As a writer it’s almost like we are trained to read. I
personally don’t have a favorite genre, I just read what appeals to me. I’ll
even read spiritual and I own a couple of non-fictions. I find that reading
outside the genre which I write helps spark my creativity. It might surprise
you to know that I don’t own any books in my genre (except the ones that I’ve
written). With that said, here are ten things that appeal to me when deciding
to give something a read.

1.      A
great synopsis. Whether it be funny, sad or dramatic, I usually read the first
4 lines of it and, if my mind don’t start wandering after that, and I make it
through the whole thing, I download a sample of the book from Amazon.

2.      I
don’t like too much details. I like enough for me to understand what is going
on without the piece being to wordy or overly descriptive.

3.      I
love strong female and devious male characters. They make the story so very
interesting.

4.      I
love stories with a strong plot. It shows me that the author put some thought
into the work and took the time to develop the storylines and characters.

5.      I
don’t like too much graphic sex in a book (unless the book is erotica).

6.      I
enjoy twists and turns in a book and also a bit of mystery. I used to love to
read Nancy Drew as a child. I also loved ‘Little House on the Prairie’.

7.      If
it’s a non-fiction it’d better have information that is beneficial or I lose
interest. I loved ‘Losing My Virginity’ by Sir. Richard Branson. It is actually
his bio and it was a great read, very motivational and inspirational.

8.      Dysfunctional
relationships. ‘Wuthering Heights’ by Emily Bronte is my favorite novel in that
genre. I loved that Heathcliff and Cathy were so dysfunction ally in love with
each other that their love destroyed each other.

9.      I
like horror novels, but not horror movies. My favorite novel in that genre is It
by Stephen King. I read it as a child and as an adult and it had the same terrifying
effect on me, imaging the smell of the sewers still burns the back of my throat
and I still shudder at some of the scenes in the book.

10.   I
think books should take the reader out of their own world and into the world of
the characters. That’s a good book for me. 

What do you look for in a good book? Let’s compare notes!

I like Gillian
Felix’s writing style. It’s easy to read and it flows well.

– Bound4Escape

Readers will be
able to relate to these well-developed characters. Each character has a
different story to share with readers that will definitely keep him or her
turning pages.

– Authors & Readers Book Corner

I found myself
wanting to keep reading and figure out how all of the characters’ lives were
related.

– Pages of Comfort

This story will
keep you hooked on till the end with all its twists and turns. The devious ways
of each character and the situations they face are so well crafted that it
makes the story more interesting as you read on.

– RedPillows

This book is definitely
an interesting one. I can’t wait to see what more stories Gillian has in store
for us.

– Maureen’s Books

Gillian Felix was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad. She
grew up watching night time soap operas by Aaron Spelling with her mother.
That’s where her obsession with rich, powerful and devious characters
were born. After repeatedly seeing Mr. Spelling’s name on the screen night
after night, Gillian knew she wanted to be an Aaron Spelling, before she knew
that Aaron Spelling was actually a person.

Gillian pursued drama in high school although it was not
taught as a “serious subject”. When asked what career she wanted to pursue
after graduation, she told her guidance counselor that she wanted to be an
actress, and was told that acting is not a “real job”.

When Gillian moved to the US in 1998, she landed an
internship with Spotlight On Theater in New York City, where she learned stage
managing, casting and the technical aspect of running a
production. Later she branched out into film, and fell in love with the
behind the scenes action of film and theatre production. She
traded acting and her “real job” for a career in film and theater
production. Gillian continued writing novels and scripts but kept them to
herself.

When not writing, Gillian can be found volunteering at
the New Mexico Children’s Grief Center or hiking the many mountains that
surround New Mexico. Gillian can easily get lost in a parking lot and considers
herself directionally challenged. She is always grateful for the people she
hikes with, because without them she’d be left roaming the mountains like a
lost mountain goat.

For more information about Gillian Felix and The Family
Portrait series please visit her website, the Family Portrait Media Page, Twitter,
Goodreads or sign up for her newsletter.