters and make them work. Crusie’s humor is more snarky like mine but SEP has this unbelievable talent in making a character you should not like at all, a real heroine. I love them both and I read everything they write. I will say it was Crusie’s Welcome to Temptation that really made me think writing romance was something I wanted to try – she used these quirky characters who weren’t perfect by any stretch and she made it work. Oh and I’ll never, ever forget the dock scene…

Buy or borrow?
I do both.

Buying choice: Book Reviews, recommendations or browse?
Hmm, well recommendations by people whose tastes are similar to mine first. Then I browse and I do use reviews if they’re from a source I trust. Personal tastes being what they are, I’ve read great reviews of books I hated, still getting why they got that review – now that’s a good review (or vice versa in many cases too) I have my review go to places and my go to reviewers as well.

Tidy ending or cliff-hanger?
Depends on what’s right for the story.

Morning reading, afternoon reading, or evening reading?
Most of the time it’s evening, I don’t have the time during the day.

Series or stand alone?
I just like good books. Sometimes they’re series books, sometimes they’re standalone

Favorite book of which no one else has heard?
No one? Nah, I hang out with a lot of very booky peeps, they’re all quite book savvy. How about favorite book I wish more people knew about? That would be Richard Morgan’s Altered Carbon – it’s cyber noir and it contains some of the most beautiful writing (in a dark and edgy way) I’ve read in a long time.

I’m supposed to tag people but many of us have been tagged so let me try Anya, Megan, TJ and Shelley.