Lyrical Press Books discussion

What two books had the most influence on you? That's one of the things under discussion at http://amielouellen.wordpress.com/ where Amie's interviewing me/ We're also talking about my new Lyrical release, Bittersweet. Stop by!

The Dresden Files and The Mercy Thompson novels. Well, I guess those are just series of books. I guess single titles, It would be Anne Rice's Interview with the vampire. It's what got me to start reading, and started my love of paranormal, and now Urban Fantasy. And Carl Hiaasen's Strip Tease. Hated the movi, but he is the master of the crime dramadie. And with that book I found out I like to have fun when I read.

Michael wrote: "The Dresden Files and The Mercy Thompson novels. Well, I guess those are just series of books. I guess single titles, It would be Anne Rice's Interview with the vampire. It's what got me to star..."

Oh, definitely Anne Rice. Before her I was reading Dean Koontz's scary thrillers.

Dean Koontz's Nightfall and Anne Rice's entire original Vampire Chronicles. (Still hate The Body Thief though).
Breaking rules and adding a third: Pearl S Buck's The Good Earth left a long-lasting impression on me.

Edgar Allen Poe's The Masque of the Red Death which gave me my love for horror fiction and Kathleen Woodiwiss's Everlasting, which inspired me to become a romance writer.

Death Is A Lonely Business by Ray Bradbury - I was already writing stories by the time I read that at age thirteen, but reading that book made me realize I wanted to be a writer. The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice is probably what led me to paranormal. I read Interview too but Louis was such a drag. ;)

Sonya wrote: "Death Is A Lonely Business by Ray Bradbury - I was already writing stories by the time I read that at age thirteen, but reading that book made me realize I wanted to be a writer. The Vampire Lestat..."

I did my High School essay on The Vampire Lestat. Gosh, he was such a fun bad boy. Just missing one vital part, else he'd been perfect even still today.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel. At first glance it seems so simply written but it deals with some massively complex themes, tackling life, death and love. I also love Lord Of The Flies by William Golding after studying it as a kid. I think it was the first book I read where I understood that books could have hidden depth.

I'm influenced by books and authors who seamlessly weave humor, drama and romance, into one story, and make you wish he characters were your real-life friends. Some of my favs: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, Meg Cabot's Queen of Babble series, Emily Giffin's Something Borrowed, and Something Blue.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Queen of Babble Something Borrowed