Good stories are in the eye of the beholder.

Right now I am reading the newest book in a long standing series.  So far, it's a good read.  That's a huge relief because for the last seven books or so it has been hit or miss.  The main character went from beautiful but tough, with a huge temper and a sense of morals to a woman with eight boyfriends.  The author, of course, has made a case for her decline in morality and her expanded views on what love is and what sex means.  Those last seven books have suffered from the author's attempts to convince herself and readers that it's okay and that no one should judge her character harshly.  I got really tired of skimming and skipping sections.  Some I didn't even bother to finish.

My question is if the writer were so uncomfortable with the sleeping arrangements that she was creating, why create them?  If it bothered her enough that she was going to spend entire books on the emotional upheaval that goes with it, why write it?  The last book published in this series was a non-book in my opinion.  Nothing happened.  A huge hardback book with no discernable plot, I kid you not.  It is amazing to me that the author was satisfied with it, the editor liked it enough to print it and the general public bought tons of copies.  It's the power of a famous name, but even that should only get you so far.  (I do however concede that many readers come to this series for the paranormal sex and the last seven books have been a treat to them.  No plot?  Who cares when there are several people rolling in a bed in with most of them in some kind of were-animal form.)

I have talked to others that have stopped liking the series but borrow it from the library to see if the old magic is back.  That's what I do.  I would never pay money for one of her books anymore.  This time, however the magic is back.  Hopefully the author will realize that this is what her readers want, not a spanish soap opera.  I mean, a good story is always in the eye of the reader, but at least give me a reason to read.  Action, intrigue, characters that I actually like.  If I want to read emotional drama I'll pick up a Jodi Picoult novel.  Nothing wrong with books like that, but if I buy from the Horror section there should be some actual excitement and scary stuff in it.

Anyway, I hope to never fall into this trap.  It's never a good idea to write for money without a love and enjoyment of the process.  I want to like what I write at the end of the day and it is important that I do.  However, I hope to never think so much of myself that I begin to work out personal issues and fantasies on paper and just assume that people should and will buy it because my name is on it.  I find it to be almost insulting when an author does that.  Not pushing the boundaries so much as going off in left field and staying there and expecting someone to build a concession stand next to them.  Arrogant.  

But then again, we'll see how arrogant I am when I've been writing for 20 years.  I'm sure that I'll spend my time in left field.  Hopefully someone will yell out to me to walk my tired old butt back to the game.