September 18, 2017:

The temperatures have been flirty around these parts. That’s about the nicest thing I can say about the cool nights and crisp mornings in E. TN. I’m not a fan of cold weather, but if I could curl up with a good book, a cup of hot chocolate and stay inside, I could stand it for a day or so. To that end, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite authors (adult genre)--and why: Current Best Sellers - David Baldacci, Patterson’s Alex Cross series, Catherine Coulter - many of the CIA mystery writers. I seem to gravitate toward a good government mystery with a strong plot and captivating setting; but I also like Nora Roberts, Diana Gabaldon (“Aye, Lass.”), Sandra Brown and anything written about the Carolina low country. As for classics--the usuals: the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen (I loved Emma’s “I have never been in love, it’s not my way or my nature, and I don’t think I ever shall.” You just know something good is about to happen!); but as for the more-recent past, I’ve always been a huge fan of Hemingway’s. His life, his marriages, his homes--all make for great reading material. I read once there was twenty times more written about him than he, himself, actually wrote. However, his writing style is what fascinates me most. He believed if a writer was good enough, he could omit a lot of backstory and the reader would never miss a beat. I like that. I strive to be good enough to write a strong story without saying the same thing three different ways or say the same thing three different times. See what I just did there? I said the same thing twice. I’m such a WIP.  However, for all my writing buddies, this is a good exercise: what kind of reading material are you drawn to and why?