“Maybe it meant something. Maybe not, in the long run, but no explanation, no mix of words or music or memories can touch that sense of knowing that you were there and alive in that corner of time and the world. Whatever it meant.” – Hunter S. Thompson
Today is National Author’s Day! I want to take the time to share with you some of my favorite authors and wish all the future authors good luck on the first day of NaNoWriMo 2017.
A few of my favorite authors include Ernest Hemingway, Jane Austen, John Steinbeck, Hunter S. Thompson and Patricia Cornwell.
Hemingway wrote what he knew and drank a fair amount of whiskey while he did it. What is not to love? I keep a picture of him at his typewriter by my desk for inspiration. I read A Farwell to Arms in high school and was the only one in my class reading from the required list. I had never read anything like it. It was like a light bulb went off in my head that all books weren’t the same and opened a whole new genre for me.
Jane Austen is a classic. Persuasion is my favorite of her novels. I remember the first time I read Captain Wentworth’s letter and then reading it approximately 100 more times because I was completely obsessed. Unfortunately, I’m serious as several of my friends and family can attest that even they were forced to listen to the letter. Although her novels have led to an unrealistic expectation for romance, I still find myself reading them again and falling more in love each time.
John Steinbeck makes my list for one specific novel, East of Eden. My grandmother recommended it right before passing away and I felt a connection to it. I don’t know if that led to my absolute love for this novel, but it always makes my top 5. I am fascinated at the portrayal of good vs evil and I’ve even considered getting a Hebrew tattoo of the word “timshel” which shows that God provided us with choice. No one can understand the depth of East of Eden until they have read it multiple times. Each time I find something I missed before and fall even further in. Don’t give up on this one in the first few chapters, try to see it through. It’s worth your time.
Hunter S. Thompson is the man we all long to be. Carefree, tell it like it is, master storyteller who changed journalism forever. I started with The Rum Diary and moved on to his collections such as Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ’72 and Kingdom of Fear. They are pieced together with articles and essays that were published in various magazines and newspapers. If you ever want to write, go pick up a Thomspon book. It will make you a better writer just by reading his words. Journalists have tried to imitate his style, but there will never be anything that can compare.
Last but not least, Patricia Cornwell makes the list for her Scarpetta series. I have a short attention span. If a series lasts longer than three books, I’m usually throwing in the towel. The Scarpetta series is the exception. I am ready for the next book as soon as I turn the final page. I call them my “escape” books because I read them strictly for pleasure. As a book blogger, reading can begin to take on a new meaning and feel like work. I keep these books to myself and just enjoy them. My bookshelf now features almost the entire series with bones as the bookends. My recent picture of this was liked by Cornwell on Twitter. I thought I was going to faint. I love when authors interact with their readers!
This is just a short list but hopefully it will encourage you to share your own favorites! I’d love to hear from you and feel free to share your writing goals for the month. Happy NaNoWriMo!
