Thursday, February 12, 2009

Hybrid Cars and Books - What are your Faves?

To same money on gas, lots of people are buying all sorts of hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius, the Honda Insight, and others. If I didn't already have a car which I bought six years ago, with only over 1,000 miles on it, and if I drove more, I'd consider getting one myself. I must admit the Prius is mighty cute and tempting. I can't go into operational details since I'm far from being a mechanic, but I do know the hybrid works off of a combination of gas and electricity. Maybe someone reading this can comment with a better description.

Anyway, in case you didn't notice it, more and more hybrid books are emerging. At times this presents a problem for classifying them, since the publisher and bookseller have to figure out which section of the brick-and-mortar or online bookstores to put the books in. It takes effort, but it's worth finding homes for these treasures. Many hybrid novels are wonderfully unique reads.

Let's face it. Nothing about life is only black and white. There are all sorts of nuances. Why shouldn't that also be true about books? I enjoy reading mysteries with romances tucked into them, or romances with paranormal elements, and other combinations.

What about you? Which do you like best? Specific genre novels or hybrids? Or, maybe you like both. Please share.

13 comments:

  1. I think a lot of books cross over into moe than one genre. I like my sci-fi to contain a love story as well, because I like stories that focus on relationships.

    The only bad thing about hybrid cars is their higher sticker price. Most people don't keep their vehicles long enough to justify the extra cost - as in, actually save that much in gas. As to how they work, I have no idea!

    You know, I remember a time when there were many cars on the road that got 40mpg or better...

    L. Diane Wolfe
    www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
    www.spunkonastick.net
    www.thecircleoffriends.net

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  2. I like your pairing of hybrid cars and novels, Morgan! I, too, am a fan of hybrid novels. Contemporary stories (romance, women's fic., YA) with a touch of paranormal are my faves. I'm usually a humor reader, as well, so any genre that has a lighter side is one I tend to enjoy :).

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  3. Anonymous12:26 PM

    Being "hybrid" author myself, I like the cross-over genres. I dislike having to have a book "pigeonholed" into one specific and sometimes limiting category.

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  4. Anonymous12:39 PM

    You only have 1,000 miles on a car you bought six years ago? Wow...imagine the resell value of that!

    I have a lot of authors come to me with books that is hard to classify. New York frowns on them because they can't be classified into a certain genre. I'd love to see what kind of responses you get on this. Personally, I don't mind books that cross into other genres, but the author needs to pick one (and say it has other elements or something)to make it easier on everyone in the promotion department. I was promoting a book that the author told me was a fantasy, only later telling me it was a suspense fantasy. I changed gears and promoted it the way he wanted it promoted, but all authors should at least have a main genre just for classification purposes if nothing else.

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  5. I like reading novels that cross between genres and novels that are specifically one genre.

    So far I've only written in the one genre class. Maybe at some point I'd be willing to try the cross genre novel, but for now I'm sticking to writing in one.

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  6. I'm a true book-a-holic and gobble up pretty much anything. Romantic Suspense and paranormal romance/suspense have always been favorite genres of mine. It seems as though many books do contain a mix anymore, which is just fine with me.

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  7. I love a cozy mystery with some romance. Just read Murder Most Maine by Karen McInerney and it struck just the right balance. As to cars, I'd love a fully restored VW Bug that runs on bio-diesel or fuel cell. Hey it's my dream, I can make up what I want! LOL.

    Dani
    http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com

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  8. I love the idea of hybrid novels...and I love my Prius!

    Jane Kennedy Sutton
    http://janekennedysutton.blogspot.com/
    https://twitter.com/janesutton/

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  9. Great comparison. I like hybrid cars (I've driven a Toyota Highlander hybrid for 3 years) and hybrid novels - I write paranormal romantic mysteries. In fact, when reading, I tend to get bored with a straight romance without other elements.

    Dani, I'm with you on the car. I used to drive a 9 passenger 1979 VW bus. When my boys were young, I could pile the whold Cub Scout den into it for field trips!

    Pam
    http://readingwithscissors.blogspot.com

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  10. Anonymous4:03 AM

    Just a little typo: "To same money on gas, lots of people..."

    Actually people try to save money, its not the same :-) But I do drive a Prius but don't write.

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  11. Blended genres are fun to read! Recent reads include The Resqueth Revolution - a sci-fi with a bit of love story and a bit of mystery, and two Christie Craig books that were hot romances revolving around mysteries, and Hurricane Moon - another sci-fi with a character study and love story tucked inside. Great reads all.

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  12. 1000 miles in six years? Is this your spare car? I live in Houston. Driving back and forth to the grocery once a week would put more than 1000 miles on my car over a six year period.

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  13. Anonymous12:07 PM

    Great comparison!

    I drive a Prius, and I LOVE IT. My doctor brother-in-law just got the Lexus Hybrid. Honestly, I don't know why anyone would choose anything but an alternative fuel vehicle these days... or why car companies are making anything else.

    As for books... love the hybrids! Although our book is pretty straightforward fantasy, it is a cross-over Young Adult/Adult book. Does that count?

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