The written word is imprinted on our souls, whether it was a book that we read as a child or one that stuck with us as an adult. There are so many reasons why authors have made an impression on us. Please take a look at the list below.
These authors’ works left a mark on me and shaped the landscape of my reading, at least through 2015!
1. Laura Ingalls Wilder –I loved the Little House books as a little girl. They are a timeless legacy with wonderful values.
2. Richard Kennedy — He is the author of what would become for me the incredibly infamous Amy’s Eyes. Imagine a smaller, skinnier, more adorable version of me in the third grade. After eight or so years of my parents being sure not to say a bad word in front of me, the pirate captain of this book said ‘Damn’. I was mortified! I told my teachers because besides being adorable and cute, I also had a big mouth. Unfortunately they took the book away from me and I didn’t get to finish it. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Tell them nothing!
3. E. B. White — First author whose book ever made me ugly cry. If you don’t know what ugly crying is, it’s when you cry and it doesn’t look cute like it does when actors do it on TV.
4. David Eddings — Author of the epic fantasy series known as the Belgariad, this only helped boost my already overactive imagination in to overdrive and gave me a love of epic fantasy that has never quit. His characters are as cookie cutter as they come, but I love them for nostalgic reasons! And who doesn’t love Silk?
5. John Steinbeck — Most depressing author ever. Read the Pearl and Of Mice and Men, then try not to fling yourself in to traffic.
6. Shirley Jackson — Author of the Lottery. First author that ever had a twist ending that was both horrifying and amazing.
7. Mercedes Lackey — prolific author of epic fantasy with magical horses. My history and government teacher read these books for us on cassette, and that is something I have never forgotten. Mercedes Lackey books are what I go to when I am down and need comfort and a world full of intrigue and awesome people, particularly the Arrows trilogy.
8. Sandra Brown – Most of us know what a bodice ripper is? I’ll wait. It was my first romance with sexscenes. It got me interested in my favorite genre, romance, and it’s a western. So double the fun.
9. Maya Angelou – She was so poised, dignified, and a wealth of wisdom. Her books are brutally honest and speak to a tenacity of the human spirit that we can all hope to emulate. She wrote beautiful and moving poetry.
10. Anne Mccaffrey–She wrote about dragons. Epic fantasy. Flying dragons. Enough said, really.
11. Alice Walker–If you have never read the heartbreaking story of the Color purple, you are really missing out. I mean, that movie made us actively hate Danny Glover with a vengeance, but it takes the written word to put all of that in to perspective and offer a level of redemption that the movie could not replicate.
12. Nora Roberts — Talk about a prolific author. She writes on a myriad of subjects, weaving them all in to romantic subplots that make my sappy heart melt.
13. Edgar Alan Poe – His works taught me never to have siblings. and try not to get buried alive by a psycho brother. Dark and compelling, his are not works that I can read now.
14. Patricia Briggs — Her urban fantasy takes place in Eastern Washington. I enjoy the fact that she can weave complex plots, romance, drama, and violence without dropping a lot of strong language.
15. Gillian Flynn — I have only read Gone Girl’ but that book messed me up. If you have not read Gone Girl, you are missing out on your reservation to the Hot mess Hotel. Read it and then come talk to me. The execution of her writing is brilliant, but the corridors the book leads you down are a dark and twisted maze.
My tastes have certainly changed a great deal. Who are the authors that were formative for you, for good or for bad?