Booking Through Thursday

1. How did you come across your favorite author(s)? Recommended by a friend? Stumbled across at a bookstore? A book given to you as a gift?
2. Was it love at first sight? Or did the love affair evolve over a long acquaintance?

1. I don't know who gave me Anne of Green Gables as a child, I think my mother gave me some of her old Anne books and I started reading them. The very first series of books I remember finding, was Nancy Drew; I gave one of the early books in the series as a birthday present to my best friend Teresa when I was 7, except I got caught reading it before I gave it to her! My mother had to explain that we don't read books when giving them as gifts.....thus began my long affair of buying a book for someone else and another copy for me! I share books with my friends and family, of course, but these aren't gifts, just lent out. I went on to read all the Nancy Drew books that were then in print. I even went as Nancy Drew to this year's hallowe'en party, theme was 'dress as your favourite character from a book'. Alot of my favourite authors have come through recommendations from others: Ian Rankin (my boss at Books Canada, which is now closed); Janet Evanovich (my mother); Jan Burke (my mother or friend Laurie...) but most, I've found on my own - Charles de Lint, Phil Rickman, Jasper Fforde, Patricia McKillip, Stephen King, Giles Blunt, Liza Cody, Carol O'Connell, Connie Willis, that I end up sharing with others. Oh yes - my mother gave me The Hobbit when I was 10 and though it took me a few more years to read, and a family friend reading "The Fellowship of the Ring" during one visit.....I was hooked on fantasy from then on.

2.Most are love at first sight. I usually know from the first book I read if I am going to read any more of an author. I can't remember not liking an author and then going back and finding I did like them. If I don't like the author/book too bad! There are too many books being written that I will like, to give authors I don't like, chance after chance!
I've either found them in a bookstore, or seen them reviewed, or my friends will recommend it.......since I try to have people in my life who read, one of my pleasures is talking about books and finding new authors, so I have many different sources. Book reviews are a great source of new authors to read, also. And of course, this year i have discovered book blogs, which are also excellent sources of books and authors! LIke, who knew Susan Hill was writing a detective series that is getting really good reviews? If you go to Geraniumcat's blog, you will......now i'm looking to find the series to read! (Chapters had the third one a few days ago, but I want the first one....)

So, happy Thursday! Happy Reading! How did you find your favourite authors and books?