This week's guest is the New York Times bestselling author Laura Taylor Namey. She's talented, funny, and generally just delightful. Meet Laura and the books that made her.
The Books that Made Me Love Reading
I remember reading A Wrinkle in Time in elementary school and being completely sucked into the premise, exciting action and storytelling. Later on, I stumbled into the Jurassic Park series even though I was way below the target audience age level. With those books I truly realized the power of a book to sweep me away into another world. And we all need that sometimes.
The Books that Made Me Excited to Read Right Now
My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen is high on my list. I’m a huge My Fair Lady fan and even named my new puppy Professor Henry Higgins! So when one of my favorite historical fiction authors put out a gender swapped, ya version of this classic tale, I knew I had to read it. I also just got You Can Go your Own Way by Eric Smith. With pinball, a wonderfully diverse storytelling, cast and a title from one of my favorite bands of all time? Sign me up!
The Books that Made Me Want to Write
The Book Thief truly opened up my mind, heart, and sense of creativity as to what was possible in kidlit. And the stunning, lyrical prose came together with such resonance, part of it has never left me or my own aspirations.
The Books that Made Me Stay Up All Night
I stayed up way later than I should reading The Grace Year when I first got the arc at BookCon. And it didn’t disappoint. I was ready to follow that story anywhere it led, including my own bleary-eyed existence the next day. My vats of coffee and I need a nap cries were worth it, Kim Liggett!
The Books that Made Me Laugh
Today, Tonight, Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon had me snickering and giggling from the very first page. This book is the true definition of a rom-com, with the perfect amount of com that kept me turning pages and laughing along with the adorable jokes, antics, and shenanigans. What a delightful read!
BONUS:
If you were stranded on an island which book character would you want there and why?
I would definitely want Laia from the Ember in the Ashes series because she’s brilliant, brave, and resourceful.
ABOUT LAURA TAYLOR NAMEY
Laura Taylor Namey is the New York Times bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club pick A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, The Library of Lost Things, and When We Were Them. A proud Cuban-American, she can be found hunting for vintage treasures and wishing she was in London or Paris. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two children.