Which would you rather read, a good book or a good story? The difference between the two has arisen a few times over the past couple of years as I’ve learned more about writing and publishing novels—and, of course, reading them. But which is more important? Which is better? A Good Book This is another way to say a literary book. Literary fiction seems to be particularly hot in current publishing circles, and when I’ve asked various people what literary means, it invariably co