The Library
I love to read. Just as much, I love to write, but haven't been able to get any of my works to the publishable stage yet. I like stuff from the Fantasy/Sci-Fi genre, and one of my favourite authors is Terry Pratchett of Disc World fame. You can visit his web page by clicking below.
While I'm on the subject of Sci-Fi, I really ought to confess that I once was a Star Trek fan, which has influenced my writing somewhat. I
have since become somewhat disenchanted with the shows, partly due to
Phil Farrand, commander of Nit Central and author of all the Star Trek
Nitpicker's Guide books. If you like or hate Star Trek or any of its
offshoots, you should check out his books and his web site.
I have many, many favourite authors, and chances are I'm going to leave someone out if I try to list them all, but here goes. In the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre first place goes to JRR Tolkien for best all around. I have read the Hobbit countless times; I never get tired of. When I was younger, Mom read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy to me, and I finally read it all myself(shortly after the Peter Jackson movie came out). To hear me expound a little more on Tolkien and the movies, click here.
I already mentioned Terry Pratchett. Robin McKinley writes excellent adaptations of traditional stories; her Beauty is my favourite. Andre Norton is pretty good. The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis are excellent; I also like his inspirational writings. And I have read great books by Caroline Stevermer and Martha Wells; I highly recommend them.
Lewis Carroll is another favourite of mine; I have read Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass more times than I care to admit. And Dr Suess! You're never too old to read Dr Suess IMO. And while I'm on the subject of "inspirational" writings, Fyodor Dostoyevsky writes some really deep stuff. Brothers Karamazov is excellent if you can get through it.
I also love a good mystery and Arthur Conan Doyle is one of my favourites. I have read every one of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries at least once. Charlotte McCleod writes a very entertaining mystery, also under the name of Alisa Craig. I used to read a lot of gothic mysteries and Victoria Holt was my favourite. From her I graduated to Georgette Heyer who writes a very entertaining and witty regency romance/mystery.
As far as my own writing goes, I have three journals that I work on sporadically, one for Sci-Fi, one fantasy, and one contemporary. Nothing has gotten past the journal stage...yet. I am taking a writing course, though, and hope to get something published eventually.
I have found a medium in which I can display my writing talents without actually having to go through a publisher. That medium is fan fiction! Currently I have two longish stories and several silly spoofs that I have written using the characters from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats. Please do check them out at the Bricklayer's Arms.