Anytime somebody asks me what my favorite book is, I get sweaty.
Musicians always have to have a mini set list in their pocket for family gatherings because invariably someone will want them to “play something,” so you’d think I’d just pick a favorite book for those moments, but that would be disingenuous. The books and authors that I love are my favorites because I read them at the right time.
While Katherine Paterson was a formative voice in my elementary years and Carlos Ruiz Zafon was a favorite in my early twenties, I’ve continued to change as a reader.
The books that I crave as a 43-year-old mother of two depend on several factors outside of my control. Did I sleep the night before? Has everyone eaten lunch? Did someone describe all the Pokemon to me again today? All the little details of my day determine what kind of book I want to read.
People are also reading…
I do have loyalty to certain authors, of course. While I can’t claim fandom status for any one writer in particular, authors like Marisha Pessl, Diane Setterfield and Giacomo Sartori will always move to the top of my to-be-read pile.
Mara Luther
For modern readers, there are a couple different ways we can interact with authors. Technology has brought us to the age of skype and zoom, so book clubs are having success chatting with authors while staying at home. If you are patient and don’t have too many different speakers at once, it’s a wonderful way to connect, especially since we live off the book tour path. Chapter One’s book clubs have invited authors to chat via zoom and it generally elevates the book experience. Even a book you thought was only so-so can get a bit of shine from an engaging author chat.
For in-person events, most readers are familiar with an author reading sections out of their most recent book. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to a new book and with Q&A time at the end, readers can ask all sorts of questions about the story and the writing process. My favorite moment is when a reader asks the author “what happens to that character after the book ends?”
We can feel connected to characters in such a real way, we imagine them existing after the last page is done. However, a successful author reading depends entirely on whether the author is as good at speaking as they are at writing. It must be hard for someone who spent years working alone to be expected to talk at length about the book they finally finished.
If you’re interested in a deeper dive, interviews are a wonderful way to hear authors speak while giving them more interesting questions than “when is your favorite time of day to write?”
Chapter One Book Store usually hosts a couple author events each month. Local authors can find an audience by signing books on a busy Saturday and established authors have really enjoyed our partnership with the Ravalli County Museum.
We’re always working to make the event fit the author and audience, and June is no exception. Musician Stephanie Quayle will be here June 13 at 7 p.m. to perform music and talk about her book, “Why Do We Stay?” The intimate bookstore setting will be perfect for her soulful country music as well as her deeply personal story. “Why Do We Stay?” talks openly about her toxic relationship and gives encouragement for women going through similar challenges.
Journalist Ben Goldfarb is coming to Teller Wildlife Refuge on June 19 at 7 p.m. to present his latest ecology book “Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet.”
On June 29 at 6 p.m., we’re hosting an author dinner at Bouilla and it promises to be a wonderful evening of great conversation. Suzy Vitello’s novel, “Bitterroot,” takes place in a fictional Idaho town on the other side of the Bitterroot Mountains. There’s a driving sense of unease from the very first page as Hazel moves on with her life as a widow in her small town. Undercurrents of racism and bigotry carry Hazel towards an honest way of living. $40 tickets include dinner and a copy of the book.
So, who’s your favorite author?
