1) The lovely Bones, I love how she starts off so innocently and makes everything seem like from a child's eye even-though we know that she is going to get murdered brutally. So I really was into it in the beginning and all, but at 3rd chapter, the writing changed and became a bit confusing. The sentences would not makes sense and I would have to read the freaking thing 5 times before it made teeny bit sense of what the author was trying to say. I don't know whether it's just me, but I just thought that the writer was trying too hard to build a writing style and it ended up being confusing. I do like the story, but I liked the way it was told in the beginning more than it did later on ... huhh 2) Drunk / Abusive parent. Teenage pregnancy. High school crushes. Mary-sue Detective (except sherlock holmes) Love at first sight. Calling love lust, when you are too young to tell the difference. (Puts me off big time !!). I know that the things above happen in real life to real people, but I just think that it's a safe choice that a lot of writers decide to take. The idea can be interesting and even amazing if it is done properly, but most of the time it is over-used because of the safe route it provides. 3) I would say Bella, but that book doesn't come in Literature to begin with so I'd say Eragon. I am reading the book, but it's kinda becoming obvious that an inexperienced young person wrote it. Eventhough it has it's best parts and obviously must have taken hell of an imagination, but I just think that his character was a bit dragged out. I hope you get what I mean. 4)If they are trying to do this to P*** me off, I would say nothing but if they have good intentions than I would just laugh. I'll be frustrated but I would try not to show it. 5) If you were at a book signing for your book and you heard someone compare you to your most disliked author in an unkind way, how would you react? I'll Smile !!! Like this ... >( 6)I actually like getting brutal criticism once in a while. Because when I am writing it, I do think that it needs a lot of improvement. I always believe there is room for more improvement so I am not offended at all and don't find the need to defend the story. However if someone starts telling me 'Maybe the place is this---' you know like start giving me Ideas, it pisses me off a bit. I would tell them that I know my own story and that I asked how my 'writing' could be improved. Not my idea. If I had asked for the latter, I would feel a cheater. *-_-* 7) Lack of information on how to build a hanging scene. I haven't read many books with that, so it's frustrating me what to put next, or where to position what etc. It's freaking 17th century for God's sake !!! How the hell am I suppose to know each and every perfectly accurate detail of how the task was done. (I know about a thing called Google, but I've been begging it for some help and it has for the first time mind you, failed to do that. However my lovely B&A group has helped HEAPS !!! *-_-* I got a couple of sites suggested, to help me get some info on hangings) 8) A Mary Sue. Someone who is a bit too self-absorbed. Theme: High school or Circuses. Subject: Crush, love at first sight. Well, a mary sue gives a book, a less challenging feeling. You know like when you are playing a game and you are killed atleast 10 times trying to finish the stage. Imagine playing a game where there are no opponents/hindrance ... or you have a power that is 10 times better so that opponents are on your mercy always. Well yeah. That's what it is like reading about a Mary-Sue. It is too kiddish and doesn't give a challenge. High School crushes: Huhhh... reminds me of when I used to be a kid in high school. =/ . I used to think bullshit a loot !!! *-_-*