Guest blogging, statistics and thoughts

First, tomorrow I'm over at Fang-tastic blogging about historical paranormals and why I find them fascinating to both read and write.

Now...statistics...

They're fascinating things. Here on Blogger, it's easy (now) to check your blog stats. For instance, I know my guest post from Keira of Love Romance Passion post from last year is still hugely popular, as is my review on Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife. (May-December 2010: 119 for Keira, and 236! for Mr. Darcy.)

I also seem to be popular in Russia and Hungary. (Spam anyone?) Even though the only thing I know in Russian is goodbye and that's in the Roman alphabet not Cyrillic. Hungarian? Nada.

The thing I notice is that people come. They read. They do not comment. I wonder why that is. Curious. My post on reviews and why you do them, where you post them, and if you comment on others gets hits, but no comments. Hmmm...

Even my guests get hits, especially after the fact, and yet very few comments. Example: Friday Guest: Wendi Zwaduk with 120 page views but only a measly 6 comments. 120 vs. 6...my math seems skewed.

I'm running a Title Contest, and have 2 comments, great suggestions but from only 2 people? Interesting.

And that's my tangent thought for the day.

Reviews

What makes you write a review? Do you write one for every single title you read? Do you post those reviews you do write at all possible places?

Probably not. Which might be a generalization but I certainly don't. I read so many more books than I write reviews for, and honesty post my reviews mostly here. I used to on Amazon, before I boycotted them permanently, but even now that I use Barnes & Noble, I find I don't post reviews on there for the books I read.

Can't tell you why that is, but there you have it. So...what makes YOU write a review?

And don't forget Friday guest Sandy Lender will be here!

Oh, and don't forget my Title Contest!

Characterization

I had problems (ongoing) with my hero and realized in all the past stories I've written, either he hero or heroine give me trouble. Never both in the same story, and never just the guy or the girl.

For instance, in my dark Regency story, I had Grayson, the hero, nailed almost instantly. My heroine, Juliette, on the other hand, gave me problems like a teenage daughter on her first date.

In this 1920s story, I had to go back and examine both hero and heroine's motivations number of words, and in doing so realized I needed to change the beginning...almost completely. But let's not go into that. My problem isn't my heroine, Emma, but my hero, Jared.

Anyway else have this problem? Not knowing who their character is no matter how many times you beg him/her to talk to you? Or how many times you bang your head against the wall/keyboard?

Help!

And don't forget my Title Contest!