Great topic, Barbara!! I have to confess that I always read the dedications. I think they're interesting. LOL, no I wouldn't dedicate a book because someone paid me to. My dedications are always sincere, even if the tone in which they're written is flippant. And you have a dedication coming your way, indirectly. My June '08 Blaze dedication reads: "To the guys and gals who show up at the Soapbox Queens blog (www.soapboxqueens.com). Y’all are the best!"

I always read the dedications...and I'm thrilled to say I'm in a couple of them. (I guess sometime after your 50th book you have to really start looking for folks!) But I've already planned out dedications for the books I'll write one day. Call it optimism.

Yes. Yes, I will dedicate a book to someone who pays me money. You may send your four figure check to . . .

I always read the dedications. I think they're so interesting and insightful. And I've been in about a half a dozen myself but didn't know til I had the book in my hands. It's really touching to open up and see your name there.

I always read them! Sometimes they become a tradition. Like Julia Quinn for instance. I always look forward to seeing how she is going to thank her husband this time. Love that I can look forward to it each time too. I do think its a peek into the authors life and like all readers, I want to know more about them! BTW, how EXCITING about Charlotte and Cousin Michael's story in mid-2009! I got sidetracked and checked our Sabrina's updated heiress' page. I can't wait. Until then... Less than a month until her next release. Yay! :o)

Elizabeth - I totally think you should hold out for five figures. ;-) I'm a dedicated dedication reader too. Maybe it's just industry nosiness, but I like to see who the editors and agents are (if they're mentioned), what other authors might be acknowledged, and are they the same ones who gave the book a blurb? And some of them can be really emotional. It's almost like getting a story before you even start the book.

Great blog, Barb. I always read dedications. I'm always interested in seeing who had a hand in that author's creation. In my first book, I dedicated it to my family (of course) and to first my crit partners, who were invaluable in making that book the best it could be. My second book I dedicated to my sister. This was the very first book I'd ever written and she's the one who listened as I bounced ideas off her head.

I always read them first...and sometimes if there isn't one, I wonder why? Did the author forget? I enjoy reading them and it tells me a little bit about the author. (just noticed that my 'characters' to type to post this are NFL...go Pats!)

I always read the dedications too. I find them an interesting insight into the author's life (and sometimes not! lol). So far I have dedicated my books to my dh, to my dh and kids, to my cp and the one coming out in Aug of this year is a dual meaning dedication, which I won't get into here. LOL

I'm glad to know that others share my fascination with dedications. I was so disappointed when the dedication page in my first book was inadvertently omitted. Being able to thank some very special people was one of the things I'd looked forward to most when I got published. :) Thanks for blogging on this topic.

Barbara, I love your questions--they're so funny! I did dedicate a couple of books to my editor, but not to suck up--I just felt like she deserved it. But you're right, it's hard to consider who to dedicate to without worrying about hurting someone's feelings. Oh, and one of our goddess bloggers suggested that we should dedicate books to our favorite male stars so they'd show up at our houses in gratitude. I sure wish that would work, but I sort of doubt it would. What a pity--Colin Firth would be in every other book!

I always read the dedications and the acknowledgements and whatever else the author puts before the actual start of the book. One because obviously it was important enough to put there then I'm going to read it. Get my money's worth. ;) Also I've read some really great stuff in those pages before the book. MaryJanice Davidson (who is hilarious in person) cracks me up usually in her thank yous. She has written my favorite acknowledgement to date - she thanked herself. :D

I usually read the dedications. I also try to name someone. Like Sabrina, it took a lot of people to help mold me, but I also try to find people who may have had something to do with that book. I really enjoy the little anecdotes. Usually they have some special meaning that only the author really gets, but that's okay. It means a real person wrote the story... And someday... I will too.

I read them....and I write them though with this last book, I actually didn't do a dedication. I DID however write the longest acknowledgment to date. I don't ever want to feel obligated to dedicate/acknowledge anyone--like a parental unit *cough* Um anyway...I figure my kids probably deserve the dedication more than anyone. I mean gaw they have to live with me! LOL Amie

I read them, too. I think it does give an insight into the author, and it's nice to know they are never alone...thus the deducation, I hope. I've only written three books, but I dedicated each to the person who was most influencial in kicking my keister to get it done, then did an acknowledgement page for everyone else who helped. And yes...I'm ALWAYS scared to death I've left someone out! Strange & weird? I remember someone dedicating something to their pet...I think it was a parakeet...??? You never know. ~LOL~

I read the dedications and acknowledgments after I finish the story. Yep, I'm nosy in wanting to know a bit more about the person who took the time to share their stories with me. I did have a silly grin on my face when I was in one, and my sister tried to pop my bubble saying that could be anyone.

I read all the comments above, and it sounds like everyone loves to read the dedications. That's cool to know. I guess it sort of makes you feel like you know a little more about the author if they thank this person or that person.. I had a book dedicated to me once because I helped critique the book, I had no idea my name was there and stumbled across it. It felt really good to see it there... When I get pubbed I hope I do the honor of thanking all of those that helped me as well. Dawn Chartier www.dawnchartier.com

As a reader, I enjoy reading the dedications. As an author, I look forward to being able to acknowledge those special people who have made a beautiful difference in my life.

I love to read dedications and acknowledgements. Like several said, it gives some insight into the author, which is fun after she/he has shared such a wonderful story with me. I love writing them too. For the first time, I was able to acknowledge my editor, because without her falling in love with Heart of the Wolf!!! my mss would still be unpublished! www.terryspear.com

I'm a reader and I love reading the dedications. It just personalizes everything for me.

I always knew I would dedicate my first book to my parents. The acknowledgements were another story. I ended up acknowledging my favorite watering hole, my chiropractor, a famous author I hoped would give me a blurb (and never did, and of course. My first acknowledgement was a no-brainer :To "All the men who didn't call. Without them this book would not have been possible."

I read the dedications, and have put one in each of my books. I have a list of those special people who've helped me along the way, and figure I have to write at least 10 more books until I have them all covered :). Psst - I'll undercut Elizabeth by a figure. LOL!!!

Barbara--this topic is so timely for me. I'm just about to turn in the dedication and acknowledgments for my first novel, which comes out in November. I love reading dedications, but writing them was hard. Especially with a first novel, there are so many wonderful people I want to acknowledge. I don't want to leave anyone out. But I also don't want the acknowledgements to be longer than the book!

I dedicated my first book to my husband and a friend who always believed in. She cried. Hubby was embarrassed (his name mentioned in a ROMANCE novel??) LOL. But the ones I find odd is when the author dedicates the book to someone IN the book. I mean, a character! It is true, your characters do come to life in the books... they feel like your best friends. And many authors are known to cry when it's done. But I never would have thought to dedicate the book to one of them. LOL.

Great topic!

I have to distinguish between acknowledgments (my Oscar-speech thank-you's) and dedications.

For both my books, the dedications were actually addressed to the reader.

“The MoonQuest” (a story about bards/storytelling): To the bard in all of us. May the stories, songs and dreams flow forever
“The Voice of the Muse” (book about writing): To the creator alchemist in us all

Acknowledgments were a bit trickier. Who do you thank? Who will be offended if you don't thank them?

For both books, I had several groupings:
- close friends who supported and inspired me through the process;
- teachers and/or professionals who helped with the project;
- places that inspired me while writing it; and, just for fun,
- the cafes I hung out in while writing/revising

The most bizarre response I had was from someone mentioned in the acknowledgements, who was upset that I hadn't acknowledged her enough.

You just can't please everybody!!

Mark David Gerson
www.markdavidgerson.com

Oh, I LOVE reading the dedications and acknowledgements! They usually do make me feel somehow closer to the author and/or story. My favorite dedication is from Catherine Anderson's Forever After, where she dedicates the book to her departed pet rottweiler, who inspired the rotti-character Goliath in the book. For me, Goliath *almost* became the hero in that book, lol, as he was just about as lovable as the true hero!!! And, yes. I am the mommy of 2 rottweilers and I completely understood Catherine's dedication!

I really like to dedicate each book to just one person, rather than make half a dozen people share the dedication. Which means I need to write an enormous number of books over the next few years. Once you tick off your parents and your husband, it's tough deciding who gets to go next. And, yes, I do worry about offending people, though that doesn't actually change what I do.

I've only dedicated one of my books to my editor, and that's because she made me rewrite the first chapter like 100 times. Anyone with that much patience deserves a dedication!

Excellent question. I always read them, too. Then l try to figure out: is that a husband? Secret lover? Cat? Someone who passed away? I can invent entire biographies based on "To Tim. For everything."

I dedicated Guardian's Keep to everyone who had sent me a fan mail of some sort for Unbound by first name. (By the time I had to send in the dedication--some came in too late.) I kind of dread coming up with dedications. The pressure!! It's almost as bad as trying to come up with something witty to write inside a book when a friend asks you to sign it. (I wimp out--just my name.) And like others, I read dedications. Maybe not every book I pick up, but an awful lot of them. Fun topic!!