Choosing Books for Others.

This is tough.   This is when there are times when I want to bang my head against the wall and give up.

I do Outreach at work, where I pick books for people.  

I sometimes get notes back.  Rarely thanking me (although one woman is very good about thanking me), but usually complaining.

The problem is that they want new books, by their favorite author, and the books are not always available.

So I substitute, or try to come up with something similar that they'd like...

Sometimes I'll find a book that would be great for multiple people, so I just swing it into circulation from one to the other to the other to the other...

But usually, its tough.

They want good biographies, not of actors or celebrities.    (and I am still horrified that the library has a biography of Michael Vick.  Ick! Ick! Ick!)

They usually go very specific, or very general.

So each person has multiple other notes scrawled into their file...

like one gentleman, who only likes things by American male authors.  New books.   Shorter.  What isn't written, but is basically understood, is that they can't have a woman as the hero, women are only good as the corpse.   And they have to be bloody.   When I've sent him books with lots of blood on the cover, he's liked those.  

Or one elderly lady, who likes Danielle Steel... new Danielle Steel, or Nora Roberts.  And even though both of these ladies are prolific, they aren't prolific enough!  And unfortunately, there don't seem to be any creative read-alikes when I search for read-alikes.  

So please, if you are reading this, and are creating a read-alike selection, please please consider doing something besides the obvious, besides the basics.

Who are some new authors who are like Roberts or Steel?    Who are some new historical fiction authors?

New, creative inspiration, please!