I know this will disappoint Candy, but I’ve read every one of Linda Howard’s books.  Every.  Single.  One.  Loved ‘em too.  Yes, I did.  From Duncan’s Bride to After The Night, I couldn’t get enough.  When she wrote about the MacKenzie family, I wanted the parents to produce more kids so I could read their stories and, as if we’re cosmically connected,  she knew and manufactured an extra kid.  In case you’re wondering how you do this as an author, well,  you have your heroine in an early book find a kid on the side of the road, name him Chance -  ’cause that’s a good romance hero name for when you have him grow up and put him in his own book - and have said family adopt him.  To ensure a plentiful supply of future romance heroes should your publisher request more books, you have the family produce numerous testosterone-enhanced boys and one petite adorable girl.  She, of course, gets her own romance and there’s a horse in it.  The horse is not the hero, in case you’re wondering.

Bottom line:  I’m thinking Linda and I are growing apart.  I’d take responsibility for the chasm yawning between us but, honestly, I think it’s her.  No, really, it’s her.  First, she ventured deep into romantic suspense.  Can’t blame her.  There’s money and slightly more credibility in that.  Since I like suspense, that was okay, even though I did miss the strong romance theme.  Now we have her newest, Killing Time.  The one line blurb on B&N from LIBRARY JOURNAL says: 

After the theft of a time capsule supposedly sealed until 2085, various contributors start dying.

Hmmmm.  So, we’ve somehow moved from alpha cowboys to time capsule murders…..?  See why I think she’s the problem and not me?  Sure, my tastes have changed over time but this seems to be a case of a writer, at core, changing what she writes and asking her audience to follow her.  That’s fair.  Howard should get to move on and ask us to come along.  Julie Garwood, Tami Hoag, and Sandra Brown have all done the same thing rather successfully. 

But, this is about me.  I have money to spend and she wants it - that part is the same as always.  She’s changed and I’ve changed.  So, now what?  Well, uhh, nothing.  I’ll buy this book and the one after that.  Only difference is I’ll whine about it and long for the old days.  For Howard’s sake, I hope all of her readers take the same approach I do.  Imagine moving on and having no one follow you.

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