Good Authors putting out Bad Books

I've mentioned, more than once, about what an avid reader I am. I have a two page list of my favorite authors of the moment that is constantly updated. I list each of their upcoming books and dates. And as my taste evolve, I delete and add new authors.

I have a basic handful (10-15) of authors that I've read and enjoyed for years. Authors whom I excitedly await their new books. Authors whom I've actually paid full hardback book price for their newest book the day it came out. Authors whom I own every book they've written.

But the last few months, they haven't exactly been appreciateive of my loyalty.

I think part of the problem is that the more I come back to life, the less appealing reading all the time is. So, where a so/so book six months ago might have gotten read anyway, now it doesn't. Seriously, I used to NEVER not finish a book, even if I thought it was horrible.

Now days, it seems i'm batting 50/50. Half the new books I read, I don't even get to the third chapter. I think that is one reason I've been doing so much re-reading of books I know I enjoy. That is also one the reasons new books by trusted authors have began to mean so much to me. I think to myself, "At least I'll finish this one!"

Only, not really.

I think the pressure to publish books so often has taken away from the ability to create GOOD books by many authors. I've purchased three different books on the day they came out by three different authors I really like in the last two months and not been able to finish them. Some of them, I haven't even made it through the first chapter. They are that bad.

But those authors on my list that put out only one book a year, still enjoyable. Still well written. Still entertaining. The others are like reading scripts for a commercial; he said, she did, they ended up over here, the car started, a horn honked, etc. The words are there but the artistry has been sacraficed. In some cases, the plot as well.

Readers expect to pick up the occasional bad book when you are trying a new author, but we feel a sense of security picking up a book by an author we know.

Grumble, grumble, gripe, gripe. Bad author!