I really appreciate all of the comments you all post. I know that there are quite a few of us who look forward to seeing what everyone else has to say. I get some of my ideas for posts from what you all talk about. Thank you!
A few months ago, Carrie posted a particularly interesting comment:
“I don’t mind if the cover gives away who the victim is. So many book covers now reveal the victim I’ve got used to knowing who will die before I start reading the book.
I’m more bothered about sloppy research where the author states “facts” that you know are completely wrong for the period or are just plain inaccurate. Or where their geography is so poor you wonder if they have ever bothered to look at a map. My personal favorite is one author who had her heroine sailing to Switzerland! I can only assume their editors are equally geographically challenged.
Also, poor use of language really irritates me. I’ve got tired of reading books where they are supposed to be set in England and the author has characters saying things that wouldn’t be said in England, using slang or language that is inappropriate for the period or using words that they definitely don’t say in England like “gotten”.
My final irritant is when characters solve the crime by making assumptions that defy logic or that they can have no possible way of knowing. Or when they find “major clues” that are so ridiculous they spoil the story. I know that Sherlock Holmes managed to solve crimes by discovering some dust that came from Egypt or some such amazing feat, however, other authors having supposedly normal people using this kind of device to “solve” their crimes is just sloppy writing and poor story construction.
Rant over!
Sorry, but you did ask!”
Let me say this: I totally agree with everything Carrie posted in her comment. I, too, am tired of authors and their publishers thinking they can pull these stunts… which based on their sales, apparently they can!
What do you all think? Without specifically naming an author, do you all have any pet peeves?