Favorite Authors of 2009

My second to last list for 2009, though it's the last list of favorites. These are my five author finds of the year, the ones that excited me the most. I've excluded my favorite authors from previous years, as well as anybody who made the list more than once. I think it goes without saying how much I adore them.

4th Runner Up
Rick R. Reed

I read three of Mr. Reed's stories this past year, and have more on my TBR pile. What I like about him is his fearless approach and the fact that he does so with visceral style.

3rd Runner Up
MK Mancos

While I had read some of this author's work under a different pseudonym, this year I discovered the humor in her work through this one. Always a solid writer, with enough hits out of the ball park to keep me on the hook.

2nd Runner Up
Evie Byrne

Getting teased by her talent in the first offering I read was enough to drive me to her other work, where I discovered her effervescent voice and erotic imagery wasn't just a fluke. I trust her in ways I don't trust many authors, and have long put her on my autobuy list.

1st Runner Up
Tamara Allen

This woman has too much talent not to be included on this list. Though I only read one book of hers this year, one was all it took to prove to me how good she really is.

And my favorite author of 2009 is...
Kate Willoughby

I don't think this will come as a surprise to anybody who follows my blog. I was blown away by the first novella I read by this author, and while later works might not have matched the sheer joy I got from that one, they have still proven her comedic and romantic talent. I adore her, and can only hope she finds the large audience she deserves.

Favorite Authors of 2008

My last list of favorites for 2008 - favorite authors. I do have one more list after this, but...well, I'll save that for Wednesday.

4th Runner Up
Jo Barrett

I've read a lot of Jo Barrett's work over the past year. Her two time travel books rank among some of my favorites, but her later work has left me a little cold. I think she's got some serious talent, so I'm keeping an eye on her. Just because I haven't preferred her more recent stories doesn't mean I've given up hope.

3rd Runner Up
Amy Corwin

I have a couple more stories by Amy Corwin on my TBR pile, but the charm of the historical I already read still burns brightly, months later. There's a whimsy to her romance, and in a world starving for such light, she shines.

2nd Runner Up
Paul G. Bens, Jr.

Considering how much I loved his short story, Mr. Bens absolutely had to be on my favorite author of the year list. He wrote some of the most beautiful prose I read all year. A true talent.

1st Runner Up
Josh Lanyon

My one holdover from last year's list. He's an autobuy, and while I will admit I don't necessarily love everything he's done, he hits more than he misses. By a wide margin.

And my favorite author of 2008 is...
Frank Tuttle

Tuttle is one of my gold mine finds for this year. Both of his works with Samhain rank as some of my favorites, and his Markhat series is one I hope to read about for a long time to come. He's funny, insightful, and a vivid storyteller. You can't get much better than that.

Favorite Authors of 2007

I’m a loyal reader. When I put an author on an autobuy list, it’s next to impossible to move it off. That’s most likely because authors have to really sell me in order to get onto the list in the first place. In regards to my choices for my top 4 authors I reviewed in 2007, two of them are now on that list (one through more reading, reviews of which will be coming in the New Year), and the other two are really close to being autobuys. That’s always a great feeling. I love having authors I can rely on.

3^rd Runner Up
Josh Lanyon

I actually compiled my lists right after I posted my last 2007 review. If I was compiling it now, Josh Lanyon would probably be higher. I’ve just finished reading and reviewing two of his three Adrien English mysteries (to be posted the week of 1/7/08), and with the completion of those, he’s now officially an autobuy. I love his spare, fluid prose. I love the noirish feel to his worlds, both in his real noir and his contemporary settings. I love his flawed characters. He makes me smile, he makes me think, he makes me feel. As a reader, I can’t ask for anything more.

2^nd Runner Up
Michelle L. Levigne

Probably not a surprise to see this author here since her book was my favorite non-erotic book of the year. I have the entire Bainevah series, and when I see her name, I know it’s going to be quality writing. She writes lush prose with fantastic otherworlds, painted in vibrant colors that make them leap from the page. I’m not sure why she hasn’t been enticed away by print publishers yet. She’s certainly better at fantasy than a lot of the other stuff I’ve read.

1^st Runner Up
Rowan McBride

This one probably shouldn’t be a surprise, either. I’ve only read one of this author’s books, but I have a recently re-released book on my TBR pile, and I’ll be tackling that in January, most likely. This book was the most pleasant surprise of the year for me, and I sincerely hope that the promise it showed pays off in subsequent books. Flawed characters, tight action, all good.

And my favorite author of the books I reviewed this year is:
Annie Dean

Ms. Dean’s books are on my autobuy list. I read three of her stories this year, and while I enjoyed all of them – one quite a bit more than the other two – they’re not the reason I adore her. Her voice is the single most distinctive, most entertaining, most literate voice I read online all year. Hands down. Even when I don’t necessarily care for a character, she keeps me hooked in the story by her clever phrasing, her colorful dialogue, and more. She’s moving into print now, and I have her book, Grimspace, pre-ordered. I didn’t even read the blurb. I just know I want it.