Monday, January 29, 2007

A rejected writers top ten fiction authors.

I have written the great American novel and sent my works to many publishers with no luck. I used to joke that I could wall paper my house with rejects. I guess I am kind of like Snoopy in Peanuts. I wrote a children’s book and tried to find the right illustrator with little luck and no takers. I wrote a science fiction novel that was met with little interest. It took me years to complete a page by page layperson non fiction analysis of the New Testament. (I have not tried to publish that yet.) I have a few other unfinished pieces that I am hoping to finish this year. One is a non fiction account of the last union campaign I directed in Corona, California. I kept a diary of the organizing progress as I ran the campaign. Lynn Feekin of The Labor and Education Research Center at the University of Oregon has offered her help in transforming my transcripts, but each time I try to tie it all together, I get bogged on another project.

Some writers just seem to be able to flow their thoughts on paper. I read quite a bit about all subjects, but here is a list of my favorite “mind candy” fiction writers when I want a quick escape:

1. John Irving-A Prayer for Owen Meany and Cider House Rules are just wonderful reads. A Son of the Circus, The Hotel New Hampshire and The World According to Garp are worth the time also. You do not want nay of his books to end.

2. James Michener-I love the way he weaves between real and fiction in his semi-historical writing. I love The Source and how it explains much about people of Jewish heritage. Hawaii, Space, Chesapeake are just a few of many great reads. You can’t be intimidated by the thickness of the books. They go quick!

3. Tom Robbins-Skinny Legs and All, Another Roadside Attraction and Still Life with Woodpecker will open your minds to all sorts of strange thoughts. How Robbins can bring to life inanimate objects and give them thought processes is just genius.

4. Jean Auel-How can you not love the center character of Ayla in the Earth Children Series? And you have to admire the detail of anthropological theory that goes along with the story lines. Many have copied her story line, but not with the success of Ms. Auel.

5. Edward Rutherford-If you like English folklore or have an interest in London England, you must read Sarum. This book is a romp through history. One of the quicker reads. Russka is another of his more famous works that is worth the time.

6. Orson Scott Card-Enders Game is one of those reads that can be enjoyed buy all ages. It is rumored to be coming soon on the big screen. Xenocide, Chidren of the Mind and others will leave you with great wonderment of a Mormon with long family ties back to Brigham Young. He is an outspoken Democrat. Like minds....

7. James Lee Burke-His descriptive writing of the New Orleans area is wonderful. His macho character Dave Robicheaux is one of my favorites. Black Cherry Blues and Cimmeron Rose are good to start with.

8. John Updike-If you want a good perspective of the male mind, read Rabbit, Run. If you enjoy that, you have to read Rabbit Redux and Rabbit at Rest.

9. Jonathan Kellerman-Alex Delaware is a complex psychologist that is mixed up in strange situations in When the Bough Breaks, Silent Partner and The Murder Book. His wife Kaye is also a good read.

10. Tim Dorsey-This writer is funny and irrelevant. His main character Serge A Storms is a Psychotic mass murderer that you have to like. My son Jacob is a big fan. Cadillac Beach and Torpedo Juice should be read where people can’t hear you laugh.

Sometime in the near future I will write about my 10 favorite books. Some were written by authors not on my top ten list.

14 comments:

Greg said...

My number one current pick:

Conservatives Without Conscience

Written by former Nixon White House Counsel John Dean, this book made me feel like I was right all along...so, of course I recommend it for everyone.

samoasoftball said...

I have a whole different list for Non-fiction or true to life books.

samoasoftball said...

I will have to put "Conservatives without Conscience" on my to read list. Isn't the title an oxymoron? Just Jesting.

Or is my observation irrefragable? Oh well, you know how I am philodox sometimes. And even at times that I may be kvell, I will undoubtably be cast as excerebrose to some. Well you know I am not verecund in the least. And I do try to be redoubtable when I can. I just hope people out there will hold back their facinorous thoughts of me.

Anonymous said...

Richard, Here's an online book for you to read that my buddy Bob is posting one chapter at a time.
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/

Anonymous said...

Ooooo Richard,

You should Try George R.R. Martins "A Game of Thrones" and the whole series of four(?) books under the series title "A Song of Ice and Fire". Its one of the best fiction reads ever. HBO is looking into making it a mega budget fantasy TV series along the lines of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, only with sex and more violence.

The Imp character kinda reminds me of you.

Fred Mangels said...

Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. First chapter's a bear to get through, though.

Greg said...

Maybe in the back of my mind I was hoping Dean's book was fiction.

Anonymous said...

How about the 9/11 commision report? That was mostly fiction.

Anonymous said...

Anything by Dalton Trumbo,especially "Johnny Got His Gun".

Anonymous said...

Hop On Pop or There's a Wocket in my Pocket. Anything by Theodore Suess.

samoasoftball said...

10:42pm-Is "The Authoritarians" looks to be some deep reading. Hey a freebie on line!

11:28pm-I have never heard of George R.R. Martins "A Game of Thrones" Must be a pretty big Imp to remind you of me. Sure you didn't mean Ogre?

Fred-Mresquan-Mous-Thanks for the tips!

Anonymous said...

James Clavell's Asian saga..

Shogun, Tai-Pan, Gai-Jin, King Rat, Noble House (my personal favorite) and Whirlwind.

Anonymous said...

A Song of Ice and Fire is a really good one. It will make one of the most crass television series ever produced, and thats a good thing!

Anonymous said...

Check out "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman, a brief history of the 21st Century. It's a real eye opener.