I don’t want to be transported into another time, I don’t want to escape the realities of life…I want to find a connection with the characters. I am transported in my own way. I find I have very little in common with people that are in my everyday life. I search for an emotional common ground in other genres. It helps me stay real and I remain hopeful I am not alone. It is the author I ultimately connect with. I find it strangely seductive that someone has tapped into my psyche with their insights. I find myself nodding in affirmation with imaginary conversations with imaginary characters. They do become a reality.

When I read about someone that grates my nerves and has the integrity of a guttersnipe, I still find a connection. Maybe the author taps into the underbelly of my dark side.
But I love the hero. I try to understand the villain.