Member avanders

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Groups: All Writers Considered, Early Reviewers, Litsy, One LibraryThing, One Book, Reviews of Early Reviewers Books, The Green Dragon, The Rooster
Joined: Jun 27, 2007

Real Name

A. Allen

About My Library

Eclectic. I like to have and read a little of almost everything. My favorites, though, are gothic/modern gothic/ghost/atmospheric novels, sci-fi (esp. not-too-distant-future and/or "techie" sci-fi), magical realism, fantasy (although my tired brain tends to prefer fantasy that doesn't require a lot of work in complete world-building right now...), speculative fiction (to the degree it extends beyond those categories already mentioned), thrillers/mysteries/cozy mysteries, and horror (though generally not "extreme horror"). Also, I have serious tsundoku issues...

I can't seem to find where I can edit the favorite authors line, but here's an updated (2024) list: Silvia Moreno-Garcia (auto-buy); Robert Jackson Bennett (auto-buy); Matt Ruff (auto-buy, still); Brandon Sanderson; Simone St. James (auto-buy); Soren Sveistrup (can it be a favorite author after just 1 book? ;)); Susanna Clarke (auto-buy); Blake Crouch (esp. his sci fi) (auto-buy); I suspect N.K. Jemisin will be there once I finish this first novel of hers...; Marisha Pessl (auto-buy); Louise Penny; Carlos Ruiz Zafon (auto-buy); Diane Setterfield (can she write more please?) (auto-buy); Joe Hill (esp. that Locke & Key series); Jeff VanderMeer.

And here are a few more that are based on 1 or about 1 reads of theirs (which I loved so much, I'm sure I'll love anything else they've written): Charles de Lint (Moonheart); Jonas Karlsson (The Invoice and The Room); Laura Ruby (Bone Gap, all 3 times); Peter Clines (The Fold); China Miefille (The City & the City); John Harwood (The Ghost Writer); Manuel Puig (Kiss of the Spider Woman). And surely others. ;D

About Me

Day-to-Day: I'm a lawyer, the kind that writes for a living. And solves problems. Lots of problems...

Interests: Aside from reading, I have a plethora of interests ranging from socializing to coffee drinking to hiking to singing (especially harmonizing) to cultural activities of all kinds to shopping to snow-boarding (just learning) to sporting events to ... Yes, I have a broad range of interests. I also greatly enjoy just sitting in front of the fireplace reading a book, lying in a hammock in the backyard reading a book, sitting in a hottub reading a book, going to coffee shops to read books, shopping for books, discussing books, reading about books, and thinking about books. I like books a lot. ;)

Specifically about books: I love books that are unique and inspired. I can forgive almost any writing style if the story is good enough. And I find that even the most beautiful writing cannot make up for a flat tale. I am open to suggestions and only wish I could find enough time to follow through on all of them. I have a tendency to choose speculative fiction and sci-fi when left completely to my own devices, but I am generally open to almost anything (see exceptions in "About my library," below).

Also, I really enjoy traveling and hope to someday see all of our states!

visited 40 states (80.00%)

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