A little OCD?

Being a book blogger is a strange thing, full of mixed blessings. Chris discussed the double edged sword of review copies a while back and I want to consider something different. Emotional investment.

Many of us get to see books before they hit the shelves, occasionally before they even find a publisher, or while they are being written. In all of these cases there is an inherent danger. We have no idea how this book is going to perform in the market. That wouldn't matter if we didn't care, if we could read the book produce the review, move on and forget about it, but we are fans after all.

Once in a while we will stumble across a book that we love so unconditionally that we want to hang around the bookstores and force a copy on everyone that comes through the doors. A lot of us reacted this way to Nights of Villjamur and before the arcs are even printed similar sentiment seems to be building for the second book City of Ruin and it's wonderful when that happens. When Nights went into it's second hardcover run its supporters were delighted and our emotional investment was paid off quickly.

It's not always so quick, in the case of London Macabre (Steven Savile) I was allowed to read along and have become very emotionally involved in the book, the waiting period between a book like that being finished and finding a home and then getting into stores has no specific time frame so I am waiting anxiously for news. How my anxiety levels compare to an authors I have no idea but I really love this book and I really want everyone else to see why and love it too. Any of you who are regulars will know I also loved Steve's thriller Silver and never miss the opportunity to strongly suggest (without actual violence so far) that people read that one too. Steve is one of those authors whose writing is the draw so I happily trip across genres and even into non fiction without hesitation.

It's happened again more recently, a book that is at second draft stage, different from my usual thing but it really amused and entertained me, struck a chord and now I am following it's progress like a neurotic spinster aunt. I feel a bit ridiculous but I can't help it, I desperately want to see "An Alternative History of Balesley Green" receive the love and attention I think it deserves. I am holding off posting a review on this one, although one is written, because it's at a delicate stage in its development. I love this book and I really want it to succeed. Vincent is another writer, although unpublished at the moment who I can see me pushing on people regularly. His current WIP has touches of the same humour and tone as Balesley and I can't wait for the second half to drop into my inbox, or to be able to tell you all about it.

Anyway while I was obsessing anxiously I tweeted to see if it's just me that gets like this, turns out I am not alone is becoming emotionally invested in books whose creation I had no part of (I completely understand authors being this way obv). It seemed weird to me that we would become so protective over other people's creations, it was somewhat of a relief to discover i'm not the only one. For the record though, waiting to see what happens, whether they find the right home, how they perform on the shelves, it's torture. Absolute hell. I hate waiting.Not a patient person at all.

So what about you guys? Bloggers have you found your self waiting anxiously to hear how a books first week went, or whether a book has been accepted by a publisher, fussing over a book someone else wrote because you just love it so absolutely you want everyone on the planet to share what you experienced when you read it for the first time? Authors do you become emotionally invested in novels by other people or do you save the nail biting for your own? What about publishers and agents, are there some books you really wish you could blow the budget on, are sales more personal than just profit?

This is not an exhaustive list of the books I obsess over but what are some of yours?

Come and share and make me feel less of a nutjob.