What is CLC without readers?

Since we asked authors questions about books and reading this month, we thought it was only fair if we answer them too. Lots of good book recommendations here, so get your spring reading on!

Melissa A:

What is your favorite book that you had to read for school?
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. I read it before I had to, which helped. I still wish it were a movie!

Where is the strangest place that you've been able to sit and read? 
I've read at baseball games. Mostly when the opposing team was up.

What book were you hesitant to read but then completely devoured?
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I had to read it for book club and I just couldn't put it down! (See my review.)

What is your guilty pleasure read?
I'd read books for kids around my sons' ages if I had more time. I sometimes will pick up Diary of a Wimpy Kid and laugh out loud. I'd even re-read all The Baby-Sitters Club books if I had time and no one saw me doing it. :)

If you wrote fan fiction for a standalone or series, which would you choose and what is something you'd do for the characters?
I already started fan fiction for The Baby-Sitters Club. I want to write more of it but haven't figured out where I want to go with it yet. I imagine what the girls are like as adults.

What is your favorite book to movie translation? 
Where the Heart Is by the late, great Billie Letts. I loved the movie even more than the book and it's since become my all-time favorite. I can't get through it without crying.


Amy:

When you go to the library or bookstore, which section do you hit up first?
Well, of course that would be the women's fiction section.

What was your favorite book (or series) to read as a child/pre-teen/teenager?
You can make fun of me all you want when I say it was the Sweet Valley High series. I can be such a girly girl. I also really enjoyed The Baby-Sitters Club series.

Where is your favorite place to sit and read? 
Either at a beach or by a pool with the sun shining and the breeze blowing.

What book do you think everyone must read at least once in their lives? 
For every girl definitely Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume.

Print or digital? 
I will always prefer the real, original form of a book. I only pick up my iPad to watch Good Morning America while I'm getting ready for work in the morning.

Do you read books if you've seen the movie version first? 
Generally I don't.


Melissa P:

What is your favorite book that you had to read for school?
My favorite book that I had to read from school is The Great Gatsby. It also happens to simply be my favorite book of all time. I can read it over and over again.

When is the first time a book touched your soul? 
The first book that touched my soul, I mean REALLY touched my soul was P.S. I Love You  by Cecelia Ahern. I have never bawled so hard reading a book before. It was incredible, I loved that book.

What is the last book you read that you would recommend?
The last book I read that I would recommend is one I literally just finished called The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell. I also just found out they are making a movie of the book starting Keira Knightly!

Print or digital? 
I prefer print. I like the feeling of accomplishment when I see how far into the story I am.

What is your favorite book to movie translation? 
My favorite book that was turned into a movie is The Devil Wears Prada. Although there were some great scenes they left out, the movie is still one of my favorites. Meryl Streep did an amazing job playing Miranda Priestly.

What is your favorite humorous book?
My favorite humorous book would literally be anything by Marian Keyes. Her characters are hilarious and the Walsh parents that reappear in many of her books are the best!


Jami:

How does being an author affect your reading choices/experience?
I doubt I’m the only author who reads a fantastic book and then puts it down, whining, “I’m never going to be this good! Why do I even try??” Waaa. Please excuse the pity party.

For me, being an author means it’s almost impossible to completely lose myself in the world of the book. In the back of my mind, I’m always analyzing how the writer tells her story, presents her characters, and builds her universe. So an experience that should be pure pleasure is also work, but I hope it helps me become a better writer.

It also affects my reading choices. I’m currently writing a mystery taking place in a planned community. The most well-known fictional planned community is the lovely town of Stepford, so I read and outlined that book while working on my own plot points. It’s not something I ordinarily would have chosen, but it was a good story. (I hope mine is, too.) Since I write in a few different genres, I try to read the genre I’m working in while I’m writing. I think this is the opposite of what many writers do – they try not to read similar books out of fear their voice will get contaminated or they’ll subconsciously steal plot points. I do all my stealing consciously! ;-)

Becky:

Which book do you wish you wrote?
Tricky one, lots of books! Quite different authors but I'd be very proud to write the same style of books as either Lisa Jewell or Paige Toon.

When is the first time a book touched your soul?
I read Marley and Me when it first came out and I had my first Labrador at the time so I would cuddle him when I was laughing and crying at this book which was just a wonderful book. If only I'd written "Rooney and Me" first, I definitely had similar cheeky tales to tell!

What are your favorite snacks/drinks to have while reading?
Aero Bubbles dipped in hot chocolate mmmm.

Print or digital?
Print, I've owned a Kindle for a couple of years now and have still only read a handful of books on it, I just prefer holding a 'proper' book. I don't care how heavy my suitcase is when going on holiday, I'm taking print books!

What is the last book you read that you would recommend?
I would recommend lots of books that I read to others but sometimes there are stand out ones that I've heard little about that I feel deserve greater recognition. Liberty Silk by Kate Beaufoy is the last book I read which I felt this strongly about. Wonderful book. (Reviewed here.)

What book are you looking forward to reading this year?
We Are All Made of Stars by Rowan Coleman

Sara:

What was your favorite book (or series) to read as a child/pre-teen/teenager? 
Francine Pascal's Sweet Valley High series

Print or digital?
Print, hands down

Sci fi or fantasy?
Sci-Fi

Do you read books if you've seen the movie version first? 
I do. I find the book is almost always better than the movie

Which book would make a great TV series? 
Kim Harrison's The Hollows series. I could see it on Fox, or the WB. Or even on the big screen

When is the first time a book touched your soul? 
Stephen King's The Stand. I was 16. I read the novel in one day