I really enjoyed doing that last blog post about my Top 10 Best TV Shows of All Time along with my friend Jason's rebuttal, so I've decided to give it another shot and do a list of my favorite authors. I didn't hold myself to a specific number this time though. I have loved to read ever since the days of "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish." My book collection is off the charts and I refuse to get one of those Nook things or read books on any type of electronic device. There's just something about being able to feel the pages that you just don't get with an iPad. I tried it once and hated it. Trying to read it on a tablet made me feel less connected to the story. It was less organic. Which is why I guess I still write out everything I do with pen and paper before typing it all up. Okay, I'll shut up now and get to the list.
1. Jodi Picoult: Jodi has this ability to write within the gray areas of life and leave you questioning your previous convictions on many different topics. You may think you have a fairly staunch opinion on say, assisted suicide, but after reading Mercy you will question every opinion you've ever had on the subject. I love authors that make you think, and Jodi's works do just that. The first book I ever read of hers was called Perfect Match. It is about a little boy who was sexually abused and how his parents deal with it. I think I read the book in its entirety in 24 hours and by the end I was an emotional wreck. So of course I immediately ran out and bought another title. It may only take a short amount of time to read (well, when you binge read as I do) but her writing will stay with you forever.
2. Wally Lamb: I have only read a few of Wally's works, but they were some of the best novels that I have ever read. The very first title I ever picked up was "She's Come Undone." Wally took what you could call a coming of age story and turned it on its head. His writing style is extremely raw and at times would make me feel uncomfortable. I loved it.After I finished "She's Come Undone" I read "I Know This Much is True", which I found at times to be more bizarre, raw and uncomfortable than "Undone" was. Wally is the kind of writer that I aspire to be. One who isn't afraid to boldly go to those dark, guttural places and come out the other other side beaten and scarred, but better for it in the end.
3. J.K Rowling: If I were to write about everything that I love about Miss Rowling , then we'd be here for ages. She didn't just create a book series. She created an epic empire. On the surface, the series is about wands and strange creatures and magic. But deep down it is about so much more than that. It is about good verses evil, it is about friendship and loyalty, it is about strength and courage in the face of death and destruction. I am a complete and utter Potterhead and am sorted and have spent (I used the term 'wasted' in my first draft. But then scolded myself because time with HP is never a waste) many hours on Pottermore. Go Gryffindor! I have lost count of how many times I've read these books. I tend to go to them when I'm going through something difficult and trying in my life. Getting lost in Harry's world always brings me comfort. There was even a period of about nine months in my life whilst living in Panama City Beach, Florida that Harry Potter was literally the only books I read. Thank you, J.K. Thank you for everything.
4. J.R.R. Tolkein: I didn't read Lord of the Rings until after I saw the movies. But once I started, I couldn't put them down. The level of detail alone in the world that he created should certify him as pure genius. I'm finding it difficult to come up with the words to describe why he is so amazing. I mean, how many other authors do you know of that have entire Oxford University classes taught on them and their works? Exactly. So I'm going to actually get my brother's help for this one as he is also an avid fan. (Cut to seven hours later after he finally called me back) And he was of absolute no help whatsoever. And I quote, "How do you describe one of the greatest literary minds in human history?" The one gem he did give me was when he said, "You could talk about how he created Middle Earth in order to explain where the creation of his Elvish language came from. Which is like Michio Kaku creating the next literary epic in order to explain his string theory." *Copyright Stephen McKown*
5. Patricia Cornwell: I read my first novel by Cornwell when I was around fifteen or sixteen years old. It is titled Postmortem. Postmortem was the first in her Kay Scarpetta series (of which there are now twenty-two) about a Chief Medical Examiner and the investigations she is involved in. I'm a total slut for good crime fiction and there is no other like Madam Cornwell. She is the Queen of the crime novel and is such not only because of good writing, but because she does in depth research. So much so, that she is highly respected within the forensic science community. She has given talks at the University of Tennessee, which has one of the leading forensic programs in the country. I spent a lot of time with the resident CSI for the Thomasville,Ga field office of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation during my internship there. I became almost uncontrollably jealous of him when he told me he attended one of said talks while he was studying at the University. He loved her books as well and said that, as a writer, she is the most accurate out there when it comes to how forensic investigations work.
Every one of these people have influenced me when it comes to the written word. And in the end, if I could even posses a smidgen of the talent that these authors have, I would be the happiest girl in the world.
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