Welcome fellow Samhain Author Fiona Jayde!
I love reading. Good thing, since I’m a writer :). I’ve always loved reading – even as a kid in Russia. We came to the United States when I was eleven, and I had about ten of my favorite books with me to reread. Luckily my Grandmother sent me more with time – I was going crazy rereading the same stories! There are only so many Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales a girl can reread! And while there probably were places we could have bought books in Russian, we had no idea where such places were or if we could afford them.
When we came to California, I discovered that America also had public libraries. I had just discovered them in my home town in Russia- a place which has millions of books to borrow!. Imagine my delight to find that United States had the same thing! And in the public library – I discovered romance novels.
Hundreds of them. With scandalous covers…. And well… sex!
I would devour these novels – I loved anything by Johanna Lindsey or Virginia Henley. I couldn’t pronounce the world “breasts” but I knew what they were! (I am just glad my Mom couldn’t understand English – I don’t know if I would be okay with my teenage daughter reading Virginia Henley!).
I also discovered Nora Roberts contemporary romances and fell in love. Aside from being an amazing writer, Nora gave me a way to experience American culture through the eyes of her heroines. I fell in love with words, with phrases, with cadences. I fell in love with the English language – and this after hearing from my relatives how English couldn’t compare to Russian in terms of words or “color” or phrasing. Nora’s prose – so deceptively easy, but so smoothly potent – could hold up.
I honestly believe that I learned English – not just the words but the culture behind them – from Nora Roberts. (Well, Nora and Growing Pains!) Someday, I hope I’ll be able to thank her in person. Her, and the bookstore owner who shoved the first two In Death books at me a few years later and told me I HAD to read it and that I could bring it back if I didn’t like it, but I simply had to give it a try… And I still keep Naked In Death/Glory In Death on my favorite re-reads shelf :)
To The Readers: Do you have favorite authors which made you into life long readers?
“Pas de Deux†by Fiona Jayde
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Red Hots!
ISBN: 978-1-60504-937-3
Publication Date: March 2, 2010
One wrong move, and she could be dancing on her grave…
Two years after an injury put her dancing career on hold, Lynnrina Kovaleva is determined to reclaim her place on the stage. On the eve of her comeback production, she takes the edge off her nerves with a one-night stand in the strong arms of celebrity bodyguard Mateo Rivera.
Ex-cop Mateo is celebrating one hell of an anniversary: eight months since he was declared unfit for duty. When a delicate beauty boldly propositions him in a bar, he chooses to lose himself in her body rather than lose his mind to alcohol. This choice comes back to haunt him when he’s hired to protect a prima ballerina who’s been receiving threats.
Despite her shock at seeing him again, Lynn must not allow their intense attraction—or any creepy fan letters—to undermine her performance. Mateo can’t reconcile this coldly focused dancer with the passionate woman who seduced him. Yet he sees fire under the ice, pain hidden by the smooth mask of perfection.
The vivid memory of their entwined bodies wars with the job at hand, but he must keep Lynn safe—regardless of the cost. The most difficult challenge, however, will be keeping his hands to himself.
Warning: Contains jetés, pliés, a chilling touch of danger, and the boiling heat of an unwanted attraction that combusts into passionate sex.
I read the Bobbsey Twins and Nacy Drew series. As I got older, I devoured ever Mystery I could find in our small town library. I started reading Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt. I only found e books, erotica and paranormal this past year.
I would have to say who kept me reading was Jude Deveraux Knight in Shining Armour put me on the hunt for the rest of her books plus finding new one at the same time….
Have a good one Nikki.
Ann
Another fan of Nancy Drew here. I eventually moved on to romance with Nora Roberts and read nothing BUT Nora titles for the next several years before I got into paranormal romance with J.R. Ward. Now I read pretty much anything.
Great post!
My favorite author is Linda Howard with close second to Julie Garwood; I can tell you I’ve read probaby all they’ve written and still own my copies which I re read quite often. :yay
I can’t remember which author I read first but I do know that I read alot of Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames when I was younger. I have been in love with books from the get go and can’t imagine a time in my life where I haven’t read for fun (except when I was working on my Master’s degree and didn’t have the time). I re-read alot of authors but have to say that I want to thank my sister for forcing me to read Patricia Briggs books and JD Robb.
When I was a kid, there was a series of books featuring a girl named Meg. (She was a Nancy Drew wanna-be). I really liked those and the Encyclopedia Brown series!
Thanks.