Greetings!
I get asked, A LOT, “Do you read many books? What are your influences? What are your favorite books?” The answers to those questions are yes (although I’m a sloooooooowwwwwww reader), many, and–well, I thought I’d answer that last one right here. Every so often, I’m going to add a book I think is well worth your time to read. Whether it be fiction, a biography, or a writing assistance book, these books have influenced me in one way or another. This is my “reading list”, and I hope you enjoy:
- The Stand, by Stephen King. As if there were any doubt this would be the first book on the list. It’s what set me upon this journey of the written word. The original version, which came out in 1978, was the book that hooked me. I had a chance to read the “Complete and Uncut Edition” that came out in 1990. An extra 50,000 words I believe were put back in (that is probably a conservative estimate). If you need to know how to write relatable characters, read this book. King takes on the subject of a worldwide pandemic and makes it believable through the eyes of our main cast. After 99 percent of the world is wiped out, the rest of the world needs to choose sides. Very simple: Good or evil. The future of the human race is at stake. Spoiler alert: There’s going to be a couple of King books on this list, for different reasons. But this one, for me, stands out as one of his best.