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I learned to read when I was about 3 years old and have kept reading ever since. So here are a few favourites that have influenced me through the years:
One of my all time favourites from childhood is Winnie-the-Pooh by A A Milne, closely followed by the sequel, The House at Pooh Corner. I have several different editions, ranging from one which belonged to my father as a child to a modern box set that was a gift. There’s a children’s book mentioned in Cloth of Grace which isn’t named, but in my head it’s Winnie-the-Pooh.
Like many young girls I devoured anything that involved horses or ballet. Noel Streatfield’s Ballet Shoes was a particular favourite. It’s a book that shows that if you want to achieve your ambitions you really have to work at them. As for horse books, there were so many of them… Walter Farley’s Black Stallion series, about a boy and the relationship he has with a wild black stallion as they learn to trust each other, is one that stands out.
My Dad introduced me to Dorothy L Sayers and the Lord Peter Wimsey detective series. The mysteries in these are great stories, but they don’t shy away from the fact that the main characters are broken and struggling.
After Dorothy L Sayers I moved onto P G Wodehouse, a much lighter and highly entertaining read. My favourites are the Jeeves novels. I love how Bertie Wooster tries to solve his friends’ problems but just makes things worse – and then the butler, Jeeves, steps in and sorts everything out in the background. But I like the Empress of Blandings books too, and how Freddie always describes himself to his father as “your only son, apart from the other one”.
Then there's Terry Pratchett and Discworld. I love each Discworld book more than the last – I just couldn’t pick a favourite. My favourite characters are the Luggage (a magical trunk with legs) and the Librarian (who is an orangutan), closely followed by the Wee Free Men (small, violent, loyal, and blue). I’m quite certain that the Discworld Assassins’ Guild has influenced the Assassins in my books, including those in Cloth of Grace.
Of course, reading Terry Pratchett meant I had to read Neil Gamian and another of my favourite books is their collaboration, Good Omens. That’s been made into a highly publicised TV series so I don’t need to say any more about that one – except I recommend you read it or watch it, preferably both.
Now I read anything where the blurb takes my fancy, irrespective of genre. That could be fantasy, romance, mystery, suspense, contemporary or historical. I have a few authors where I’ll buy what they write no matter what. They include Jodi Picoult for the way her books tackle difficult issues, and Jodi Taylor for the Chronicle of St Mary’s – time travel with comedy and a very laid back love story. And I know I've mentioned both Annette Marie (fantasy) and Elana Johnson (romance) before.
What books have influenced you over your lifetime?
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