Author Spotlight: Jean Ferris

Jean Ferris has been one of my favorite authors for a long time. When I was in sixth grade, I finished my book during reading time and grabbed a book at random from the teacher's book collection. I ended up being hooked and I finished the book that night and began devouring everything of hers I could get my hands on. The public library only had a few of Jean Ferris' books, so every time I went to a new library or moved somewhere new, I'd check to see if there were any new books by her. With this system (and ordering a few), I've ended up reading a huge amount of her writings.

What I love about Jean Ferris is that she:

• deals with difficult topics with ease - She has books about sexuality, deafness, teen pregnancy, cancer, SO MUCH TO THINK ABOUT
• has such ridiculous and whimsical characters - In some of her lighter, later books, Ferris creates bizarre characters. One character only speaks in quotes. Another character in a different book is color blind, so he only wears black (though it is perceived as being menacing when we first meet him). Yet another character knows every word of the film Casablanca. They're all so different and lovable. 
• empowers her readers to be strong-willed and stick by their decisions - Ferris writes for teens and it seems like her whole goal is to help her readers feel like they can be taken seriously by adults and like their feelings and goals matter. All her main characters are human, yet they can make serious decisions and can grow from their mistakes. Reading her books as a teenager, I felt like Ferris understood me and wanted to make me stronger than I was. It was a nice feeling.

One of the funny parts about writing this spotlight is that I realized how unknown Ferris is. Some of her books listed on Goodreads only have a few reviews and it turns out her author website is now a travel guide for Boulder, CO. So that was weird (especially since she released a new book in just 2013). I also found out that she passed away in 2015 - which would explain why she hasn't published anything new in years. Even though she isn't around anymore, Ferris' books still have lessons that ring true and books that anyone can enjoy.

THE BIO

(Taken from Goodreads) This author is not afraid to tackle difficult subjects: living with a deaf parent (Of Sound Mind), facing the consequences of a criminal act (Bad), or questioning one's sexuality (Eight Seconds). But Jean Ferris is also adept at writing comedy, historical fiction, and romance. What's most interesting is that she didn't publish her first novel until she was in her mid-40s. Yet she's never forgotten the intense feelings and changes of her own teenage years. Critics as well as teen readers have seen the evidence of that in her writing and have honored her novels with a number of awards, from Best Books for Young Adults to various state and National Book Award nominations.

THE BOOKS

     

   

   

   

   

   

   

Have you read anything by Jean Ferris? What books made an impression on you as a preteen/teenager? Do any of these books catch your eye?

Author Spotlight: Robin Hobb

Today, I'm spotlighting an author that I've been getting into recently, but haven't read much of. I'm eventually planning on reading everything Robin Hobb (aka Megan Lindholm) has written (because the little I've read has been absolutely brilliant), but in the meantime, here's a little more information on this fantastic fantasy writer.

(About the Author taken from Robin Hobb's website)

Robin Hobb is a fantasy novelist working from Tacoma, Washington. Best known for The Farseer Trilogy, she has been actively writing and published since she was eighteen years old. Born in California, she moved to Fairbanks, Alaska with her family in the early 1960’s. In 1970 at the age of 18, she married Fred Ogden and moved to Kodiak Island where he quickly infected her with his love of all things maritime. Over the course of the next forty years, as they followed the needs of his career. Her writing career began under the name Megan Lindholm. She wrote for local newspapers as well as children’s magazines such as Highlights for Children and Jack and Jill, as well as creating short fiction for children to be used in the SRA programmed reading material. In the 1980’s, she began to write short fantasy. Other works under the Lindholm name include The Reindeer People, Wizard of the Pigeons and Cloven Hooves. In 1995, Assassin’s Apprentice, her first work under the name Robin Hobb, was published by Bantam Books. She has since written The Liveship Traders Trilogy, The Tawny Man Trilogy, The Soldier Son Trilogy and the four volume tale, The Rain Wilds Chronicles. Her current work in progress, tentatively titled The Fitz and the Fool Trilogy, returns to the world of the Farseers and the realm of the Elderlings. Her works have been translated into over twenty languages, winning multiple awards globally.

MEGAN LINDHOLM BOOKS

ROBIN HOBB BOOKS

From what I understand, all books written under the Robin Hobb psuedonym take place in the same world and come together in really satisfying ways. So far, I've only read part of the Liveship Traders series, but I can already see how it would connect to the other series Hobb has written. They're masterfully written and compelling fantasy stories - definitely worth the time to read.

What Robin Hobb/Megan Lindholm books have you read? What is your favorite Robin Hobb book? What other fantasy authors do you enjoy?

Author Spotlight: Brandon Sanderson

Today, I’m trying out a new feature on the blog. I decided that I want to start discussing/interviewing authors that I think deserve a little more attention. To get this feature started, I’m going to first spotlight an author that I strongly believe everyone should read: Brandon Sanderson.

If you’re unfamiliar with his work (which will shock me if you’re a frequent reader of this
blog), then you should know that Sanderson is one of the more recognized and loved
names in modern fantasy. He writes for middle grade, YA, and adults - so everyone can
read some Sanderson.

The reason I’m featuring Sanderson is because I strongly believe EVERYONE
SHOULD READ HIS BOOKS. Every book might not be for you, but among so many
of his books, I can guarantee that you’ll find something worth your time (and if you
need help figuring out where to start, tell me a few books you like in the comments
and I’ll guide you in the right direction).

MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS:

YOUNG ADULT BOOKS

ADULT FANTASY - Newcomers should know that all the worlds in Sanderson’s adult
fantasy series are connected and will eventually be brought together as each series
progresses. In the meantime, each series is unique and fascinating alone and can be
enjoyed independent of the other series.

(Currently a standalone)

(First trilogy of the Mistborn Trilogies)

(Second trilogy of the Mistborn Trilogies - far more Wild West steampunk than the first)

(will eventually be twelve books)

(short stories to help bridge some of the gaps between the worlds and
answer questions that aren’t addressed in the series)

What Sanderson books have you already read? Which ones interest you? What about Sanderson
makes him stand out from other current fantasy authors? What’s keeping you from reading these
books if you haven't read them?