Interview of Romance Reader Dean Y.

Our readers are so special to authors...we love to hear from you! Here's an interview of romance reader Dean Y.
Photo: September 5, 2008, looking towards the sunrise, shortly after 7 a.m. from Dean's home in Kansas.
BIO: I’m an avid reader in a family of readers. I’m the mother of two adult children with one beautiful grand daughter. I love to travel and do as much as I can with the man I have been married to for nearly 40 years. I work in a psychiatric setting and enjoy the escape books give me to many places I have been or will never have the chance to be.

Q: What type of genre do you enjoy the most and why?
A: I love historical, westerns, and some contemporary fiction. I like books that take me to places I would love to visit with interesting people I would like to know.

Q: What inspired you to read romance books?
A: My mother-in-law gave me a book a number of years ago and I got hooked. I use it to escape from daily life and a need to relax after a busy stress filled day of working.

Q: Do you read ebooks, print books, or both? Have you thought about getting an ebook reader if you don’t already have one?
A: I have not gotten an e-reader, yet, but still looking, as they would be handy to have when traveling, which I have been doing more of recently. However, I have always loved the feel and smell of a good book.

Q: Besides those of us at “Romance Books R Us”, who are your favorite authors?
A: Some of the authors I look for include: Madeline Hunter, Mary Balogh, Gayle Trent, Luanne Rice, Richard North Patterson, James Patterson, Rose Conners, Dale Brown, Kate Wihelm, Michael Connelly, David Baldacci, Tom Clancey, and many many others.

Q: Do you visualize the hero and heroine as you read? Do you use the cover (if they’re shown) as images for them?
A: I do visualize the hero and heroine as I read. Sometimes the cover images match what is being described and sometimes not, so then I use my imagination.

Q: Do you enter contests? What type of items do you enjoy getting if you win?
A: I do enter contests… Fresh Fiction is one I go to a number of times each week. My favorite thing to receive is books or gift certificates to purchase books. I live in an area without bookstores, so books are a welcome item.
Also, this allows to read authors I may not pick up otherwise.

Q: Do you read blurbs and excerpts? Which one is most important in your decision to buy a book and why?
A: I check out the cover, but the most important is the blurbs when making the decision to purchase. I like to get a feel for the story and blurbs aren’t always enough.

Anything else you’d like to add?
I love to read and enjoy the contests as I am always seeking new authors to read.

Thanks, Dean, for taking the time to do an interview!