top ten authors who occupy the most space on my shelves

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where we all get to exercise our OCD tendencies and come up with bookish lists.  If you’d like to play along, check out this post.

This week’s topic was really fascinating to me.  You might say to yourself, “But isn’t that just a list of favorite authors?”  Well, in very simple terms, yes.  But this list also marks out those favorite authors whose books I’ve wanted to reread so much over the years that I’ve collected them on my shelves.  See, early on I didn’t have the resources to collect many books (my mother is laughing to herself across the country – I always found money for books!), and I made a rule: only buy a book if you’re confident you’ll reread it at least twice more, thereby making it more worthwhile to own than getting it out from the library (and possibly running up fines).  In later years it hasn’t been so much about the cost of books as the space for them.  So, looking over my shelves and seeing the books that have survived weeding, have become collectibles, as it were, was fascinating.  And… not very surprising.  *grin*

Top Ten Authors Who Occupy the Most Space on My Shelves

1. Garth Nix – I have one and a half shelves devoted to Nix.  I’ve really liked (or loved!) all of his novels, and I’ve read nearly his entire backlist.  The only Nix stories that don’t make my heart go pitter-pat are his Sir Hereward & Mr. Fitz shorts/novellas, which feature a puppet and a knight.  But hey, that’s doing really well, considering!

2. Robin McKinley – McKinley’s books are just… gorgeous.  I credit McKinley for my love of fantasy and fairy tale retellings.  I am also, always (not-so-patiently) waiting for her next novel. 

3. Neil Gaiman – If I can credit McKinley for starting me on fantasy and fairy tale fare, I can credit Neil Gaiman for my love of dark fantasy, right?  Neverwhere was (for a short while) in danger of toppling Jane Austen’s Persuasion as my favorite book.  I keep it on hand for reading emergencies.

4. Mercedes Lackey – Lackey is a startlingly prolific fantasy writer, and her Edwardian fairy tale retellings (the Elemental Masters series) are basically like book crack for me.  I buy them hardcover the day they release and then they go live on my shelf forever. In series order, of course!

5. J.K. Rowling – I mean… obvious.

6. Sharon Shinn – Dear Angie of Angieville, I blame this one on you.  You turned me on to Shinn, and when I realized that her books were made of swoon, I (naturally) had to start collecting them.  So, THANKS FOR THAT.  For real, though.  Love, Me.

7. C.S. Lewis – Lewis is one of the few writers I loved as a child, and now respect even more as an adult reader.  I enjoy his nonfiction as much as his fiction.  Weird/awesome.

8. Nalini Singh – If I could only suggest one shape-shifting romance series to try, it would be Singh’s.  Her books… yep. They are for me.

9. Patricia C. Wrede – Wrede has written many different types of fantasy: from funny dragon-and-princess escapades to Regency pickpockets-made-over-into-ladies, to an alternate version of America’s Old West. I’ve loved them all.  Wrede is one of my guaranteed, go-to authors, and I’ve been collecting her books since high school.

10. Meljean Brook – Brook’s Iron Seas series is steampunk + romance + diversity + ADVENTURE, and that all adds up to amazing. I find myself counting down the days to the release of her next book (and owning multiple copies of the ones that are already out!).

Honorable Mention: Patricia A. McKillip – Another fantasy love of long-standing.  I can count on McKillip for really beautiful books that are creative, art-filled and intellectual.  I can’t think of anyone else who does that combination quite so well.

Are any of these authors on your collectible list?

favorite fictional character (and happy friday!)

If you haven't yet, you should go check out my guest post at Wordsmithonia on my favorite fictional character. I chose to talk about Suzy Turquoise Blue, heroine and auxiliary character extraordinaire from Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom series. The first of seven books (and an introduction to Suzy) was Mister Monday, which I reviewed here. Oh, and happy Friday!

what has the aging process done to my literary loves?

I wander the blog universe less than I used to, but every now and then I still come across an idea that I think is genius. And in this case, one that I want to do on my own blog. Mette Ivie Harrison, author of The Princess and the Hound and The Princess and the Bear (love! both of those), wrote a blog post in which she compared her favorite literary couples from when she was 16 years old and her favorites now.

Her choices made me consider how my own preferences have changed over the past eleven years. Which books did I love at age sixteen? Which of those had romantic couples (for I was passionate about many, but I’ve realized that a lot of them didn’t have a speck of romance)? And which books do I currently treasure, at age twenty-seven, for the relationships in their pages?

Behold, my lists!

Favorite literary couples at age 16 (circa 2000):

Vicinius and Ligia from Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz

Kit and Nat from The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Elnora and Philip from A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter

Jane and Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Mara and Sheftu from Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Rose and Mac from Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott

I don’t know what that list tells you, but I do know what it tells me. None of the authors are alive. I was into classic lit at age sixteen, and devotedly worked my way through the recommended reading list. It also reminds me that I love(d) historical fiction with a passion. No real surprise that I went on to study history in graduate school, eh? And it also tells me that I was a normal teenager – most of the couples in these stories are young, experiencing first love, and a lot of it is idealized (though not all). One final thing: I wasn’t into my Jane Austen phase yet.

Favorite literary couples now (from books I currently read at least once a year):

Anne and Captain Wentworth from Persuasion by Jane Austen

Harry and Corlath from The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

Eleanor and Reggie from Phoenix and Ashes by Mercedes Lackey

Sabriel and Touchstone from Sabriel by Garth Nix

Rilla and Kenneth from Rilla of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery

Sophie and Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

My current favorites are a different crop, certainly. For one thing, I’ve gone from historical fiction almost straight into fantasy. Some of the books are decidedly darker in tone. Most of the authors on this list are still alive. But I did notice continuity – I still favor books about strong female characters doing things. I also (apparently) like some hardship thrown in with my love story. It must add to the flavor? Come to think of it, bittersweet chocolate IS the most delicious.

What were your favorite literary couples at 16 and now?

[graphic from art at holli's etsy shop]

best of 2009

I know everyone does these lists - the ones where you record your 'best' or 'favorite' reads of 2009. I had great plans before the holidays to do gift guides and so on. I got busy. So...just my Best of 2009 reading list. Not all of these were necessarily published in 2009, but I read them this year. Not all are wonderful literature (gasp!), but all ARE: moving, or entertaining, or thought-provoking or simply un-put-downable. What were your best books from the last year? Feel free to link in the comments!

Best of 2009 (in no particular order)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – You’ve probably heard all the hype by now. I thought it was completely warranted. This book made me cry in public. Yep. Couldn’t stop, and I didn’t care.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness – A gripping, rattling, non-stop action read. It ripped me up inside, and I was amazed again by the strength of dystopian YA lit as a genre.

Angels’ Blood by Nalini Singh – I love paranormal romance with a strong heroine and unique world-building. This one sucked me in with a dark story and characters I loved/hated/thought were really hot.

Wake by Lisa McMann – Up-front one of the most engaging and mysterious YA novels of the year. Really gripping storyline, and a couple of completely unforgettable teenage protagonists.

The Mysterious Benedict Society – I’m a sucker for clever films. Turns out I’m a sucker for clever children’s books, too. This was so SMART, and fun, and I loved it to pieces. I gobbled it up and was absolutely enthralled by the plotting and pacing of this delightful mystery.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld – My first foray into proper ‘steampunk.’ A delightful action adventure that ran across Europe and introduced the reader to characters as inventive and courageous as anyone could wish for. Left me DYING for Behemoth, the sequel.

Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede – Wrede is one of my all-time favorite fantasy authors, and she doesn’t disappoint in this first entry in an alternate American West. Eff and her multitude of brothers and sisters are a joy to hang with, and I’m all set for the next installment.

House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones – A follow-up of sorts to Howl’s Moving Castle, and another quirky, funny, and sometimes bizarre fantasy tale. All sorts of fun. Really.

Peter & Max by Bill Willingham – Bloodthirsty. Fairy. Story. Adventure, murder, mayhem, magic, Happily Ever After. “What?” you say? Just plain awesome. Go read it.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith – A rollicking good mash-up of zombies and a fiction classic. Both the writing and the illustrations made me laugh aloud at various points, and I gained a reputation as a zombie-lover by recommending this to friends.

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev – Theater/fairy story with a surplus of charm and energy and verve. Really wonderful writing to boot. What’s not to like?

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie – The man can WRITE. Like, whoa. I read an excerpt from his recent War Dances, and that led me to this one. Full of laughter, tears, life lessons and again, ridiculously good writing.

Soulless by Gail Carriger – You know how I mentioned love of paranormal romance and steampunk? This one marries the two with the wittiest and most entertaining dialogue I can remember reading. A jolly good time.

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis – I read theological books, but don’t often “enjoy” them. This one…it makes you think about heaven and hell and what the divide between the two really is (if there is one). Lewis is a classical scholar and writer who can couch these deep spiritual truths in simple language and metaphors.

Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link – Take bizarre to outer reaches. Make me laugh at alien abduction stories. Do the dark in a light fantastic sort of way. You end up with this stellar short story anthology. I wasn’t a fan of the form before, but I sure am now.

Troll’s-Eye View by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling – A children’s short story anthology, with contributions by the masters of fantasy. Fairy stories told from the villain’s point of view. Another volume that made me re-think my aversion to short stories. Super awesome.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card – An absolute classic in sci-fi – the only mystery is why it took me so long to read this one. Because it blew me out of the water. Isolation and genius so well-portrayed. Was beyond impressed.

The Demon’s Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan – Hottest teenage hero of the year award goes to Nick. He’s not good for you, but he’s compelling and you have to love him. I can’t wait for more of Brennan’s writing – and swords kept under the sink.

Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund – Space school, mystery, touching romance. Put in pot, stir, add a dash of betrayal, uncertainty and distrust. Produces an amazing book that you’ll want to re-read.

What I Did For Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips – This author guarantees multiple laughs, teary eyes and a happy ending. Truly wonderful romance/women’s fiction. I can’t get enough of Ms. Phillips – some of my favorite standby comfort fiction, and this one will join the stable, no problem.

And that's all for now, barring any intense, amazing reads in the next couple of days. *smile*

what to do, what to do...

Haven’t updated in a bit because some inventory has gone missing in the inspiration department. BUT! I remembered this evening that I’d been meaning to finish this book-ish meme. I think I got it from Steph Su – I could be wrong – but she’s marvelous at any rate, and might as well have made up these questions. Enjoy, and feel free to steal them for your blog as well!

Hardback, trade paperback or mass market paperback?

In an ideal world, I’d have a whole library full of hardbacks. But for ease and utility, trade paperbacks. And you can’t beat the price of a mass market…

Barnes & Noble or Borders?

I’m a Barnes & Noble girl. It might have something to do with the Starbucks & cheesecake in the café.

Bookmark or dog-ear?

Bookmark.

Amazon or brick-and-mortar?

I do like to shop on the internet, but recently I’ve discovered the joys of The Book Depository (sorry, Amazon!).

Alphabetize by author, or alphabetize by title, or random?

Random. Unless shelving by size counts.

Keep, throw away, or sell?

I keep most of the books I buy for pleasure reading. I sell academic books if I don’t see myself using them again, and I’ve only ever thrown out a book by mistake.

Keep dust jacket or toss it?

KEEP! Dust jackets are integral to the hardback experience. Plus, they make good bookmarks.

Read with dust jacket or remove it?

With. See above.

Short story or novel?

Difficult decision…but if I go by volume of novels vs. short stories in my reading queue right now, novels win.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?

Harry Potter. I love that the books ‘grow up’ as Harry does.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

When tired. I’m pretty impervious to the effects of chapter breaks.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?

Oh…this one’s hard! Can I have both? In the same story?

Buy or borrow?

I love to own books, but borrowing is much more economical. Certified library geek.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendations, or browse?

In that order exactly. I read book reviews (Booklist and School Library Journal, if they’re not too spoilery, and fellow book bloggers), then go to recommendations, and I’ve been known to browse occasionally as well.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?

Somewhere in between. I don’t like having ALL ends tied up, but I’m not fond of books that can’t stand on their own either.

Morning reading, afternoon reading, or nighttime reading?

Nighttime, or between-appointments-time.

Stand-alone or series?

If I fall in love with a book, it’s nice to know that there’s a series following it up, but I believe in stand-alones in general. Sometimes the next books are disappointing, and then what do you do?

Favorite series?

If I have to pick just one…Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

Favorite children’s book?

A Christmas Card for Mr. McFizz by Obren Bokich.

Favorite YA book?

All of them. Umm...but seriously? Maybe The Only Alien on the Planet. Or The Blue Sword.

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?

Mercedes Lackey’s Phoenix and Ashes. It’s magical alternate history set during World War I, and it’s loosely based on the Cinderella fairy tale. GREAT book.

Favorite books read last year?

Thirteenth Child, The Hunger Games, The Mysterious Benedict Society, Academy 7, Book of a Thousand Days, Chalice, The Graveyard Book. And many, many more.

Favorite books of all time?

Persuasion, The Blue Sword, Phoenix and Ashes, Neverwhere, Sabriel, The Once and Future King, The War of the Flowers, The Merlin Conspiracy, and Howl’s Moving Castle, to name a few.

What are you reading right now?

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, Libyrinth by Pearl North, and Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick.

What are you reading next?

Probably Genesis by Bernard Beckett.

Favorite book to recommend to an 11-year-old?

Anything by Garth Nix or Robin McKinley, depending on the sex of the 11-year-old in question.

Favorite book to re-read?

Rilla of Ingleside or Phoenix and Ashes. Both make me cry buckets and fall in love with the characters all over again.

Do you ever smell books?

Yes. Anything verging on mildew is bad, but old paper smell? Awesome.

Do you ever read primary source documents like letters or diaries?

I have, yes. They’re not a favorite, though. I’m a fan of editing.

blog award and paying it forward

Velvet at vvb32 reads presented me with a Kreativ Blogger Award. Thanks! (Exciting…my first blog award ever!)

The rules state that: Once you receive this award you are to list seven of your favorite things and then nominate seven other blogs. I have nominated blogs that I am falling in love with day by day!

Seven of my favorite things:

Family & friends (they keep me sane. well, mostly sane)

Books (yes. lots of them!)

Coffee (recently most in love with starbucks’ african (red) whole bean)

Films (admitted theater junkie. love seeing new films and laughing aloud with an anonymous group of fellow movie-goers)

Rainy days (grew up in seattle, so what do you expect?)

Traveling (not the transit time, but the seeing new places, learning new languages and having crazy adventures part)

Water polo (one word: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious)

Seven blogs I’m falling in love with:

…do you really want to know? (vibrant card-making adventures)

THE INTERN (a publishing intern tells all)

The Occidental Idiot (diverse academic, theological, filmic and philosophical ramblings)

The Clothes Horse (fashion blog on a budget, with top-notch scenery)

Books and Bards (poetry, book reviews and literary recommendations)

Great White North (a resident of canada blogs about books, baking and what else? canada)

The Garden Handyman (my dad blogs about garden projects. need I say more?)

UPDATE: Laura at Laura's Reviews and Steph at Hey! Teenager of the Year have re-nominated me for this award - thanks Laura & Steph!

tuesday bests

Dad

My father turns 64 today. Not only is he a really cool (and OLD) dude, but 64 is also my favorite number (eight squared, baby!). And he is the best dad ever. Want to contest that? I’ll fight you. He does look kind of goofy in this photo, though. It's the beard-hat combo. Trust me, he doesn't go around looking like this all the time. Or if he does, at least I live on the other side of the country...

Blog

My last post broke all of the INTERN’s rules. It was long, it was boring, and it was all about me and my woes (hmm...maybe not boring, per se...). According to the hilarious and slightly witchy (trying to keep it PG here, but you get the idea) commentary on my new favorite blog, my entry would not cut it in the publishing world. The INTERN is the un-paid help at a publishing house/firm, and she blogs about the vagaries of life in the big city as the proverbial lowest person on the totem pole, as well as offering advice on how NOT to get published. By association (law of opposites), there are also hints on how to make it and organize a book contract. But if you browse a bit, you will learn that this is not all it’s cracked up to be, and keeping your sanity is more important than being published. In sum, the INTERN is hilarious, sardonic and gosh darn interesting. I recommend her blog for laughs, as a tongue in cheek cautionary tale, and as a source for ‘insider knowledge’ on the publishing world.

Film

I watched the movie Nim’s Island last night. It was an infamous Netflix pick, and had (predictably) been sitting by the TV for almost two weeks before I got around to watching it. Overall it offered cute, adventurous, harebrained fun. Though marketed for children, parts of the film will resonate with adult audiences. In my case, I definitely connected with Jodie Foster’s character: an agoraphobic writer who has definite OCD tendencies. Her fear of adventure and life spent in front of a computer screen clash with her written words, which conjure up a daring hero who always saves the day. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the audacious explorer is played by Gerard Butler, an extremely talented, good-looking, Irish-accent-wielding actor. Nim, the titular character, is played by Abigail Breslin, who always seems to manage genuine and adorable portrayals of ‘real’ kids. So it was good, clean fun, though a little heavy on the cute, and light on real drama. I give it a B.