Finding new authors
When you find a favorite author, it’s a unique pleasure. You love the way they tell a story, their creative characterizations and the spine-tingling plots. It’s a reward for wading through authors you find dull, trite and uninteresting. But the danger is getting stuck reading only the same authors, without expanding your library. But how do we choose new authors wisely? After all with job, kids, family and friends there’s only so much time to find for reading. Here are my suggestions:
1) Read the websites of your favorite authors. Often they will list their favorite authors, which has always steered me right.
2) Read reviews of your favorite authors to see what is suggested as similar literature.
3) Join Shelfari.com. My co-author introduced me to this and it’s a great way to get an idea what books are out there.
4) Join a book club. There’s tons online and in your local community.
5) Finally, go to the library! Many people spend more time buying books and so they’re reluctant to try new authors. The library is free, so you can pick up the world’s most awful book with no trouble! I discovered my favorite author by picking a book by it’s intriguing cover, and if I had been a book store I may never have risked it.
6) Finally, read one classic or one New York Times bestseller at least once a year.
