A Few of My Favourite Things

I've always been a voracious reader. But because I truly enjoy re-reading my favourite books, I have probably read fewer authors over the years than other many readers. In most cases, I would rather re-read a book I know I will enjoy than take a chance on a new author. I know what I like, and if I don't see the possibility within a few pages—by which I mean less than one chapter—I stop reading. I know, I'm mean, but there it is.

Once I've found an author I love, I'm single minded in tracking down all their books (thank goodness for inter-library loans). If the author writes a series, or has a big back list, I'm thrilled! I have a long list of fail safes, in a mix genres, including but not limited to:

• Robert B. Parker
• J.R.R. Tolkien
• Rex Stout
• Dick Francis
  
• Nora Roberts
  
• Diana Gabaldon
  
• Georgette Heyer

When I decided that writing romance was something I was serious about, I started to look for new authors. This was partly as research—how can you write a genre if you haven't read as much as possible?—but it was also because I'd exhausted my favourite authors book lists.

In the last three years I've discovered:

• the incredibly witty, manic pace of Jennifer Crusie
• the emotionally deep yet deeply entertaining Susan Elizabeth Phillips
• the snort-out-loud with laughter work of Kristan Higgins
• and amazing historical romances from the likes of Eloisa James, Tessa Dare, Julia Quinn and Courtney Milan

I still go back to my tried and true friends, but not as often as I used to. That's another reason to thank (or blame on) my e-reader—it gave me a huge new library to explore!

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