Question Of The Day, Wednesday, June 28

[Mamanyt1953]

Books play a huge part in my life, and I know a lot of you are avid readers as well. Who are your favorite three authors, and why? It just didn't seem fair to ask you to name one favorite, I couldn't have to save me!

In NO particular order, it changes with my mood:

Charles de Lint. He writes what have been described as "urban fairy tails." He blends myth and legend seamlessly into modern society and brings a sense of magic and wonder to everyday situations. My favorites are the Newford stories and the duo, "Moonheart" and "Spiritwalk."

Krys Radish. She writes about the deep and abiding friendships that women can have and relationships. All sorts of relationships, parent-child, spouse, friends...I told someone very recently that reading one of her books is like crawling into my best friend's arms when the world has slapped me very hard.

Spider Robinson. Spider writes Science Fiction. Spider writes absurd Science Fiction. Spider's books make me laugh hysterically quite often, especially the Callahan's Crosstime Saloon series (this series is OLD, but worth finding). Spider makes puns like my dad used to do, and I adored my dad, so I was immediately intrigued, and quickly hooked. So if you love puns, and the idea of a Native American electrician named "Many Hands" just trips your trigger, try some Spider Robinson.

 

[jcat]

J.K. Rowling, because she created a fascinating parallel world for all ages with a strong moral core. Jonathan Kellerman, whose background in psychology prevents his entertaining Alex Delaware series from seeming too contrived. Jack Olsen (deceased), since both his in-depth true crime and wildlife accounts are gripping no matter how often you read them.

 

[muffy]

I like Harper Lee, Lilian Jackson Braum and Mark Twain because I like mysteries, cats and books about the south.

Muffy

 

[foxxycat]

I like a big range of authors.

Danielle Steels newer books.
Dorothy Benton Frank writes about South Carolina-she's GREAT!
Luanne Rice-most of her's take place on a beach.
Erin Hilderbrand writes about Nantucket.
Robyn Carr-writes 20 novels all connected-the Virgin Mountain series-If I remember correctly=she writes about hard to talk about topics with a bit of romance. She's so easy to read-I recently got two of her newest novels at a booksale-those will be my fourth of July reading.
Emily Richards=used to write silhouette intimate moments in the 1980s=I read all hers and then she started writing larger novels.
For a change of pace- Patricia Cornwell and James Patterson.
I love romance and suspense.
I love Karen Robard both types she writes. Suzanne Brockman writes suspense and a bit of romance.
I used to read vampire love stories and shape shifters- but I haven't been interested in those in years.
Linda Lael Miller wrote 4 novels that connect that are vampire romance. She's a great author!
There's so many good ones! I like them as paperbacks-I don't like hard cover but I will buy them if cheap at yard sales.

 

[Winchester]

Stephen King - The man is simply warped. And I guess I must be, too, because I cannot put any of his books down. Now, I must admit that, lately? I think he has taken an easy way out for some of his endings because, I don't know, they seem a bit "off" if that's the right word. His earlier stuff scared the crap out of me. After I read Christine, I drove home in the dark from meetings with the interior light on in my car for weeks on end because I knew what happened when the light wasn't on. And it wasn't pretty. And I didn't look over to the passenger seat either, just in case. The Dark Tower series.....it was good that I got to the end of the series during the winter. It was good that the pool was frozen over. Otherwise? Every single book would have ended up in the pool; that's how....peeved.....I was at the time. And still, when a King book comes out, I have to read it. I'm a big King fan. (I read somewhere that Mr. King was quite perturbed when his wife put a bed skirt on their bed....because everybody knows that "things" like to hide under bed skirts. He says that he knows there's nothing under his bed; he checks every night before he goes to bed. He says he never sleeps without at least a sheet over him. He'll tell you that he doesn't believe in ghosts and things that will grab his feet at night, but he's not going to bed with his feet uncovered....just in case. And that's why I like Stephen King.)

Clive Cussler - From his Dirk Pitt series up to, and including, his series about Issac Bell, I've read every book he has written. They are all excellent. I love Dirk Pitt, I really enjoy Juan Cabrillo and the old hunking Oregon. I'm a fan of Sam and Remi Fargo, too. And Issac Bell just rocks. I get impatient when I haven't read a Cussler book in a while.

And from there, I'd have to agree with jcat about JK Rowling and the HP series. It's a great series. I found myself at our local bookstore with everybody else at midnight when a new Potter book would come out. Then I'd take it home, curl up on the couch with some cookies and read until I finished the book. Set the book aside for a week or two, then bring it out again and reread it; this time I'd take my time and really enjoy it (the first read was just to get to the end and find out what happened).

I have a ton of favorite authors and favorite books and series, but those three rank high on my list.

 

[Freedom]

I love mysteries, especially the British cozy sort: lots of dead bodies, no blood or gore. I enjoy working through the clues with the detective, trying to find the solution. I get really angry when a book gets near the end and I read: "Detective opened the envelope and read the letter. After a pause, she smiled. So that was how it was done!" Hey let me know the contents of that letter NOW (it always comes up later) I want to see the clue too! LOL And while I enjoy watching movies like "Columbo," where we the audience see the murder, then sit back and watch the detective figure it out, I don't enjoy reading that sort of mystery.

Christopher Fowler is a favorite author; his Bryant and May series not only provide a mystery, but these are educational too. They are well researched and I learn so many interesting facts. I suggest The Water Room as a first read.

Other than that, I enjoy any series, as we get to see character development along the way. And the characters become 'old friends,' so I look forward to opening the next in the series to see what my pals have been up to.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

foxxycat There was a Dorothy Benton Frank in that last box of books, "Shem Creek," I believe. She is now on my list of authors I collect. I had read one of her books DECADES ago and fell in love with her prose. Her books relax me. They are vitally interesting, the characters are likable, and yet...the pace is as slow and sleepy as the waters of the Low Country that she writes about.

 

[sivyaleah]

Tom Robbins
John Irving (especially his older books)
J.K. Rowling

I tend to prefer quirky, flawed characters facing life challenges. Tom Robbins is known for extremely unusual characters learning life lessons in strange ways. John Irving, for his unbearably sad yet funny tales of more or less common people. J.K. Rawling fits in; I mean how much stranger could one ask for? Young wizards running up against the most horrific of negative situations and people and winning out over all of them

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Derek Longden -- just a very funny man, and his stories have made me laugh so hard that tears have run down my face.

J.K. Rowling -- an incredible writer, but also has a truly razor-sharp wit. i love her for both of those!

i'd have to say that my third would be my favorite at any given time. there are so very many really good authors, and i come across new ones quite often.

 

[Kat0121]

I can't say I have one. I used to read a lot of Danielle Steele back in the day until I realized that most of her books were pretty much the same. I haven't read anything from her in years.

foxxycat I agree about Linda Lael Miller. I like her stuff too. I have that vampire series. She has some good time travel romances too.

I tend to look at individual books to see if I am interested rather than look for a particular author.

I must be the only person here who has never read a word of Harry Potter. I think they are on DH's bookshelf which will go with DD when she moves on. Not my thing.

I still love Judy Blume though.

 

[foxxycat]

Kat0121 I never read HP either-not my thing.

Danielle steel lost her son in the mid 1990s and her writing style has slowly evolved into deeper issues. I find her books in 2000s and newer have come a long way. Big Girl is one that touches on a topic that I was surprised she wrote about. Long Way Home talks about another hard to discuss topic that impressed me. Some of them are fluffy type and some deeper. Winner is another really good one.. I just like how some authors have evolved.

Yes I was reading Time Travel romance before they were popular. Georgina Gentry I believe did a few. Constance O'Banyon also was another one who wrote these. I still have a ton I collected from the late 1990s. I just can't part with them. I didn't read Diana Gabaldon-but I do collect them. I am waiting until she's done with that series just like Stephanie Plum series=I have a short memory issue and forget what I read after a few weeks-which lately I reread books and it's like a new one all over again.

Right now I am almost done with The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold- I read Lucky in one night-her memoir about a bad thing that happened but it turned out better than I expected...I tend to read books about dark subjects and real people.

 

[rubysmama]

I love to read, and always have a book on the go, but I don't really have a favourite author anymore.

 

[DreamerRose]

I love John Grisham and David Baldacci. Also J. A. Jance and P. D. James. James has stopped writing now that she is in her 80s, but her books are beautifully written. Sometimes her endings are less than satisfying - the "murder" turns out to be an accident, for instance, but I revel in her use of language. Also Tony Hillerman, who writes about the Navajo Tribal Police. He passed away in 2008, but his daughter Anne continues to write stories in the same vein.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Huh. I'll have to check out the Hillerman books, both father and daughter.