Book List

Books that I love… (other than the ones I’ve written)

Nonfiction – books on faith, how to write well, and other interesting things.

The Bible. Obviously.

God’s Not Dead. I’m a big believer in the logic of the Christian faith. I’ve caught slack for my belief being tied in some part to logic, and not being entirely blind, but God gave us incredible minds—He wants us to use them.

The Rational Bible by Dennis Prager. He’s putting out a volume for each book of the Old Testament. He goes in depth line by line.

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne and King. Love the section on sophistication.

The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. Learn the basic rules of writing.

Spunk and Bite by Plotnik. Learn how to break the basic rules of writing.

77 Reasons Why Your Book Was Rejected by Mike Nappa. Learn how to avoid those 77 things.

The Chicago Manual of Style. If you’re not sure, look it up. Winging it will not get you taken seriously.

Idiot’s Guide to Grammar. Read it even if you think your grammar is fine. I can almost guarantee you’ll learn something.

Fiction – I write mostly suspense, but I don’t read a lot of it. I want to be sure my books are as fresh as possible and that I haven’t inadvertently stolen an idea from someone else. Most of the fiction I read are the classics or sweet historical.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. My favorite fiction book of all time. A strong heroine who is also quiet and polite, who takes control of her own life in a time when that wasn’t so easy for women. The original bad boy hero tormented by his past. Secrets wrapped in intrigue.

The Lost Heiress by Roseanna M. White. A feisty but sweet heroine. A big mystery.

Pride and Prejudice. A strong heroine who loves reading and her crazy family. An aloof enigmatic hero who is not the kind of man he appears to be on the surface.

The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White. A brilliant heroine who talks to God through numbers.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyers. Judge all you want, but the reality is that it’s wildly popular with a lot of people. There are things I don’t like, but there are some things that are masterfully done to capture the romantically minded reader.

The Moon is Down by Steinbeck. The inspiring fighting spirit of average people when their freedom is threatened.

Just for fun – I like random books that are just snippets of interesting information. They give me something I can read for just a few minutes.

I Will Judge You By Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider. Funny writing cartoons. (And I will absolutely judge you by your bookshelf.)

The True Story of Santa Claus by Giovanelli. Interesting facts about the history of Santa Claus.

Any and all books of home plans.

Kids – yes, I like to read children’s books. Some are for my daughter, and some are just for me.

The Christmas Pig by JK Rowling. Wild adventure. Growth of a little boy going through a lot.

Grumpy Monkey’s Little Book of Grumpiness. Adorable board book. Everyone is grumpy sometimes.

A Little Princess. A sweet girl who is forced into a life of service after her father dies in WW1. And yet she still finds ways to help those around her.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Suess. Find the true meaning of Christmas.