Phuong is the last of our reading guests for this month. She is, to put it mildly, uber awesome. She is also one of the most hardcore romance readers I know. Not only that, she makes Jess, Rhian, Sami and me feel amazing every time we see her. And she’s one of our biggest cheerleaders on Twitter. Yep, we love Phuong. Big time.
Read her post, you’ll love her just as much.
Lexx
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I have always been an avid reader ever since I was a little girl and I devoured the Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Little House on the Prairie series. I remember asking my mom to take me to the public library every week and checking out as many books I could at one time. I’m an only child so I really didn’t have an problems being by myself and just spending hours reading.
I would soon discover my love for romance books in my pre-teen years once I started reading Sweet Sixteen, Sweet Dreams and Sweet Valley High books. I loved that the girl would meet her “first love” in high school and I enjoyed reading about them dating and being together. I enjoyed the innocence and sweetness of it all. The book that introduced me to S-E-X was Forever by Judy Blumes. OMG!!! I was SHOCKED, I tell ya! My eyes nearly popped out, jaw hanging open and I had to keep re-reading the sex scenes and trying to understand. Holy smokes! Did the guy just named his “private part”? *Gulp* Well, I guess that didn’t leave any permanent damage to my young psyche because in the 8th grade, a fellow student gave me my first “adult” romance book to read, Remembrance by Danielle Steele and never looked back. I LOVED that book!!! It was a tragic love story but so good and I found myself sobbing in the school library where I volunteered. I find that if an author can evoke such raw emotions in a reader, then he/she has done a brilliant job writing the story.
About 6 years ago, I found myself somewhat dissatisfied with the sex scenes in the books I was reading and then I discovered the world of “erotic romance books”. OMG! That has been the best discovery of my life! I never knew there was such a genre and I fell in love with it after reading Branded By Gold by Carol Lynne and Covert Lessons by Mari Carr (NYT Bestselling Author) and one of my favorite authors. I enjoy reading both sweet contemporary romances as well as erotic romances including contemporary, menages, BDSM and paranormal. If I could read ALL DAY, I would, except that day job gets in the way. I love to just relax and escape into my fantasy world that these authors have created.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would meet any authors I had read, but I was fortunate enough to meet Jess Dee, Lexxie Couper, Rhian Cahill and many more at the RT Book Fair in 2011. I was so shy when I first met them and just in awe of being around my favorite authors. These ladies were the main reason I went to RT in Kansas City (sad I couldn’t meet Sami) this year because I just LOVE them to pieces and they have made me feel very special and let me be their “fan girl” because I have read almost ALL their books. Down Under Divas have made my life richer just by knowing them and I thank them for their kindness and helping me come out of my shell.
Phuong
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Jun 15, 2013 @ 06:45:39
Lovely post Phuong! When I saw Forever on the shelf I did a double take. I remember thinking was this the same Judy Blume that wrote Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret 🙂
Jun 15, 2013 @ 12:14:26
Hi Alex, nice to meet you. I also read Are You There God, It’s Margaret 😊
Jun 15, 2013 @ 08:40:32
Hi Phuong. No wonder you know me so well. You & I have been reading the same books. Forever was my first sex book. I read Remembrance as well as many other Danielle Steel books, & of course, I’ve read Mari’s books. You are definitely an awesome friend
Jun 15, 2013 @ 11:43:25
Lisa – Now I can see why we’re such good friends. We both have the same taste in books even back when we first discovered romance books and not knowing each other. I’m grateful to have found you on twitter 😊
Jun 15, 2013 @ 11:21:08
OMG – Phuong, was that “private part” named…Ralph???
Seriously, I think you and I could have been soul sisters, reading the same books but growing up on different sides of the world.
Danielle Steel’s The Promise was the one that hooked me. (Then I consumed her others.)
Jun 15, 2013 @ 11:37:13
That’s it, Jess!!! See, that’s why we are kindred spirit and I adore you so much 😃
Jun 15, 2013 @ 11:39:08
Jess, I went on to read all Danielle Steele books for almost 20 years after my first one.
Jun 15, 2013 @ 15:08:37
LOL! Great to hear about your reading journey, Phuong! I’m not sure I’ve actually read a Danielle Steele in its entirety… I did read all of the Judy Blume stuff, and was QUITE surprised at some of the teen and then adult stuff! Definitely a different level than say, Double Fudge…
Jun 15, 2013 @ 15:26:51
OMG! I was such a huge Danielle Steele fan after reading Remembrance. I would rush to bookstore to get newest release and then read backlist as well. Not sure if I read all of the Judy Blume books, maybe Forever was “it” for me LOL!
Jun 16, 2013 @ 04:25:08
Phuong, I echo Lisa. You are such an awesome cheerleader not just for authors but for readers as well. I still reread all of the Little House books as well as Anne of Green Gables from time to time. I never got into Sweet Valley High, but I was such a BabySitters Club fan I never noticed the other books meant for my “age.” I think my librarians knew I used reading as an escape because they never blinked an eye at me getting Bertrice’s books or Cassie Edwards or other adult books at 15-16. Thank you for the post and for being you. =)
Hugs!!
Bobbie
Jun 16, 2013 @ 07:10:32
Awww, thank you Bobbie! I’m so grateful that I’ve met so many great friends such as you and Lisa and authors on twitter. I enjoy sharing my love for books! 😀
Jun 17, 2013 @ 16:14:36
Phuong! Oh hon 🙂 I am so glad you are hooked on romances too. I adore you to the muchness. Thank you for sharing your reading journey… I started with Little House on the Prairie too. 😛
(((hugs))) Kat