Giants and Underdogs

This week we are blogging about the great authors of our time or our favorite authors. I fought with myself for days for what to write about, but finally in the wee hours of Monday morning, the spark of inspiration hit me.

 I always root for the underdog - in any arena. I prefer reading books by not so well known authors. Don’t get me wrong, I read anything that looks good. But in a book store, I try to find the books by authors I haven’t heard of or books with new authors. (You can tell these by opening the covers and not seeing the page with lists of other books they have written, of course.)

 Even with that thought in mind, I still don’t really pay attention to who the author is when I’m reading the book. If it looks like something I want to read, then I buy it. I’ve read so many books and I promise you I can’t tell you the authors to any one of them without looking it up.

 I have favorite books but not favorite authors.

 Well, I take that back. There is one author I love so much that I’ll read anything she writes, just because she wrote it. And that is Mary Higgins Clark. The first book I ever read by her was A Cry in the Night. I was browsing through my local used book store and asked the clerk to recommend me something. (It was a shameful tactic just to talk to the good looking guy, but…) I told him I liked mysteries and suspense thrillers and he didn’t hesitate to point me toward Mary Higgins Clark’s stories.

 I was hooked! Her ability to grab readers and make them literally sweat from the suspense is magical. I now have a small collection of her books on my shelf and I read them over and over again! I long to have more but it’s not feasible at the moment to go diving into dusty used book stores any more. (An active toddler really takes the joy out of shopping for anything.)

 Are there other authors that top my list? Of course. None of them are published yet though! I would read any story written by Greg, C.J. or J.D. here. Why? They take a hint of mystery, a dash of magic, a dose of technology, a spoonful of sex, and a heap of imagination to craft worlds that are just so REAL. Their characters jump off the pages and laugh, cry, and gasp right along with me. I love it!

 That is what makes an author great in my opinion. If I can read the story and cry actual tears, laugh out loud, and feel like I just lost a friend when the story ends? I’ll be a die hard fan for life.

 I had the privilege to read their WIPs (Greg’s Land of the Blind, CJ’s Vampire Vacation, and JD’s Dark Heirloom) and I can’t wait to see the official copies in the stores.  All three of them have inspired me and my own writing is all the better because I met them.

 What do you think makes a great author? What authors grab your attention and keep you up late at night to read just one more chapter?

In the spirit of great authors, you have the chance to win a copy of A Cry in the Night by Mary Higgins Clark! Leave a comment on this post and subscribe to this blog to enter. This contest will run for two weeks and I'll announce the winner on my next post!