Over at the group blog, made up of some very impressive Southern writers, today was my turn up. Our Blog Head (now that doesn't sound very literary- I'm sure there's a better term: blog administrator?) Karin suggested a theme for the month. June's theme is "What Writers Influenced You?" Meaning, what books do you love to read for writing inspiration. Or at least that's how I took the question.
Truthfully, my list would have been way too long for one blog entry. I could have included food writer Julia Reed for her Southern essays. Or John T. Edge when he writes about donuts or barbeque-- like this article in today's NYTimes. I'd have to say Nancy Drew because that's about all I read when I was a newly independent reader. But I just read an article about how many Supreme Court Justices loved Nancy Drew and I'm not sure she's a legitimate literary influence. Had I followed that path, I could have been a lawyer, or at least a sleuth. Well, I do love detective fiction: P.D. James, Elizabeth George, Lee Child, James Lee Burke. Maybe I should be writing mysteries, instead of just reviewing them.
See, I could go on and on with the books I'd love to emulate. But I didn't because I don't think anybody would have read it, tucked into that A Good Blog is Hard to Find list of fabulous blogger writers. So I limited my influences to the kids' book writers I love to read while thinking about writing fiction. Even so, I left out a bunch.
Leave me a comment- here or there: What books or writers influence your writing today? Or, hey, if you're thinking of the Supreme Court, or any other noble profession that was influenced by your reading, what did you read when you were a child?
2 comments:
I loved Nancy Drew as a child, so I have something in common with the Supreme Court justices, wow! The writers I really enjoy now are those who write well-researched thrillers, like Greg Iles and Dan Brown. I like Diana Gabaldon a lot, too. I don't have much time to read, as I am a single mom and have a full-time job.
When I was a young person I loved Pat Conroy's books, and I still read whatever he writes, even the cookbooks.
We are on the same wave length! Did you know Pat Conroy has a new book just out? And another that I just reviewed is a great page-turning, well written thriller: THE LAST CHILD by John Hart. You might like that one also. Thanks for commenting, Augusta
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