Favorite author post, or why I decided to get into writing…

I managed to have a small block of freetime, so I figured I would complete this little meme…

1. Who’s your all-time favorite author, and why?

I am part of the “Catcher Cult.” If you haven’t read King Dork, you may not get the reference, if you do, that’s fantastic. I love Catcher in the Rye. Its a cliché, I know, but its just so darn good of a book. I also like Francesca Lia Block. I discovered her in high school and quickly identified with Weetzie Bat’s dances-to-the-beat-of-her-own-drummer vibe. Each page of her novel is filled with sparkles and magic with romanticized images of Los Angeles and late-night burrito and Oki Dog stands.

2. Who was your first favorite author, and why? Do you still consider him or her among your favorites?

In elementary school I thought the Babysitters Club series was the cat’s meow and collected most of the books. I read different things here and there, mainly musician bios and whatever was assigned in my English class. I think until my last two years of high school, whatever I read was considered mandatory for school. Thanks to my 11th grade AP English, we read Catcher. I was hooked then. I think that started my YA infatuation. Then came Block and so on. I took a class in college on YA novels and also fell in love with the perks of being a wallflower.

3. Who’s the most recent addition to your list of favorite authors, and why?

I’m currently increasing my YA library. I’ve jumped onto the boarding school bandwagon and have recently read Better Than Yesterday by Robyn Schneider, Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, I really dug I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone by Stephanie Kuehnert, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist and a my biggest guilty pleasure is the Clique series by Lisi Harrison.

I definitely cannot forget Frank Portman’s King Dork! I love love love love love that book, and can’t wait for the next Portman book.

4. Why YA fiction?:

It is great that there are authors of all ages that write in this genre. Younger authors are writing about their experience as they go through these teen years (or how they hoped to live it) as older authors are reflective. Those teen years are the formative years, where we were just beginning to face life. YA fiction has more opportunity to write about school, teenage drama, dating/relationships, tragedy, parties, music, fashion and so on.

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On a another note, I have purposely picked up crocheting just so I could make these little creatures from Creepy Cute Crochet.