C. J. Cherryh and me...

Perhaps because I'm an author, I feel I may give authors more "leeway" than most readers would---be more open to a writer's "idiosyncrasies"...

For instance, my favorite author C. J. Cherryh can "do no wrong"---she may be a "challenging" read but I just work harder as a reader to "accommodate" her style...

Do other writers here have similar experiences??

I tend to be more critical of another author's work than a reader probably would be, which is why I don't post reviews. Though if it's a favorite author I may just make a mental, "Whoops, POV switch," or "Whoops, subject verb agreement is off," and keep reading.

Yes, I know the phenomenon well, Kathy :-)

Another Cherryh fan! (Waves)

After hearing C.J. read at a few conventions (I was already a fan), I found it far easier to get into her work because I truly 'hear' her voice. I have loved very nearly everything she's written

I tend to be accepting of other authors and try to find their voices, too. Either they entertain me or they don't, but if they don't I assume that I am just not their audience.

I'm less forgiving of larger mistakes, but I will try to overlook typos and occasional small grammar slips because I know I still make them, too. I hope some day to write a perfect book. Until I do, I tend to be more forgiving of others.

Waves back to zette :-)

I don't think it matters to me if the writer is a favorite or not. I'll weigh each book on its merits, positive or negative. Simple typos or minor grammar glitches, if limited, don't phase me. When an entire page can't be read without translating the grammar and typos, that's a problem. I look more for story than craft, most times, because I try to read for pleasure. Doesn't always work, but I try. :)

I admit, the only book by Cherryh I've read is Downbelow Station and I didn't care for it. It moved too slow, had too much back story. Maybe it was setup for the rest of the series, but it lacked the spark to keep me interested.

Now Orscon Scott Card used to hold me for hours... Until I read a wider selection of his works.
Other authors I'll read one book, love it, then read another, and pan it.

The author doesn't dictate to me what is good or bad, as much as the writing itself.

Perhaps, gilroy, if you read a bit more Cherryh you may find some you like...

Gilroy may not be Cherryh's audience. Not everyone is. I loved Downbelow Station, but I had already gotten a feel for her storytelling by then. I started with the Faded Sun books and Hunter of Worlds. These are all works that delve deeply into alien cultures and that may not be the type of book someone enoys. Not that they aren't filled with adventure as well, but what I love about Cherryh is that she can fully create new peoples and worlds to explore.

For something more fun, though, Pride of Chanur could be a good one to try.

I liked some of Orson Scott Card's early books, not so much so the later ones.

I like to support the authors I really enjoy so I buy books by people I know I have enjoyed in the past. Cherryh and Butcher are the two top ones right now in the traditional publishing world. I'm still testing out a lot of authors in the Indie World.

Good points, zette...

Yeah, it was my first taste, so that book didn't hold well for me.
I have more of her Foundation series (I think it was foundation... have to recheck my library and edit this) in my library to try.

Love me some Butcher, Dresden in particular. His first codex book is in my TBR pile, for when I finish Girl with the dragon tattoo and the Hunger Games trilogy. (Too many people bugging me to get those read.)

I think you mean the Foreigner series, which I adore. Very interesting take on human/alien cultural relationships.

I love Butcher's Dresden Files, too. What a great character and fantastic adventures. I've read the first three Codex books and really enjoyed them and plan to just sit down and read the rest when I get time. Lately the writing stuff (and site for writers) has taken over my life again. LOL

Sure wish I had more time...

I'd read the whole Foreigner Series :-)

You read one page at a time. LOL

I've read all but the last two twice. Amazing stuff in there that you don't always catch the first time through.

Well, zette, I've read the Morgaine Saga 5 times and the Faded Sun Trilogy 3 times---every time a revelation :-)

But, right now, I'm working on my next book, so.........

I've read both the Morgaine Saga and the Faded Sun Trilogy twice. Right now I'm tempted to buy a bunch of Cherryh novels for my Nook since I'm doing a lot of reading on it right now, and that would be fun. Like I don't have enough to read anyway.

Yeah, working on the next book. I'm in the last editing round for Xenation: Draw the Line, a major science fiction novel that takes place in the same story universe as Ada Nish Pura, though at a much later date. I also have a fantasy novel about to come out, which is the one I posted on my blog, a couple chapters at a time. Other projects are in various stages of writing madness. It's a good life!

Yes, zette, being an author is a good and wild and enlightening and weird life :-)

Now, if it just paid a little better, we'd all be happy campers.

Pay? Hmmm... It would be nice, but... Well... Yeah... Nice... Still...

There's always the hope that our names will be praised after our spirits leave these bodies, eh? :-)

Personally, I'd settle for a few more nice reviews while I can still enjoy them.

:-), zette

I'd hope to sell the movie rights. :)

Not me. I'm not writing movies. I just want people to enjoy the books. Besides, every movie I've seen that was based on a book annoyed me because of the things they'd changed. I'd hate to be annoyed with something based on my own work.

There is that. You could always include the clause that you have to be involved, like Susanne Collins and JK Rowling. Both had direct influence over script and film.

I would never let my book go to film without complete artistic control.

And, some of my friends say that means I will never have it go to film...