Today's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish is a freebie — Choose your own adventure style. I was trying to decide if I wanted to participate this week (2 in a row, what?!) but wasn't sure what to go with. And then it hit me — Top Ten Authors I will read everything they will ever publish, even if everything I read from this point on sucks. But then I thought, this is really a list of authors who should be glad I only think about becoming a stalker... Ahem. So, my list of authors who will never escape their Ashley readership:
1. Mary Higgins Clark — MHC gets the top spot on this list because jr. high Ashley was obsessed with the Queen of Suspense. Like, seriously, obsessed. My mom handed me Pretend You Don't See Her at age 11/12 to shut me up about not having anything to read & I was hooked. I read everything she had ever published. I now own almost all of her (suspense) books and I've read all but her 3 newest (I think). I haven't been as impressed with the more recent releases I have read, which is part of why I've been slow getting to these others, but I will read every suspense novel she releases. Childhood obsessions tend to be like that.
2. Melina Marchetta — Alright, come on. Are you really going to make me explain this one again? Like, seriously?! Not like I don't talk about her enough. Jellicoe Road blew my freaking mind. Seriously guys. And everything I've read by her since then just hits me in that absolutely perfect way. Sigh.
3. Lisa Schroeder — I've read 4 out of 5 of Lisa's published works and I have yet to be disappointed. As far as I am concerned, this woman can do no wrong. As far as verse novels go — Genius, thy name is Lisa.
4. Laurie Halse Anderson/ Gayle Forman — I know! Cheater face, right?! But I'm listing them together because I feel very similarly about them — the books I've read of theirs have been life-changing good. So good, I want to put copies of every book into every single person's hand & make them read it. But they do have books in their back list that are either genres or story lines I'm not at all interested in (travel-logish, something & save the animals... Umm... Sorry. But, I... no.) But I will absolutely read anything these two women right in Contemporary YA (and Historical Fiction for LHA) Both of these women truly understand what it means to write.
5. Marcus Zusak — The Book Thief is one of those books that hits you. Hard. I don't remember loving it as much as I'd expected to once I finished the book, but as time passes, I find myself loving it more and more. I was also amazed by I Am the Messenger and I can't wait to read more of his back list. LOVE.
6. Kirsten Hubbard — Her debut, Like Mandarin was one of the best books I've read in a long time. (Umm... Hooray for Contemp YA that isn't centered around a love story!!) It isn't as well known as it should be and I so wish more people would learn of this amazing book & love her. Her next book, Wanderlove releases in 2012, & seriously guys — I joined Netgalley to read this book, something I've been putting off since I very first started blogging. So... Ya.
7. Zoe Marriott — I've read her two US releases and have a UK edition of Shadows on the Moon just calling to me and man, is this woman amazing! I freaking love her writing. She is very deserving of her place on this list. She writes fairy tale retellings and fantasy, and something about her writing just speaks to me and demands to be loved. Also, she is the only author on this list who writes Fantasy w/ no Contemp at all. (says a lot there, don't ya think?)
8. Stephanie Kuehnert — I've only read Ballads of Suburbia, but that doesn't matter. I know it's only one book, but I will read anything this woman writes because this book hit me that hard. So, you know... You should probably go read it. I own I Wanna be Your Joey Ramone and every time I see it on my shelf, my fingers twitch a little, just dying to pick it up.
9. Sharon Creech — Another childhood favorite. Sharon Creech has quite a few books on my childhood favorites list, as well as several others that are also on my all-time favorites list. I just love her writing and her characters and her stories and... well, just everything. She has a few books that I didn't love quite as much, but overall, I genuinely love her.
10. Khaled Hossieni — This man's books hurt. But oh my goodness. It is so worth it. The experience of these books is something that I can't imagine missing. He is a powerful writer and while his books are adult and are books that I can't recommend to everyone (because they are intense and can be graphic, although never gratuitous) they are also amazing and phenomenal and insanely emotional. I will read anything he ever writes and be grateful that I can.
Honorable Mention — Ellen Hopkins — I love Ellen's writing. She is a phenomenal poet and her stories are so strong and so amazing. Even when I read them and feel like her agenda is oozing from the pages (something that is normally very off-putting to me) I still find myself so wrapped up in the story that I overlook it and love it anyway. The reason that she isn't on my list is because, while she should probably be grateful I'm not a stalker, I already know that I won't be reading everything she writes. I'm a little iffy on her adult book coming out, Triangles, but she has one book that I didn't like for various reasons and a companion novel will be released soon, that I won't be reading and I will avoid any future novels with those characters. So, she's very close.:) LOVE her.
There are so many authors who easily could have made this list. I'm sitting here thinking Oh Ya! Oh YA!! OH! YA!... And, things of that nature. And kinda wishing this had been more than 10 people long. Because there are so many authors whom I just adore! You have any authors you will read until the day you die and/or dream about stalking for their used coffee cups at night?
(Also, let it be known that I am very aware this is not my best written post ever. I repeat my self a lot and there are probably sentences that make very little sense. But, in my defense, I was exhausted as I wrote this, and come on — be serious... It's a post whose sole purpose is for me to ramble and gush and squee about my favorite authors. Umm, duh...)