Today’s Bloganuary prompt is:

Who is your favorite author and why?

There are quite a few authors who have written many good books that I’ve enjoyed. People like James Patterson, Jonathan Kellerman, David Baldacci, Dan Brown, Lisa Gardner, and Harlan Coben spring to mind. 

And then there’s Anne Rice. She’s the only author whose books I’ve purposely collected and kept over the years, so I suppose, technically, I could say she’s my favorite. Her books feel like collector’s items for me personally. I’m not sure I can explain why. There is just something different about them that elevates them to something greater than mere books. Perhaps it was the author herself, and the fact that she loved and lived in my two heart-homes – San Francisco and Louisiana – that adds extra magic to her books for me. I suppose it’s mostly a personal thing, rather than just a technical love of her writing.

But aside from my fascination with Anne Rice, I’m not sure I can say I have a favorite author. I just love reading so many books by great writers. I don’t breathlessly wait for the latest book by any particular author. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have the ability to have a great impact on me. In fact, I’ve recently discovered just how much of an effect great authors can have on me – right to the core of my being.

For Christmas this year, I asked for just one thing. And that one gift gave me such immense joy.

I was given a subscription to Masterclass.com so I could master the craft of writing. I’m currently writing a sequel to my first novel, The Grave Blogger, and when I saw the authors who were sharing their expertise on Masterclass.com, I nearly hyperventilated from excitement. 

So when I sat down the day I received the subscription and started listening to my first class, I cried. I was overwhelmed by the sheer joy of having true writing masters speak to me and share their craft with me. I felt I’d won the learning lottery.

I started with Margaret Atwood because I’ve been so enthralled with the television series, The Handmaid’s Tale. Within 3 minutes of listening to Margaret Atwood, I was sobbing with joy.

Those tears started all over again when I next took Dan Brown’s masterclass.

By the time I learned from James Patterson and David Baldacci, I’d managed to quell my tears, but the joyful intensity had not subsided.

I feel so extremely privileged to be able to learn from these amazing authors. It’s truly incredible. What a time I live in!

So the phrase, “favorite author”, feels fairly meaningless to me, but I relish the time I get to spend learning from the greats. 

P.S. Most days, when asked who my favorite author is, I say “Me!” And that’s a fairly truthful statement, but I thought I’d give a less sassy answer in this post.

This post is part of the WordPress Bloganuary Challenge for 2023, where everyone participating is provided a writing prompt each day. Today’s prompt was to write about my favorite author.