Keepers

I made the mistake of thinking I could take a couple of hours and tidy up a bookcase.

*shaking head sorrowfully*

Three days later, I'm nearly done. The problem was, of course, that this bookcase was one of six, and since the Karen Templetons were scattered between three of them, the early Kate Walkers were in one room, and the rest in a pile beside my bed, and the Barbara Hamblys were huddled together for safety in a big pile beside my dressing table, tidying just one bookcase was a bit futile.

There's a big box headed for the charity shop of those I've discarded. And it's been a real journey of discovery for me to observe how I made those selections. Authors who were once autobuys are heading for someone else's shelves. Others must be kept, despite my not reading anything of theirs in years. Interesting.

There's also a strong genre bias to romance(big surprise), with fantasy coming up second, and then I've lumped everything from crime to classics under 'other'

On the romance and fantasy Keepers shelf (or, rather, shelves), in alphabetical order:-

Romance
Anna Adams
Suzanne Brockman (but only a select few - others have gone)
Jaci Burton
Melani Blazer
Beth Ciotta
Julie Cohen
Nicola Cornick
Jennifer Cruisie
Janet Evanovich*
Christine Feehan (although these may yet go...)
Lori Foster
Deborah Hale
Georgette Heyer
Linda Howard
Holly Jacobs
Virginia Kantra
Kathy Love
Anne McAllister
Patricia McLinn
Suzanne McMinn
Betty Neels
Diana Palmer
Madalyn Reese
Michelle Reid
Lass Small
Shannon Stacey (a bit of a cheat, I don't have any print books of Shan's yet, but it's only a matter of time)
Mary Stewart
Michelle Styles (okay, so I only have two, but, dammit, they're keepers)
Karen Templeton
Kate Walker
Nancy Warren
Loreth Anne White

Sci Fi/Fantasy
C J Cherryh
Barbara Hambly
C S Lewis
Robin McKinley
Terry Pratchett (strictly speaking belonging to Husband. In the event of a Divorce, the book split might go to court... )
J K Rowling

I'll admit there's a couple of names up there that make me wince, but I like them, dammit. The other strange thing is that 21 of the 32 authors on the romance list are friends, people I've met, or have conversed with online and have a fondness for. I suppose I like my comfort zones.

But interestingly enough, 90% of my substantial TBR pile are from authors NOT on that list. So maybe when I clear out my bookshelves in a couple of years time, there'll be some new keepers to add to the list. And maybe some to take off.


*Yes, I know. Not really romance. But I read 'em for the romance, so there.