Do you have a favorite author? One whose books have been on your shelf for a long time? One that you’ve re-read several times? One that rekindles your enthusiasm for writing?
A.J. Cronin, considered one of the greatest storytellers of the twentieth century, and an early favorite of mine, has adorned my bookcase since the tenth grade. I was recently moved to relive Cronin’s “The Northern Light.”
I love stories. I love to hear them, read them, tell them, and write them. I enjoy kind words from friends and reviewers who have singled out my storytelling, in both my memoir and my novel, as a highlight of my work. They have moved me to revisit Cronin.
I read him differently now. For inspiration, yes, but I also find myself studying his, plot, structure, language, character development, and story line. In a broad sense, I want to know what it is about A. J. Cronin’s writing that makes me always say, “There’s a book I really enjoyed.” It could have been “Keys of the Kingdom,” “the Citadel,” “The Green Years,” or “Song of Sixpence.” All great books of the Scottish Doctor, and all still on my shelves. “The Green Years” is next for me–a wonderful story of what grandfathers are for.
So, writers—do you have a favorite author you read for inspiration? Maybe a different author for different genres? How has their writing influenced you or helped you improve your craft?
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Richard Marcott 