Garth Nix - Author of the Month

Picture from the
Old Kingdom Chronicles
Website

Garth Nix is an Australian writer of young adult and children's fantasy novels including the Old Kingdom Chronicles and the Keys to the Kingdom.

Nix is a full time writer now, though according to at least one bio of his, this "contributes to the strange behavior of many authors." In his past though, he has worked as a bookseller, literary agent and public servant. He seems to really enjoy the process of creating works of fantasy. Nix describes fantasy as an "iceberg." Good fantasy, according to him, is only 10% told. The author should allude to the stories and people who make up the history of the fantastical world. Doing so creates an experience for the reader that seems real - even though the world in the story is fantasy. You can find out more about Nix's ideas about writing and creating characters at his author page on his publisher's website.

Like many authors these days, Nix is a fairly regular Facebook user. He interacts with fans and often holds contests for them. You can keep up with his thoughts on writing, new releases, and any new contests by liking his page.

Check out some Garth Nix fantasy today. His books are on display in the fiction section of the library media center.

Jodi Picoult - Author of the Month

Photo from
JodiPicoult.com

Jodi Picoult is above all a writer of adult fiction. She tackles moral dilemmas that often revolve around the relationship between a parent and a child like the popular My Sister's Keeper - about a girl conceived for the sole purpose of being a blood and organ donor for her ill sister. The story, like many of Picoult's novels, ends up in the courtroom when the girl decides to sue her parents for rights to her own body.

Picoult lives in New Hampshire with her husband and three children. She studied creative writing at Princeton but held several other jobs including work as a technical writer and an 8th grade English teacher before publishing her first book. In response to an interview question posted on her website, she says she begins her stories with a "what-if" question and builds the stories and characters from there. She particularly enjoys the research process for her books, and she spends a great amount of time making sure that she understands the all the points of view in the story.

She has had 23 books published, many of which have been New York Times Bestsellers, and several have been made into films. You can find a selection of Picoult titles on display in the fiction section of the library media center.

Tom Clancy - Author of the Month

Picture from
TomClancy.com

Tom Clancy (1947-2013) always had a keen interest in naval history. He studied and read books, technical manuals, and journals as a young person and hoped to serve in the military. His poor eyesight prevented him from serving, and he instead took a job as an insurance agent and began writing on the side. His first published book was The Hunt for Red October (1984). It was a new genre of book - the espionage thriller - filled with stories of spies and descriptions of military technologies. 

Clancy's work is still highly popular. 17 of his books have been #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List, and he has sold millions of copies. Many of his books (specifically the Jack Ryan novels) have been made into major motion pictures and even video games. The genre he created has grown rapidly in popularity. We most likely wouldn't have TV shows like 24 and Homeland without Tom Clancy.

Clancy was a prolific writer up until his death in October of 2013. His final book Command Authority (a Jack Ryan novel) will be released December 3rd. 

If you like thrillers and military weapons and tactics, check out one of Tom Clancy's novels today. They are on display in the fiction section of the Library Media Center. You can find information about all of Clancy's books at his website TomClancy.com.

***Most of the information for this post came from the October 2, 2013 New York Times obituary for Tom Clancy.