I have several authors that I stalk at the bookstore:
Colin Thompson
My favourite childrens book author is Colin Thompson. His stories are good, but the real talent is in the artwork. The pictures alone are their own stunning artworks. Each page is filled with hidden images. Check out a few of my faves:
His books are very popular and kids love them. I was given a full set of them for my 21st, and I've collected the latest ones ever since. The covers are eyecatching too, what kid wouldn't want to read these?
Nicholas Evans
Nicholas Evans is the author of 'The Horse Whisperer' and this is what he's most famous for. Trust me, the book is much better than the movie. Personally my fave of his is 'The Smoke Jumper'. His stories are always set in the wilderness and tell tales of personal endurance against nature. They are very powerful and soulful. He has a new one out, his first in a while, and I'm headed to the bookstore this weekend. . .
Audrey Niffenegger
Audrey Niffenegger has written all sorts of work - poetry, songs, short stories and just two novels. "The Time Travellers Wife" is one of my all time favourite books. It's a fabulous story that I needed to read several times to fully understand it. That doesn't sound like a good thing, but it was such a good story that it was totally worth it. "Her Fearful Symmetry" was good to, not as complicated as the previous book, but still great.
Anthony Capella
Food and Love are the motifs of Anthony Capellas books. He tells amazing love stories with a background of food. "The Various Flavors of Coffee" is about a man that falls in love with an African woman while working for his fiances father, categorising and growing coffee beans. "The Wedding Officer" is set in Italy during the war and is about a young officer that falls in love with a local girl that works her family farm and orchard. "The Empress of Ice Cream" is about a young man that perfects the art of ice cream while working for the King of England and falls in love with his mistress. His stories are unique and well worth the read.
Jodi Picoult
But hands down, my favourite author is Jodi Picoult. Her books are fast becoming legendary. She tells amazing stories about current topics. She takes a controversial topics (such as high school shootings, gay couples raising children, organ donation by prisoners) or unexplored topics (such as children with brittle bone disease, teenagers with aspergers accused of murder, medical emancipation by minors) and writes stories exploring them. Jodi is very good at twist endings. You can read her books thinking you know exactly what's going to happen only be hit by a big twist at the end. Granted this doesn't happen every time, but more often than not it does. Regardless, her stories are always tear jerking, heartfelt and real thinkers.
Jodi releases a new book each March and I wait with baited breath for it all year. Jodi tours each year and a couple of times she's been to New Zealand. I've been to her talks twice now and I'm lucky enough to have a signed copy of my fave book "Second Glance".
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