A Few of My Favourite Things

Over on Un:Bound there’s a new post on my bookshelves and reading habits. But I thought I’d give you a quick preview of it here. Obviously I have a shelf for my own books, books that sit on the top shelf in the lounge to remind me of my responsibilities and to feed that narcissistic desire I think all published authors have (publishing is three parts endeavour and one part vanity don’t you think?):

But my bookshelves are also about beloved books too, those that feel personal to me:

This is a just a selection of my few signed books that have inspired me over the years. People have often asked me what is so important about a signed book and I think it’s all about bridging the gap between author and reader. A signed book is a book where the author has taken their time to make the experience more personal for a fan or reader who is spending their hard-earned cash (and more importantly their hard earned time) to keep the faith in one’s work. It’s important to some readers to meet their authors, and if it’s important for the reader, it’s just as important for the author. I’ve never understood any writer who refuses to sign books. It’s worse than elitism, it smacks of laziness and resentment. Fans keep writers going. Without them a writer might as well get a bar job or something.

So here’s a collection of writers who believe in their readers just as this reader believes in them. As a published author, I’m still very much the fan-boy. Something, I think, will never change…