Booking through Thursday on Saturday

Booking through Thursday this week asked about Collectibles:

• Hardcover? Or paperback?
• Illustrations? Or just text?
• First editions? Or you don’t care?
• Signed by the author? Or not?

I would have to say I collect books and have been since I was a teenager. I rarely get rid of any, because love having them around - to read and reread, to share with family. I like looking at them in the shelves and thinking about the stories, the people, the places. I buy both Hardcover and paperback. Generally I buy more paperback than anything else. However, if the hardcover comes out and I don't want to wait several months for the paperback to come out, then I'll buy the hardcover.

I prefer text over illustrations. Graphic novels are too busy for me and I can't concentrate on the story. I do like it when maps are included in the beginning of the story so you get an idea of where the story is taking place. I did like the few illustrations in The Book Thief. They provided an extra element to the story.

I don't generally look for first editions, except when we go to a library book sale or wander into an antique shop with books. It is always neat to discover a hidden gem amongst the rest of the books. I have a few, plus some given to us by family members.

I have a few books signed by Nora Roberts and Brenda Novak. When you buy books from Turn the Page Bookstore Cafe, her husbands bookstore, you can request an autographed copy. When Brenda Novak visited Book Lovers Cafe, my favorite bookstore as you know, Brad had her sign one her books for me and brought it down to me. I appreciate autographed books, but won't go out of my way, such as standing 3 hours in a line at a book signing for it. I take that back. I wish I could have attended the one last week at Turn The Page with not only Nora Roberts, but also Deanna Rayburn, Donna Kaufman and Mariah Stewart. Sigh!