That time Megan Hart and I met Batman. Sorta.
No page about my favorites would be complete without first mentioning Batman. Be it in print or on the screen, I have an enduring love of the Caped Crusader. The dual lives. The dedication. The villains. I love it all!
One of the coolest things about meeting fellow writers and readers is hearing about what other people are reading. I mean, really, is there any better gift than a good reading recommendation? So, I made this page to share with you some of my favorite authors. Click any name below to open a new window with the author’s webpage (or their Wikipedia page if I couldn’t find a webpage).
You might also want to connect with me on Goodreads, to see what I’ve read in the past. I’ve also listed below some of my favorite games, t.v. shows, and musicians. I’m also a big believer in sharing things that I enjoy via social media, so check me out on Twitter, Instagram, Twitter for more faves!
On with the authors . . .
Jason Aaron – If you want to read a series that’s intensely gritty and full of tension, check out Scalped, a noir comic book series that takes place on a Native American reservation. He has also done some fascinating writing on some popular Marvel comics characters, like Wolverine and Punisher.
Douglas Adams – I had the pleasure of meeting him at a local bookstore here in Dayton many years ago. He was a genuinely witty and brilliant man. Best known for Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series, his Dirk Gently Holistic Detective Agency books are also amazing reads. But his non-fiction book, Last Chance to See, is still my favorite. It’s funny, sincere, and is all about protecting endangered species.
Les Edgerton – Les writes gritty stories with a no-nonsense voice and incredibly tight sentences. Beyond that, he’s also the author of the best writing book ever, Hooked. If you don’t own a copy of Hooked, go get one right this very second. Your stories and your readers will be glad that you did.
Jeffrey Ford – What Joe Hill does for metaphors, Jeffrey Ford does for description. He has an incredibly knack for painting the most glorious word pictures. He writes the kind of book that you never want to end. You’ll just want to stay immersed in his vivid imagination.
Neil Gaiman – I’ve been reading Neil Gaiman since high school, starting with his classic Sandman series. He has an incredible knack for weaving imaginative fantasy into the world we know and love. My daughter and I love his children’s books, and I’m excited to continue to share his fiction with her as she grows up.
Joe Hill – A master storyteller, Joe is probably my favorite author right now. His short stories are inspiring and thoughtful, and his two novels thus far are brilliant. As much as I love his prose, probably my favorite work of his to-date is his Locke and Key graphic novel series. Check it out. You won’t be disappointed! And Joe is still early in his career, so we have many brilliant pages ahead of us!
Shirley Jackson – She was brilliant. Her short stories are masterfully written and show a mastery of multiple genres. Her book We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a poignant look at madness and family relations. I simply cannot get enough of her writing.
Jack Ketchum – Ketchum was one of the best straight horror writers in the business. He had a bare bones, tight writing style that served as a perfect companion to his taut stories. His fiction will grab you by the throat, look you dead in the eye, and punch you right in the heart. His book, The Girl Next Door, conjures a rich sense of dread unlike any other I’ve ever read. Brilliant.
Katrina Kittle – A fellow Daytonian, Katrina is also a gifted writer. Her niche is wrapping engaging stories around pertinent social issues such as child abuse or HIV. If you ever have the chance to attend one of her presentations or classes, do it! You’ll learn a lot from her.
Bryan K. Vaughan – Y: The Last Man. Saga. Ex Machina. Paper Girls. He’s the writer behind some of the most amazing comic book series I’ve ever read–full of imagination, snappy dialogue, thoughtful social commentary, and characters you will love.
James Welch – I’ve read everything he ever wrote, and there’s not a bad book in the bunch. My favorite is The Heartsong of Charging Elk, an epic piece of historical fiction about a Native American who was abandoned overseas by Buffalo Bill’s traveling wild west show.
Games: Dominion, Pandemic, Catan, Fluxx, Loonacy, Carcassonne
TV: Ripper Street, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, The Prisoner, Twin Peaks, Sherlock, Looney Tunes Show, House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, The Fall, Derry Girls, Black Mirror, GLOW, Better Call Saul, Hannibal
Music: Leonard Cohen, Amanda Palmer, Erin McKeown, Henry Rollins, Halestorm
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