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I think a book has to have two things, to keep me from tossing it.

First, an interesting plot. By that I mean the things that happen must intrigue me, must hold my interest. The need to know what happens next must keep me reading. What makes me toss a book (and I toss very few--always giving the author the benefit of the doubt--sometimes they redeem themselves, most time they don't) is plots and character actions that make no common sense. I read fantasy and science fiction as well, so implausible I'm good with, but its got to make sense.

Secondly, I need interesting, engaging characters. Characters that I can relate to or characters that I think are just way cool. I have to care about them getting out of the jams they've gotten themselves into.

To keep me reading its that simple...and that damn hard.

That's called "a challenge." :)

Well the bad writing doesn't affect me because I don't buy books until I read the sample anyway these days. So I already know if the writing is decent. A book has to hook me in the first few pages AT least. If the sample doesn't hook me, I don't get the book. I am an impatient reader. I have ADD when it comes to entertainment so I need to be grabbed and held FAST. I am not one who wants to read a story that has to build up. I have to have something HAPPEN in the first few pages. The story has to actually start when I begin reading or I will put it down.

Now if I get the book, what makes me stop reading is bad concept, convoluted plot, boring, one-dimensional characters, wooden characters, bad dialogue, cliches and stereotypes, weak and stupid women, weak and stupid men, too many deuce ex machina twists, no-character development, bad pacing, book goes into a middle-of-the-book slump and doesn't recover, etc.

Also I am not one who has to relate to a character, no. Just give me a three-dimensional character with some bite and some spunk. I can't stand boring characters and they make the work boring.

I think I covered it. LOL!

1. Characters that do REALLY stupid things. Dan Brown is infamous for this

2. Blatant lack of research. If you are going to write a historical mystery, get your facts right. yes, Hennessy was founded by an Irish solder of fortune, but in 1765, not during the Hundred Years War. 

3. Hook your reader. Make him or her want to know what happens next. If you have not got my attention in the first 20 pages, I am gone

4. Do not break your story for six paragraphs of explanation. (Guilty secret - I love the footnotes in the Philo Vance books)

5. I want to care about the characters. I watch Midsomer Murders for Tom Barnaby's family as much as the mystery. I do not care about cut-outs in a paper landscape


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