.jpg)
Okay, this one is even trickier than choosing a favorite movie. There are simply so many books out there, to narrow it down is nearly impossible. To be honest, I'm not really a big fan of the classics,(I know, I know, I can hear your shocked gasps.) but there are books out there I've become attached to and think of as my own classics.
As a kid I devoured Nancy Drew books. In fact, I'll still pick them up today if I need a quick read. I'm in the process of establishing the entire collection. The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder are also still among my favorites.
When I started reading "grown up" books, I headed straight for romance. I had a subscription to the American Romance line from Harlequin. Each month four new shiny silver and blue books were delivered to my house. Heaven on earth. Through these stories, I developed my love of the hunky hero, the sassy heroine, and the happily ever after. I dreamed of writing one of my own someday. For many, many years, romance was the only genre I read (outside of reading for classes and such).
When I became a writer, I found myself straying a bit from reading only romance. Part of the reason is, as we've mentioned, when I'm writing, it's difficult to be reading something in the same genre. But romance will always be my first love. In romance I enjoy contemporary the most. One of my favorite sets of books is an old SuperRomance series: Calloway Corners - Four stories by four different authors that follow four sisters - Mariah, Jo, Tess, and Eden. (My copy of Mariah is completely beat up because I've read it so many times.) In historicals my all time favorite is Heather Graham's Civil War trilogy: One Wore Blue, One Wore Gray, And One Rode West.
As I've mentioned before, I love vampires. I first fell in love with them in Linda Lael Miller's trilogy: Forever and the Night, For All Eternity, and Time Without End. These days it's the Twilight series (which I just finished reading for the eighth time) and the Sookie Stackhouse series.
For action-adventure, there's no one better than Clive Cussler. His Dirk Pitt stories are my favorites in that genre.
Obviously, I could go on...but I think we'll leave it at that for the day...
Until next time,
Happy Reading!
Debra
www.debrastjohnromance.com
I devoured Nancy Drew and Little House on the Prairie as a kid. Then I discovered the Oz books and segued into sci-fi--fantasy for years--until I read Bertrice Small. Since then, it's been only romance for me.
ReplyDeleteDon't think the Nancy Drew books were available here at the time when I was of an age to read them, and I'd never heard of Little House on the Prairie until it appeared on TV when my daughters were younger.
ReplyDeleteAnd can I name-drop again and say that I spent a week with Linda Lael Miller on a Civil War battlefield tour in 2008. In fact, it was Linda who persuaded me to start writing novels again. I'm still in contact with her and am hoping to get her as one of our Friday Friends - when I can pin her down!
I hardly read as a child. Unlike today where kids have to read so many books per school year, plus two over the summer.
ReplyDeleteAgain, I was more into music than books. I remember my mother trying to give me a Harlequin book once. It was a historical. Now maybe if she handed me a Blaze it would have caught my interest!! :)
Wow, Paula. I am completely envious...a Civil War battlefield tour WITH Linda Lael Miller. That is too cool!
ReplyDeleteToni...yum, I love those Blazes, too.
Ana, I do like Oz. The only sci-fi I ever got into was Star Wars. I've read a bunch of the spin-off novels.
Debra, I have to confess I'd never even heard of Linda Lael Miller when I met her. She was on the tour as part of her research for a Civil War book (or books). My friend and I ended up spending a lot of time with Linda and her cousin Doris. After the tour she sent me half a dozen (signed) copies of her books. And, as I said, we're still in contact.
ReplyDeleteToni, unlike you, I DEVOURED books when I was a kid - and most of my life too! I was into school stories, ones by Enid Blyton that you probably didn't have in America, then horse and pony books and, my absolute favourite, one called 'The Swish of the Curtain' about a group of friends who put on their own show. I blame that one for the fact that I've been stage-struck all my life. Read all the Anne of Green Gables books too, and loved those.
ReplyDeleteI read nonstop when I was little. Read when I was older, too, but listened to that brand new FM radio music while I read. Went to sleep for six months listening to Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands by Bob Dylan. (Song was one entire album side.)
ReplyDelete