Drop everything

March 22, 2011Gwen HernandezRandom, Writing LifePOV, suzanne brockmann

Do you have a go-to author? You know, the one who’s latest books you must buy. The one for whom you’ll drop everything to read the latest release cover to cover?

I have several, but one of my absolute favorites is Suzanne Brockmann. She writes romantic suspense with lots of military and law enforcement characters, which I enjoy, but the real reason she keeps me coming back for more is her characterization. Deep POV.

When I’m reading a Brockmann book I feel like I’m standing in the character’s head. Like I am the character, seeing what she’s seeing, feeling what he’s feeling. It’s incredibly easy to read, and very hard to do. I often reread passages of her books (later, after I've devoured them in a frenzy) in an attempt to figure out how she makes it seem so easy and natural.

And then I get sucked back into the story and forget I’m supposed to be learning. I’m still a bit dumbstruck trying to figure out how she sucks me in. But for today, I’m just enjoying the ride.

After getting in 1100 words this morning, I gave myself permission to mostly play hooky the rest of the day reading her latest release (out today!), Breaking the Rules. I’ve been enjoying every minute of it.

So name one of your go-to authors. What makes him or her so hard to resist?

Happy reading!

Tell your friends!

0 Comments

Ara Grigorian

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22 / Mar / 2011

Okay, I realize that all romance lovers will block me when I say this, but hands down, Stephen King is the one for me. Everything he’s written I have devoured. It’s not the horror or suspense that gets me. Instead, it’s his character development and situations that he creates. They are always a “what if” situation. As for his characters, they are deep with layers that make me wonder, how many split personalities does Mr King have in that head of his. If your readers have not read a King novel, please pick up Misery or if you’re in the mood for a 1000 pager, get the stand. Phenomenal work.
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  Reply
  23 / Mar / 2011
  
  Actually, Ara, a lot of romance readers–myself included–read outside the genre. There are quite a few King fans on the loops I belong to. And I’d have to agree, he sucked me in as a teen.
  
  One of *my* non-romance faves is Ken Follett. He tortures his characters and mixes accurate history in a fascinating way.
  
  Thanks for sharing!
Kali

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24 / Mar / 2011

For Romance – I’m in love with Stephanie Laurens, she’ll get me every time. I think I like her books so much because they’re easy and fun, and she writes in relationships. I don’t like letting go of past characters, I love knowing what they’re up to now that life (or rather the series) has continued on.

For Fantasy – I would happily drop everything to read Kristen Britain. She’s not very prolific though, so I usually plan my reading around when she’s having a book released (book four came out in February). I reread her all the time, and desperately wish for her to write faster. Isn’t that awful? I write. I know how difficult it is, and still I want her to get a move on! 🙂

I dropped everything a few weeks ago to read the new Patrick Rothfuss book as well. He’s edgier and darker than Kristen Britain, but he is just a fabulous writer and world builder.

George R. R. Martin also makes the list. He’s super dark, though. I really have to be in the mood to read him. Still, I am in awe of his complete and utter lack of sympathy towards his characters. It facinates me that he can so easily subject his characters to all the backstabbing, brutality, torture, murder, and destruction of politics, war, and betrayal. Sometimes it feels like he rips the soul right out of me, but in a fabulously awful sort of way. Like I said, though… I have to be in the mood for it.

For YA – If JK Rowling was still writing (fiction, not Harry Potter guides), I would be fist in line to buy her books. I love Harry Potter, and would happily take off of work to buy and read those books in a day. In fact… I have done just that in the past.
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  Reply
  25 / Mar / 2011
  
  Wow, Kali, you gave me some new ones to look into. I agree about JK Rowling. She knows how to build a world and immerse you in the characters and their stakes.
Christine Glover

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25 / Mar / 2011

You know I love Brockmann books with a passion. She just knows how to write a beautiful, compelling story. I used to read Stephen King, but I was younger. Now I stay in the Romance genre almost exclusively. I’ve found some new authors that I love to read, including Heart of Dixie’s very own Lynn Raye Harris. She packs a lot of punch in her PRESENTS novels. They are modern, deeply emotional, and have a bit of plot edge. I LOVE Nora Roberts–when her new books come out, I have to have them in my hands (or on my Nook).
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  Reply
  25 / Mar / 2011
  
  More great authors, Christine. Thanks for chiming in!
MaryC

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25 / Mar / 2011

Gwen! I just read about your GH final! Congratulations!!!

It’s so appropriate to comment on that here because of this post being about Suzanne Brockmann’s books. This is going to sound bizarre, but a GH final brings odd giddiness. I remember when my Single Title was a finalist. For days I walked around whispering to myself, “I’m a finalist in the same category as Suzanne Brockmann.” Never mind that her final was a RITA and mine was a GH, it was still awe-inspiring to me.

I hope you’re getting the same kind of thrill today.
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  Reply
  25 / Mar / 2011
  
  Thanks, Mary. I’m going to try to find a minute to post about the GH final. How cool that you were a finalist the same year as SB! I’m pretty psyched to have Roxanne St. Claire, Allison Brennan, and JD Robb as RITA counterparts. Some other great names in there that I haven’t gotten around to reading yet, too.
  
  It’s been an awesome day, especially getting to share it with so many writer friends.
Tolo

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26 / Mar / 2011

I have a list of 250+ authors that I share with my wife, that we read religiously, and the great thing is that all our kids, now adults, read too..

And the bums can’t keep up!! Gets the whip out. Write, write, ya basta**s, WRITE!!! More, More, MORE!!!
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  Reply
  26 / Mar / 2011
  
  Wow, Tony. 250?! But I know what you mean about wishing they would write faster. Of course, now that I’m on the other side of it, I can see why it takes so long.
  
  It’s kind of sad that a book that takes anywhere from 3-12 months to write and polish can be devoured in a few hours. 😉
Tracey

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31 / Mar / 2011

I largely read urban fantasy. My top three favorite writers are: Charlaine Harris, Carrie Vaughn, and Patricia Briggs. I’ve recently became enamored of Teri Smith-Ready as well.

For pure romance, LaVyrle Spencer is a goddess. She’s the one I can read and re-read and never tire of her work. She’s no longer writing but she’s left us with a fantastic collection of books.
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  Reply
  1 / Apr / 2011
  
  Thanks for adding to my list of authors to check out, Tracey! And thanks for stopping by. 🙂
  - Tracey
    
    Reply
    1 / Apr / 2011
    
    Thank you for all your Scrivener posts. That’s the real reason I’m here .. I’m learning to use it and loving it but sometimes need to see real applications of it before it clicks with me.
    - Gwen Hernandez
      
      Reply
      1 / Apr / 2011
      
      Tracey: I’m glad you’re finding them helpful. I learn new things about Scrivener all the time. I started the posts to help a few of my friends who don’t like to dig into a program the way I do. It just grew from there.