Favorite Authors and Recommendations

Sometimes I wonder if a little of what we read creeps into the darker parts of our    brains.  Do our literary desires reflect what we want or who we wish we could be?

I hope not.  Otherwise I need to be locked up.

This weeks blog is to talk about our favorite authors and to give a couple recommendations on books.


I grew up reading Anne Rice and Stephen King.    My fantasy teeth were broke on Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Dragonlance saga (sorry guys, never made it past the second generation of characters). Then on to R.A. Silvatore and his world of Drizzt. I moved between reading fantasy and horror; Clive Barker, Micheal Crichton, Neil Gaiman and other fantasy/horror allstars and still do.  I have not jumped on the "Game of Thrones" bandwagon yet, but will someday.

Some writers say you shouldn't read when you write because it will alter your story.  I don't believe that.  I believe that we learn from our favorite authors, and have spent time picking apart their books like an English professor to figure out how they did what they did.

From Jim Butcher, I learned the art of cliffhangers and not being able to put a book down.

From Charles Bukowski, I learned to strengthen my own personal voice in writing.

From Shel Silverstein, I learned about the art of nonsense and how sometimes an incredibly powerful point can be made without having to say it.

So for recommendations:

Charles Bukowski: Play the Piano Drunk Like a Percussion Instrument Until the Fingers Begin to Bleed a Bit (just for the title) but highly recommend The Most Beautiful Woman in Town.

Jim Butcher: Death Masks

Shel Silverstein: A Light in the Attic

Enjoy and keep reading.