Adding To My Collection

A few weeks ago, I went to the annual AAWU book sale in Freehold. This event is held every year and the amount of books on sale is phenomenal. This year, I found some true treasures--at least in my point of view. I bought four Phyllis A. Whitney novels. I was so delighted! I already have six other books by Miss Whitney. In the past, I sometimes I gave them away, which I now regret. Each of her books are worth reading more than once. She was such a master at suspense, but also great with characterization and description. 

I often read ebooks, and I like them for their convenience. After all, I can pull out my phone and read a book anywhere. But I still find it a pleasure to sit down with a paper book on a rainy day and use a good old-fashioned book mark to tuck in the pages. 

When I first became serious about writing, I turned to a book by Phyllis Whitney on writing. That book was a great help to me. I wrote about it here. 

Do you have a favorite author? I have more than one. 😊 

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Which Books Would You Read Again?

Once, when I was looking for a few excerpts for a talk about strong heroines, I picked up this old book. I bought it eons ago--already used. Despite the picture on the cover, the heroine is very strong-willed. My children were quite young when I first read it. Once I opened the cover, I could not stop reading it. I remember sitting in the rocking chair and reading it in a rush and enjoying every moment.

It became a keeper.

When I intended to casually glance through it and pick out a few choice quotes for my talk, I got caught up in the story--again. I could not put it down until I had reread the whole thing.

I've read Jane Eyre several times, too. I know there are readers who hate that book, but to each his/her own. Jane Eyre is another book on my keeper shelf.

What are your favorites? Which books would you read a second time? Or a third time?

My Favorite Books

I read a lot and I read in a wide variety of genres. However, there are some specific books that I truly cherish. I know not everyone will agree with me on my selection, but these are books held my interest so thoroughly that I could not put them down. If you have a favorite book or two or three, add a comment to this post.

These are rather old books, which means some are now available for free. Some readers don't like antiquated language, but I am a patient reader and there are very few books that I have not finished, but I loved these books--despite the fossilized English. The characters are terrific!

These are not listed in order of preference. They were all great books for me.

Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte

Ravenscroft, by Dorothy Eden

Ammie Come Home, by Barbara Michaels

The Crystal Cat, by Velda Johnston

Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe

In addition, almost any book by Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, Grace Livingston Hill, and Charles Dickens.

There are newer, more modern books that I have enjoyed as well and I'll have to put those into another post. However, the books above are what I read when I was young and they had a great influence on me as a writer.