The Writers Who Read series continues this week with mystery author Clea Simon (who I think we can all agree has one of the best book titles in this series!).
Who are you?
I’m a Massachusetts-based author. A former journalist, I wrote three nonfiction books before turning to a life of (fictional) crime. I now have 17 traditional mysteries (think “whodunits”) out in three series, two of which are ongoing. My most recent books are Kittens Can Kill (Poisoned Pen Press) and Stages of Grey (Severn House).
What are three beloved books you first read before the age of 12?
C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and Robert Graves’s The Big Green Book. These gave me a proper respect for animals (and social equality) and also the lasting belief that there is magic in the real world.
What is one book you are always recommending to friends and family (and maybe the local barista) as an adult?
Recently, it’s been Geoff Dyer’s Jeff in Venice/Death in Varanasi, for the same reasons as the above! Though Hilary Mantel’s A Place of Greater Safety is my all-time favorite of the last decade, even more than Wolf Hall, which I also loved.
What is your book kryptonite–those unique elements in a book, beyond just great writing and three-dimensional characters, that make you unable to resist reading?
Oh, maybe British social satire of the Austen/Trolloppe sort? And Elizabethan historical fiction – thank you very much, Hilary Mantel and CJ Sansom.
What is your ideal time and place to read?
A rainy Sunday afternoon, on my sofa, with the fire going.
Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?
I think the books of my childhood – Tolkein and Lewis and The Wind in the Willows (Kenneth Grahame).
Choose your preferred book form: ebook, physical book, or audio book?
Physical book. I read a study recently that said that when we read on screen, we tend to skim – skip words – and I felt quite validated.
Do you consciously plan your future reading–i.e., set book goals, keep a TBR list, participate in book challenges or book clubs? Why or why not?
I always have a huge TBR pile on my nightstand and another in my office, but it keeps getting interrupted by random purchases, loans from friends, and assignments to review. I read for pleasure, and occasionally (reviews) for work, so I don’t do challenges or clubs.
What are you reading now?
CJ Sansom’s Lamentations, which is good fun – but I just picked up Nina McLaughlin’s Hammer Head, a memoir of a writer who became a carpenter, so that’s jumping to next on the list. I know and admire Nina so much!
Clea Simon has a home page at www.CleaSimon.com but she can also be found on Facebook and Twitter @Clea_Simon. Her books can be found at Amazon, BN.com, and all the usual outlets.