Better the Second Time Around

I'm soooo happy to say I've finished another book (my 15th, this number still amazes me), have printed it out and shipped it off to my editor.

I'm soooo happy because, after ten straight days of editing, revising, and rereading, I'm pretty tired of the book. Don't hate it, just am sick of reading it...and reading it...and reading it.

I got to thinking today that between editing, revisions, line edits and AA's, I probably read my own books about 8 times. Uck! I can honestly say I've never read any other book IN THE WORLD more than twice and those books are few, not counting the favorites I read or had read to me a child. Which made me ask myself what books those were and if I could remember them.

The first book I ever read twice (as an adult or young adult) was one by Grace Livingston Hill who wrote very sweet romances suitable for readers of all ages. I was about twelve at the time, and the book was my first ever romance. Clearly the event that started me on my current path. The next book I read twice was a coming of age story about a group of eight-graders in Chicago during the forties. When I was a junior in high school, I read Gone With the Wind and then again when I was a senior.

I didn't read a book twice for many, many, many (cough, cough) years later, and that was by mistake. It was Mary Higgins Clark's book, 'Let Me Call You Sweetheart'. Now, no offense to Ms. Clark, but some of her books have similar titles and similar plots. I was about a third into the book before I was sure I'd read it before and finished only because I was on vacation, had nothing else to read, and the book was light and easy.

The last book I re-read was recently. It was Sandra Brown's 'Slow Heat in Heaven'. I loved this book when it first came out, and Sandra Brown still remains one of my favorite authors. I recently received an autographed copy of 'Slow Heat in Heaven' and decided to re-read the book for old time's sake. And despite being a bit dated, I loved it as much ever.

Which, of course, leads me to ask, do you ever read books twice and if so, which ones and why?

Cathy Mc