Editors/Betas: who is your Favorite author? Project 2

[LJH]

Howzit all editors and betas, we read, lots and lots and lots, so I figured we all must have favorites. Authors that we like, or even don't like for some reason. It could be a mainstream author, or a GA author. Tell us who you follow and why. What makes you tick as an editor or a beta? Here's my take on this request. It doesn't have to be a long essay, just your thoughts on the writers here or elsewhere that have influenced and impressed you.

 

My favourite published book is Patricia Nel Warren's The Front Runner, it was this book that got me writing. The angst of a university athlete on the road to self awareness and his relationship with a closetted coach. Billy Sive's life is cut short by a gunman who simply needs a target. The writing is pure and Warren set the standard for most gay literature.

 

My favorite short stories are all by Roald Dahl because he writes excellent twists. And South African writer Herman Charles Bosman who wrote the funniest stories dealing with typical Afrikaans people in mundane settings and made them extraordinary.

 

My Favorite poems are all by Celethiel because of their depth. My favourite author is a GA lady who goes by the name of Cia. She has the imagination and is a powerful wordsmith. She excells at science fiction and drama and I love drama in writing, maybe because i don't get enough drama in real life. LOL.

 

So, over the years I am sure you have accumulated favorites, Jo Ann and I would really like to find out what your favorites are. Care to share?

[The Pecman]

I'm not sure if The Front Runner is my "favorite" book, but it's a very fine novel. I'm sad that it was optioned as a motion picture several times -- including once with Paul Newman as the coach and Jan-Michael Vincent as the runner, almost 40 years ago -- but it's never happened. Ms. Warren vowed about ten years ago to try to do the film herself, but it's never happened. I think it may be a dated concept now, because more and more athletes are coming out of the closet. I also think the ending of the book is extremely tragic and violent, and while it worked in the 1970s, I don't think it's as believable now. But... unquestionably an interesting, emotional, moving story.

 

My own favorite authors would probably include Stephen King and J.K. Rowling, though King is very uneven (albeit prolific). At his best, his novels are compelling, move like a freight train, and surprise you at every page; at their worst, they drag on forever and have endings that leave you exhausted and unsatisfied. But I'd take the worst of King against the best of many other authors. 

 

Conan-Doyle's Sherlock Holmes short stories are absolute classics; I think I've read every one of them at least 20 or 30 times. Wonderful stories, beautifully crafted, and they're very valuable in terms of showing structure and what to reveal (and not to reveal) in mysteries. Given that most of them were written over 100 years ago, it's amazing how well they hold up today.

[Andy78]

My favourite mainstream author is Stephen King, as I've always loved reading horror.  My two favourites are It and The Stand.  My copy of It (which I got from my granddad when I was about 10) goes everywhere with me, kind of like a security blanket.  It's now a really battered, dogearred thing held together with sticky tape and prayers but I just can't bring myself to replace it  King's worlds can be really intricate, but I love the stories within the story approach he has.

 

As for my favourite GA author?  I'm not sure I have one; there are so many talented authors on site, and some I haven't had even started to read yet.  The Castaway Hotel (by Bill W) and Shane (by Vlista) are my two GA favourites among the novel length stuff.  I've read both of them several times over, and they show the best of the author.  Shane can be very hard-going at times given the themes, but the ending is well worth going through having your heart ripped out and being stamped on.

 

I'm a sucker for romance as well, and Viv's Days of Silence is one of my favourite short stories on site.  It's a real tear-jearker, and the first time I read it I couldn't stop crying (yeah I'm a sap).

[joann414]

Off site I read light stuff most of the time and Sandra Brown is one of my fav authors.  On site pulished author, I love Andy's Grand Master because it is the first time I ventured into that genre and I loved it.

 

Fav authors here are Naptown and Louis.  Naptown's Shades of Gray just did it for me.  Emotional, well written, and so heartfelt as all of her stories are.

Louis writes of things that he is knowledgeable of and does not overdo with details, keeping the reader enthralled.

 

Carrington takes my imagery in writing vote, hands down.  He could write on the back of a cereal box and I would read it.  Makes words turn into glittering diamonds.

 

Sam's poetry is like his tears falling onto his paper, forming the words.  It's like a personal soul cleansing.

 

I would be hard pressed to say which story is my favorite.  Three of my favs that are written by authors besides Louis, Naptown, and Carrington. They are Reach by Cassie Q,,Borrowing Family by In the Mind of Sunshine, and Second Shot by Andy Gordon

 

Saddest damn story I've read    A Friend in Need by our own Andy

 

Funniest    Binding by Lugh.   This tale just kills me and the author has such a twisted way with words. lol

 

"dusts hands and jumps down off soapbox"  

Edited June 28, 2013 by joann414

[Former Member]

Wow!  I really hope I can be someone's favorite someday.  Here's to hoping!

 

My absolute favorite book is East of Eden by John Steinbeck.  There was just something about it.  Something that made me want to sit down and write the next classic.  Granted, that never happened, but I can keep dreaming.  I am also very fond of the Abarat series by Clive Barker.  It's one of those books that make you really think about what's being seen.  I've read each of the three (of five) that have been published at least a dozen times over.  When I came to China, it was a real struggle to decide not to bring them with me!

 

Unfortunately, I haven't been around GA long enough to have a favorite author here.  I've read some really good stories though and Cassie's Reach and Luc Rosen's (formerly Fishwings) Six Seconds are definitely two of my favorite stories.

 

^-^

[Andy78]

Saddest damn story I've read    A Friend in Need by our own Andy

 

 

It's one the hardest stories I've written so far.

 

I had a really maudlin run on anthologies last year.  I've managed two happy anthologies this year, here's hoping I can make the last two happy as well.

[LJH]

Oh of-course i forgot to mention John Steinbeck. A brilliant writer. Old school, but well worth the reads. So I go with that. Steven King is abnormal. Just. So Abnormal. But in a genius way. Of-course he started off writing short stories, very much like Ray Bradbury. Now Bradbury was an authort of note. Um...what did he write again? Gay authors besides Patricia Nell warren: Hollingworth, Edmund White, Andrew Holleran, Felice Picano, Michael Grumley, Robert Ferro, Christopher Cox, George Whitmore and of-course, that inimitable editor David Bergman. These authors all emerged out of the closet after Stonewall. These authors were known in a circle called The Violet Quill back in the eighties. Those goddamned great eighties. They were friends, and often got together to read, and I must say, what came out of their stories, really did shape what we have today.

 

I never read gay erotic fiction until I joined gay authors and my immediate reaction was: What. The. Hell. I like this. Some stories brought back memories of my own coming out, other stories, like the unfinished Somewhere Only We Know, by Caillen, and Trials and Tribulations by Billy Brat actually reduced me to tears quivering and biting wet knuckles. But there have been others. Duncan Ryder. Dom Luka. These guys had me reading the entire story in like one day.

 

I have met a story by a GA member called The Island. It is a beautiful story. It's not published on GA because the author has hired me as editing agent to sell it to a mainstream publisher. It is a fabulous story, and, if I get permission from the author, I will tell you guys what it's all about. Suffice to say, it is emotional, funny, dramatic and worthy of a place where only great books are kept. To this day I still don't know where that place is, but I know it exists.

 

What irks me is when I find a lovely story riddled with gremlins. Call me a grammar nazi, I don't mind. Call me a dizzy old queen, I don't care. But if I have to stop reading a book because of a glaring error, well, that's it. To the trashcan. I know. I'm hard arsed, but still. There ain't nothing like a damned good book without glaring errors.

 

I'll be back.

[layla]

Off site, i read, a lot, some of my favorites are the Sandman graphic novels by Neil Gaiman, The Black Dagger Brotherhood books by JR Ward, Anything by Christine Feehan, Lynsay Sands, Allyson James, and Lynn Viehl and there will always be a special place in my heart for SE Hinton, Anne Rice, and Jack Kerouck.

 

As for Favorite Poets, I love Jim Morrison's poetry, EE Cummings, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Lord Byron, and Poe.

 

On site, I can't get enough of Mann's Stories, I am in Love with the crew of the Santa Claus and the family that's been in explored in the first two stories. The other story I've loved since day one is Dust and Ash, as well as anything by Reddirtwritter, I'm anxiously awaiting the next chapter of Growing Josh.

[Daithi]

I read so much I'm not sure if I could actually pinpoint and say this is my favourite.  Lol in real books, you know those items made of real paper I have four or five series I have followed for years. I think I can narrow it down to J D Robb, Sherrilynn Kenyon, Laurell K Hamilton their are a few others but I would probably classify them as my favorites. Stand alone authors I pick and chose thru James Patterson Dan Brown.

On the GA Site, wow to pick a favourite I'm not sure I can. For stories I think I would have to say Comicality's Accidents Happen. There is just something about Charlie. Iarwain's Attunga I'm a sucker for dolphins and Sonic is my favourite. 

As for an actual favourite writer I'm not sure I can actually pinpoint it down to just one.  When I first came to the Site I found DK Stories read everything he had here. Mann Ramblings series of the guys on the Santa Clause. Okay you have a whole ship of nothing but Gay men no females, what's not to love about the stories lol. I think for series writer its a toss up between reddirtwriter's Wrangler Butts and FleetingRainbow's Circle of life. Pinpointing a favourite is so hard I like so many different writers for different reasons.

[Andy78]

For stories I think I would have to say Comicality's Accidents Happen.

 

I think you mean Comicfan.  Accidents Happen is one of Wayne's (Comicfan's) stories.

[Daithi]

Yeah sorry 

[LJH]

But who enjoys gay author Clive Barker's books? Abarat series. Cabal. Everville. Man this guy is EXCELLENT. A main stream Horror and Fantasy writer who is published by Harper Collins among others. Fabulous stuff. Just saying. Look how he begins his book Mister B. Gone.

 

http://www.harpercollins.com/browseinside/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061545917

Edited June 29, 2013 by LJH

[Former Member]

But who enjoys gay author Clive Barker's books? Abarat series. Cabal. Everville. Man this guy is EXCELLENT. A main stream Horror and Fantasy writer who is published by Harper Collins among others. Fabulous stuff. Just saying. Look how he begins his book Mister B. Gone.

http://www.harpercollins.com/browseinside/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061545917

I'll definitely check it out! Thanks for the recommendation.

[Thorn Wilde]

My favourite ever author is Neil Gaiman. I love everything he's ever written (though I haven't read his latest yet). My favourites of his are American Gods, Anansi Boys, The Graveyard Book and Neverwhere. I also love his short stories. The way he writes just always captures my attention. There's something whimsical, almost Douglas Adamsian to his style at times, but then he's capable of such depth and gravity as well. His use of language is inspiring, everything just flows in just the right way, and his choice of words is always so deliberate. His stories are generally dark and twisted things, but never without humour or irony. Love them, and him, so much.

[mikemcb]

I have lots of favorites and they seem to shift a bit as time goes on.  For main stream, quirky and odd, I like Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files" and Jennifer Estep's "Elemental Assassin" series of books; For thriller and bang, bang, shoot em’ up, Vince Flynn and Mark Greaney are both excellent;  Brandon Sanderson writes excellent fantasy books and I have read most of his stories at least twice.  I think it’s a tribute to the Brandon when Robert Jordan’s (king of the epic fantasy book) wife selected him to finish the “Wheel of Time” books.  I would have to pick Ken Follett as one of my all time favorite authors.

 

Jamie DeValen’s series The Scrolls of Icaria is an exceptional body of work and just a damn fine story.  I just pray he’ll finish the story. 

 

On the Gay Author’s website I like dkstories’s work and my favorite is Mark Arbor.  Mark writes some of the best dialog I have ever read.  It is very difficult to feel like you are actually part of a conversation as you read it, and he does that very well.  I like Reddirtwriter’s work mostly because follows along the same vein as the Walt Longmier series by Craig Johnson (another favorite mainstream writer).  I have re-read the stories by Dom Luka, Jack Scribbe and David McLeod many times and they are still great reads.

[CassieQ]

My favorite published authors are Stephen King and Lynn Flewelling.  I started reading Stephen King because I liked horror books, but as I have gotten older, I have started really admiring his talent as a writer.  He has a gift for characterization, and I love his short stories especially, because they are about normal people facing extraordinary or outrageous situations and seeing how his characters react to those is really great.  He also has a gift for writing characters that aren't afraid to be mean or nasty and can even get inside their heads and thought processes to show how these type of characters think and it's really amazing. I think he is fantastic.  I also really enjoying seeing how his works changes as he gets older.  I've noticed that his more recent works, like Duma Key and Just After Sunset deal more with older characters, aging and death/afterlife.  

 

I liked Lynn Flewelling who explores gay/bisexual characters in her Nightrunner series along with intrigue, fantasy and adventure and the nature of identity and gender woven into her Tamir Triad.  Excellent reading both of them.  Her later books aren't up to her usual standard, which is really disappointing, because her earlier works were so great.  

 

As for GA, I like several authors, mostly the ones I beta for.  Myiege is writing a really fantastic story about LBGT culture with a transgendered character.  Stellar's Hidden Sunlight is just amazing.  The plot and the characters and all the intricate details that he weaves into the story is just incredible.  I love Renee Steven's style, it just flows so smoothly and perfectly and she writes such great characters.  And Jo Ann…well, who doesn't love reading those crazy prompts?  I love it. 

[methodwriter85]

   Adam Phillips, Mark Arbour,and John Wolfe.

[Thorn Wilde]

But who enjoys gay author Clive Barker's books? Abarat series. Cabal. Everville. Man this guy is EXCELLENT. A main stream Horror and Fantasy writer who is published by Harper Collins among others. Fabulous stuff. Just saying. Look how he begins his book Mister B. Gone.

 

http://www.harpercollins.com/browseinside/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061545917

 

Clive Barker is really cool. Excellent horror writer!

 

Here, have a picture of Clive Barker and Neil Gaiman being buddies, ca 1996:

 

[Cia]

My taste in authors is as varied as my taste in genres. I think the book that hit me the hardest growing was Anne Frank. I read that when I was 10. I learned a lot from her story.  My teacher when I was 11 turned me on to Anne McCaffrey, my stepdad gave me the LoTR trilogy that summer, and I also found a copy of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. All of those turned me into a fan of extremely long books and/or series and moved me into a phase that took me away from non-fiction. Outlander made me a fan of period fiction and I found and grew to love Colleen McCullough. Her book, Morgan's Run, was gritty but such an epic tale. I still own those books and many more. I've most of many paranormal series by authors such as Ward, Cole, Kenyon, Sands, Hamilton ... which are always great for an escape from reality.

 

GA was like an oasis for me when I found it. This site has a consistent higher quality than many of the other fiction sites, and as a bonus, promotes authors so readers could find them easier.  I plunged right into the Hosted and Promising authors when I joined, then gradually found eFiction. Some of my early favs were Nephy, Shadowgod, Tiff, Viv, and Linxe.  I will admit a bias toward preferring completed stories; I have a lot on my plate and it's insanely hard to keep up with serial fiction. I enjoy Kingdom by the Sea's flare for adding drama without overdoing angst. Hamen Cheese is incredible at pulling out emotions from his readers. Louis (LJH) is superbly eloquent in all he writes, be it a story, a review, or a post. Lugh has incredible imagination; he's the one who finally prompted me to create an account here on GA so that I could demand he finish stories and write more. Some of my recent favorites include Rob Colton, Sasha Distan, Layla, Cassie and many more. I have several authors, on and off-site, who I beta for that I truly enjoy (which is why I ingratiated myself into their circle of feedback staff, lol).

 

One of the great features on this site is the ability for members to favorite authors and stories and share them on their profile. If you'd like a more complete list of my favs, check out mine! This is a great topic, Louis, and a great opportunity to discuss what we each believe to be inspiring authors/fiction and why.

[joann414]

Agree, Cia

[Yettie One]

Um, wow.

It is kind of hard to say that there is just one or two that I like. I have a fairly diverse range of likes and dislikes in terms of the genre's of fiction I read, and if it is a really interesting figure, then I once in a while dabble in non fiction.

 

I think one of the finest writers I enjoy is Ken Follet, especially his Pillars of the Earth series. John Grisham is a favourite, especially when he really focused in on the court room drama. Clive Cussler is cool, and always enjoyed good old Wilbur Smith.

 

Growing up I learned to love W E Johns and and Franklin W Dixon and Margery Sharp. I got completely lost in the wonderful world of JRR Tolkien. Frank Herbert is another man with an amazing mind, and Isaac Asimov.

 

Really, the list could go on and on and on...........

 

Here on GA, I think the first thing that struck me was the sensibility of the stories. I'd mainly been reading on one of the more prolific sites that is more cheap pornographic trash than anything else.

 

I was really chuft to find that there was real quality here at GA, with deep and wonderfully written stuff. To date, some of the writers that I've come to really admire include CassieQ, Sean J Halford, Andy021278, RJCarrington, LJH, Thorne Wilde, Stellar, Layla and one or two others that I can't think of off the top of my head.

 

The big trouble for me is I have a list of stuff I've got to read a mile long. It never get's any shorter, no matter how many hours I spend lost in the world of the creator.

 

Loves it.

[LJH]

Grisham. Cussler. Tolkien. Brown. Nora Roberts. Wilbur Smith. Yettie, you should try Matthew Reilly. His stuff is flippin amazing!

[Thorn Wilde]

Um, wow.

It is kind of hard to say that there is just one or two that I like. I have a fairly diverse range of likes and dislikes in terms of the genre's of fiction I read, and if it is a really interesting figure, then I once in a while dabble in non fiction.

 

I think one of the finest writers I enjoy is Ken Follet, especially his Pillars of the Earth series. John Grisham is a favourite, especially when he really focused in on the court room drama. Clive Cussler is cool, and always enjoyed good old Wilbur Smith.

 

Growing up I learned to love W E Johns and and Franklin W Dixon and Margery Sharp. I got completely lost in the wonderful world of JRR Tolkien. Frank Herbert is another man with an amazing mind, and Isaac Asimov.

 

Really, the list could go on and on and on...........

 

Here on GA, I think the first thing that struck me was the sensibility of the stories. I'd mainly been reading on one of the more prolific sites that is more cheap pornographic trash than anything else.

 

I was really chuft to find that there was real quality here at GA, with deep and wonderfully written stuff. To date, some of the writers that I've come to really admire include CassieQ, Sean J Halford, Andy021278, RJCarrington, LJH, Thorne Wilde, Stellar, Layla and one or two others that I can't think of off the top of my head.

 

The big trouble for me is I have a list of stuff I've got to read a mile long. It never get's any shorter, no matter how many hours I spend lost in the world of the creator.

 

Loves it.

 

 

[Celethiel]

should I be blushing right Now Louis

btw did anyone ever tell you that you look a bit like Clive Cussler (yes he's one of my favorite authors)

[Johnathan Colourfield]

Daphne Du Maurier Love Rebecca.

Anne Fine Love Madame Doubtfire.

 

On site:

 

Nephylim. I love Dangerous liasons and Enigma

CassieQ I love Reach