Musing Mondays...Hey, you say cheap as if that were a bad thing!

Once again, let's take a moment to reflect on a question from Just One More Page.

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about new authors…

What is your policy when it comes to new authors? Do you feel comfortable purchasing a book or do you prefer to borrow new authors from the library? How often do you 'try out' a new author?

New to me...or new altogether?
Well, let's discuss both.
New altogether...I must say that I have had some good luck with new authors recently. Two come to mind...the recently read School of Essential Ingredients and one I read some months ago, Guernica. Both first time novelists, and while very, very different books, in their own way, each very good books. So, yes, they were new to me and new to everyone! Would I have purchased them? Well, most likely not, for a couple of reasons that I will get to.

As to new to me authors...I would have to consider that on two sides of the great divide, pre-Advance Review Copies and post-Advanced Review Copies. Back in the days that I was not fortunate enough to get publishers to send me a fairly good number of ARC's, mainly because I never knew to ask, back when I had to buy all my books or get then from the library, I tended to play it safer in terms of my choices. Think tried and true. I would happen upon an author, maybe on a loaned book or a strong recommendation, and read through all their books. Usually starting at the beginning of a series and reading to the last written. Or at least until I got really sick of them ...or, especially among the mystery writers I favor, they reached the dreaded point of the Series That Should Have Ended But Didn't.
Ok, a little side rant. There was recently a post on this subject over on Muderati by Tess Gerritsen about this. In my opinion, an author should end a series as soon as the idea occurs to them. Oh, it all started out great. A great premise, great characters. The first few books, fresh and with all sorts of exciting twists and turned. But, especially if the series is popular and successful, some authors churn out another...and another...and another., sometimes long past the point maybe those characters should have been put to rest for awhile. Or maybe killed off in a spectacular conflagration!!

Back to the subject...now, through the miracle or ARC's, I have been exposed to all sorts of authors I had never heard of before. New authors and new to me authors. Some whose other books I will read...and some whose other booka I will not. But see, I didn't have to buy those ARCs, so love or hate them, I risked nothing but my time. Which is pretty worthless.

But besides all the new authors I have been exposed to through ARC's, I have also happened upon a lot of new authors, especially new to me, through reading the reviews of a lot of other bloggers. So many wonderful suggestions....Now, if it is a new book and it sounds interesting and I really want to read it, my first plan would check to see if my library has it. If, on the other hand, it is a book that was published some time ago, my first impulse is to see if I can get a used copy through one of the vendors on Amazon. As little as a penny for the book + 3.99 shipping.....for $4.00 and with a book recommendation I will take a chance on someone I have not read before. So newly published I tend to check the library, not newly published, I try to buy a used copy to check the author out. Then I can see if they are worth a further investment.

Because I will admit it....I am cheap. Thrifty, a tightwad, a penny pincher, parsimonious. Cheap.
To go to a bookstore and pay full price for a book....it causes me physical pain. And then if I were to hate the book on top of it.....{{gag}}}...I would be very unhappy.
Not that reading a book from an established author that I have read and liked before is any guarantee. Especially if they have reached the afore mentioned point of the STSHE.
Few are the authors who books I love so much that I will go out and buy the hardcover as soon as it comes out because I can not wait! Can't wait for a paperback, can't even wait for a library copy. I need it NOW!
Of course even then I will check and see if Sam's Club has it at a considerable discount before going to the bookstore. Hmmmm...full price...no.

...Hey, what can I say. I am cheap.