Today, I’m writing as a reader—not a writer.

And, as a reader, I want to read something new. I’m tired of the hundreds of books on the market that are nothing more than variations on a theme.

For instance, for the last few years there have been a plethora of books about a young, single girl who has just had a nasty break-up with her boyfriend. Her aunt dies and leaves her a bed and breakfast near the ocean. She finds a new love and new friends while renovating the bed and breakfast and building new clientele.

The next author comes along and changes the story ever so slightly. This time it is a newly-divorced woman whose grandmother passes away and leave her a bakery on an island. She’s never baked in her life, but follows her granny’s recipes and becomes world famous.

Enter writer #3. This woman has never been married. She, too, inherits an outdated inn in a charming hamlet. She brings it back to its former glory with the help of a handsome and newly-single handyman. And, well, you know how the story goes.

There are dozens of these variations on a theme out there from the Cat Who solves mysteries to the Dog Who sniffs out criminals, and so on.

In my humble opinion, these stories are spinning out of control.

Each one may have been well-written and enjoyable ONCE or TWICE, but over and over again?

Sometimes they fool me with their titles. I purchase them, beginning to read until around chapter three when the light dawns and I recognize the familiar storyline.

Disappointed, I revisit Amazon or Barnes and Noble. I still have hope that there are other stories out there worth telling—and reading.

Lest you think I am picking on these authors, I want to say in their defense that they are smart. They find a theme and run with it and they are making big bucks in a lot of cases.

And, there really are readers who enjoy reading every new cowboy romance, or granny detective story they can get their hands on.

Think back to when you were a kid and asked your parents to read Green Eggs and Ham over and over. 

Some stories we just never get tired of.