What is the one thing that draws you to first check out and then buy a book?  Or do all of thsoe or something else play the major role in your reading selections?

I know a lot of us are total devotees of certain authors and will buy every new release they have. I have a very few must buy authors and most of them I have pretty much stumbled on by accident. A few are friends I met and/or worked with during the years I have been a member of Romance Writers of America or EPIC, the Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition. But I’m selfish enough to admit that if I read a couple of books by a friend or acquaintance and really did not care for them, I probably would not keep buying them although I do believe in authors helping authors!

Covers attract me to a point but so many really do not seem to reflect the characters, the setting or even the tone of the book so I feel that is a bit risky as a basis to choose a book. A striking cover might get me to pick up a hard copy  or click on an ebook to  learn more but I’ve bought some books of both kinds that the covers were really pretty band. IMHO a good cover can catch your eye if you may not be familiar with the author or maybe have not heard about the book, but mostly they do not sell me.

So that leaves blurb. I do feel that is influential to me. I also can be drawn in by a good excerpt posted on various blogs, party sites, yahoo groups etc. I think there is a fine science in picking an excerpt that will tantalize and pique a reader’s interest but not be a spoiler or let too many secrets out! This is especially true with a lot of novella or long short story works. I want a hint of what the book is about and a glimpse of the main characters, especially anything unique or special about them. That’s what will hook me the most and a good blurb or excerpt can do this.