My Five Favorite Authors

I LOVE to read. I always have. Reading has always provided me with a means of escaping reality. It’s an especially welcome distraction right now when I’m stuck inside and finding myself overwhelmed by my anxiety. I’m sure I’m not the only one so I’ve put together a list of my five favorite authors. Each has written multiple works that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. Some have even penned books that changed my life. I encourage you to pick up some of their books if you haven’t already.

1) Jonathan L. Howard:

Primary Genre: Science Fiction

The Book That Started My Love: Johannes Cabal the Necromancer

I’ve never thought of myself as a sci-fi fan but it turns out that with the right author, anything is possible. I enjoy Howard’s dry, witty humor and expansive vocabulary. It’s impressive to me that, even though I’ve read several of his books, his plot lines still contain surprises and twists that are unexpected and exciting. Far too often I find that I enjoy one or two books from an author and then get bored because they all start to sound the same. I don’t often reread books but I actually went back and reread his entire Johannes Cabal series because I wanted to see all of the little clues and connections that he’d planted along the way. It was even better the second time around. I can’t wait to read more of his novels.

2) Neil Gaiman:

Primary Genre: Fantasy

The Book That Started My Love: Good Omens

I LOVE Neil Gaiman and so do millions of other people. Read one book and you’ll understand why. I’ve devoured his novels, short stories, and collaborations. I can’t get enough. His stories are inventive and unpredictable. His characters are believable and relatable, even in fantasy worlds. Good Omens opened the door for me to so much more. While it’s actually one of his collaborations, it served as a great introduction to his work for me. I’ve since filled my shelves and my heart with his other books.

3) Anne Rice:

Primary Genre: Fantasy

The Book That Started My Love: Interview With The Vampire

Anne Rice has such a way with words. When I read my first book by her I was a preteen and I still enjoy her work. With her Vampire Chronicles series, she helped to do away with the creepy vampires of Brahm Stoker and usher in an era of vampires with sex appeal and charisma. She is incredibly descriptive and paints pictures with her words. Under her own name she’s written about vampires, witches, werewolves, religion, and so much more. She’s also written erotica under her pen name A. N. Roquelaure. 50 Shades of Grey has nothing on her.

4) Diana Gabaldon:

Primary Genre: Historical Fiction

The Book That Started My Love: Outlander

I can’t stop reading The Outlander series and all of its accompanying novels and novellas. I’ve been through the main series twice and eagerly await the next installment. Diana Gabaldon has got me, and so many others completely wrapped by her compelling storylines and characters. You love to love her heroes and love to despise her villains. She weaves her stories around major historical events without being cheesy. Her works have spawned a TV series, cookbooks, special tours of Scotland, and whole slews of fans.

5) Erik Larson:

Primary Genre: Historical Non-Fiction

The Book That Started My Love: Devil in The White City

I actually reviewed Devil in The White City on here a few months ago. I loved it despite not normally enjoying Historical Non-Fiction. In his books, Erik Larson manages to make history compelling and entertaining. I find myself hanging onto every word and struggling to put his books down. Unlike many historical authors who stick to the same subject matter, he writes about a variety of topics and time periods. There’s something in his collection for everyone.

There are so many amazing authors out there to love and I’m happy to share my top five with you. So what about all of you? Who are your favorite authors? Leave me their names and your favorite books in the comments. I can’t wait to read something new!