When I curl up to a book, I want my focus to be stuck on that sucker for many grueling hours. Not every author I read can do that for me. Some books I can put down with no twinge of guilt. Others, though, if I even go to work, my brain squeels, "Get home and finish the damn book, or I'll give you an anurism!!!" I just wanted to give a little credit to the authors who keep my attention through many late nights and who inspire me in my quest to write my first novel.  A number of these Authors I've been reading for quite a few years.  I think I was first introduced to Weis and Hickman and Raymond Feist back in the mid 80's.  I loved the books back then when I was a kid, and I love them now.

Margaret Weis and Tracey Hickman... These two have written more novels together than I can remember. Each series they've written has it's own personality and each has a place in my heart. I won't say that they're my favorite authors, because different authors satisfy different emotions for me. They are the only authors I have been reading since I was 10 though. In 1985 was my introduction to Dragonlance Chronicles, and last month was Legacy of the Darksword. You can read about a couple of their novels on my reviews page.

Raymond Feist... He is one of the few authors I have meet in person and had an extended conversation with. I believe that I read Magician Apprentice in 1987 or so, and I have bought ever book he has written before and since (except for the ones with Janny Wurts, only because I haven't has a chance). He is a great guy and he lives in San Diego County (two pluses). He pays great attention to character development from his characters who are 12 in one book and through a series mature to 35 or 40 years old. I can't thing of a better storyteller in the business who never forgets the little man in his novels. Everything you do comes back to you eventually. His last book to come out, Rage of a Demon King, is an example of his extraordinay prose.

Janet Berliner and George Guthridge... The only novels I have read by them is the trilogy, the Madagascar Manifesto. This is the most well researched historical dark history novel I have ever read. Each character in the book existed in real life. Events unfold during their novels behind the scenes of actual events from World War II. From the moment I picked up the innocent looking Child of the Light, I was hooked. What started with a pair of children's innocent childhood, through three books turned into a portrayal of what circumstances can play with our darker side and what two men would do to stay alive in an age of chaos. You can hear more about these guys in my book reviews page.

Christopher Golden... I first read this author when he wrote Vampire novels. These were an original approach to the vampire myth with a sect of the Catholic church trying to annihalate these rare creatures. Of Saints and Shadows was the first of two vampire novels he wrote. Besides these, I believe he's written other types of novels, but I haven't read them yet with the exceptions of a great Tilogy. He also wrote an X-Men trilogy of novels which explore aspects of characters. He taught me that just because you may not put your characters in certain situations, it doesn't mean you shouldn't know how they'd react. You can read about his novels on my reviews page.

Dan Simmons... I have actually only read one novel by him, but his abilities still cause me to recall the book, Summer of Night. He pushed this novel on me at an Autographing I helped with a couple of years ago. I don't regret him talking me into it though. It is full of suspence and I could not put the book down. I couldn't sleep for fear that the book would end up being taken by a roommate before I could finish it. If his other books are as good, I can't say, but this guy is definitely one hell of a writer.

Richard Preston... He is known for only novel that came out before his new stint as a horror author and that's the Level 4 Virus scare novel, the Hot Zone. One of the few nonfiction books I've enjoyed, it kept me awake for the 8 hours it took me to tear through it one family separated X-Mas. If it hadn't been for this engrossing book, I would have been depressed that Christmas.

Robert Weinberg... Writing for White Wolf has done wonders for this prolific author. He's written around 20 novels I believe, but I think his Masquerade of the Red Death trilogy is his best. Each book had me aching for the next to come out, and I read them way to fast for my own good. If, by chance, his earlier novels are as good, I'll probably end up tracking them all down someday.