Most Influenential Authors

Someone on a message board asked what four authors have most influenced me, and it was quite interesting to think about who they were and my reasons for it.

Carolyn Keene.  She, of course, was the pen name for a number of authors who wrote the Nancy Drew series.  But when I was eight years old and wanting to write stories, Carolyn Keene brought out the fantasy of solving mysteries.  Does everyone dream of that?  I created my own “girl detective” named Sharon McCall.  I tried reading a couple again last year.  I’m better off with the memory.

Ernie Ryberg.  That’s my great uncle, who died in 1990.   He wrote young adult and children’s books from the 1950s to 1976.  Every time I went to visit him, he always had the Writer Magazine on his coffee table for people to read.  It was just too cool having a writer in the family (and he’s not the only one).  A couple of years ago, I ran a search on his books and discovered one I hadn’t read called The Mystery in the Jeep.  What was completely shocking was that the used book was not only autographed, it was autographed to my great-grandfather and his second wife.  Needless to say, I now have the book.

Phyllis A. Whitney.  A gotchic mystery writer who wrote her last book when she was in her 90s.  Her books were carefully researched and evoked a sense of place that isn’t always present in other books.  My next project, SAND DOLLAR MAGIC, is being greatly influenced by her books.  I’m using Morro Bay, California, as a setting.

Clive Cussler.  My patron saint of omniscient viewpoint.  In all seriousness, I was drawn to thriller because he wrote such fantastic action books.  We always got to go on a treasure hunt with his books and find something that everyone else couldn’t find.  MAGIC STUD, though it’s urban fantasy, started as a basic treasure hunt because of Clive Cussler.

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Update on MAGIC STUD:  I think my perseverence has finally paid off.  For about two weeks, I just thought over what I needed to do to for the ending.  I kept thinking I needed to get back to writing, but I kept waiting because I wanted to make sure I really did have what I needed.  No false starts.   That evolved not only into the ending, but adding about four chapters throughout the book that help pull together what I need for the ending.