Evolving Readerly Taste

In my last post, I talked about how my decorating style has changed, and how even though my tastes have evolved, I am still very much the same person. And the whole decorating topic has made me think about the evolution of my tastes as a reader, and as a writer as well.

As a kid, I loved the mystery of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. But fundamentally more important to me were the hints of romance I found in those stories. I think I would never have loved Nancy so much if it hadn’t been for her relationship with Ned. As I grew, I found random other books at the library and read them. I was not a horribly picky reader, but the one consistent, most memorable thread throughout is romance.

After a number of years spent reading to my children, but not for my own pleasure (weird, I know) I came across an audio book at someone’s home, and listened while I nursed my babies/cleaned my house/bottled jam/accomplished other important things. It was a family drama type story but it involved and included romance. So naturally, I finished the entire series, and then another one. This led to many trips to the library, which led to me deciding to try writing myself.

Several years later, I read a little of everything, depending on my mood, and write YA almost exclusively (for now). But in all my choices of reading and writing, that single consistent thread remains. It boils down to who I am at the core, and what matters to my most subconscious self.

I have evolved over the years as both a reader and a writer, but when I really think about it, my basic tastes and preferences remain very much the same. I like romance. And kissing. And anything that involves feelings. All other criteria will likely change and move and shift, but that one important thread will always remain the same.

So what about you? What one thread stays consistent in your reading choices?