As I've started taking my writing more seriously, I have started researching authors who fascinate me. I must admit, I was totally mesmerized and taken by the Twilight series authored by Stephanie Meyer and read the entire series in two weeks. When I first heard of the Twilight stories, I said, "I'm so not into vampires. And Twilight is for tweens." Curiosity got the best of me and I decided to read the first book, Twilight, to see what all the hype was about. Once I started reading, I could not put the book down. I was traveling 100% for my job at the time I began reading the Twilight novels, and I read the pages at every opportunity I had - while standing next to the baggage carousel in the airport in Anytown, USA as I was waiting for my luggage, in the backseat of a taxi, every single night in my hotel room. Some nights I'd even order room service for dinner so I could stay in and read. A book was always in my purse so I had it with me at all times in the event I could steal a moment to read a few more pages. I remember I was on a project in Philadelphia, PA, when I unexpectedly finished Eclipse, the third book in the series. I was so eager to keep reading that I went on a mission in the city to find and purchase a copy of Breaking Dawn, the fourth and final book. The first two bookstores I went to were out of copies and I ended up trekking a few miles in my suit and heels with my laptop backpack in tow until I finally found a bookstore with a copy in stock. I was truly sad when I read the last page of Breaking Dawn, the last book in the series, because this fascinating world I had been so immersed in had come to an end. This is the kind of author I want to be - one who can create a world that is so amazing and fascinating and mesmerizing that readers do not want to leave it. What an incredible connection and gift to a reader, though in the case of the Twilight series, many guys many not appreciate this, as the depth and magnitude of Edward Cullen's love for Bella Swan has dramatically changed the expectations of many girls! :)
In researching Stephanie Meyer, I found the video below from a TIME interview with her. Like J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter novels, Stephanie Meyer doesn't seem to have gotten caught up in the frenzy surrounding her books (and now movie franchise and so much more). She seems to have remained grounded. As she states in the interview, she wrote for herself and created her own world, and I think that's one of the talents of being an author. I believe that as soon as you start trying to write for others, you lose yourself. There will always be criticism and people who don't connect with you, but I think that as an author, it's essential that you remain true to who you are, to your voice and to your own world.
What books have you gotten lost in? Which authors do you most connect with or find the most fascinating? Do you appreciate the contrast between fantasy and reality that fiction writing allows or do you prefer authors/books that closely parallel reality?
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