I have always been a conscientious reader. I don’t just like a book, I figure out WHY I like the book. So when people ask what inspired me, I don’t even have to think about it.
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. Nabokov can give you a glimpse into a character with a simple turn of phrase. (“She was Lo, plain Lo, standing four feet ten in one sock.”) Moreover, he created multidimensional characters. We all know the story of Lolita as that of an older man who falls for a young girl. But that’s not the whole story; Humbert is very likeable despite his love for this girl and the girl isn’t the innocent creature she’s often portrayed as. Nabokov taught me that we are all people. The worst of us have good sides and even the best of us have dark spots.
Enchantment by Orson Scott Card. Don’t get me wrong, I love Ender’s Game just like everyone else, but this is his masterpiece. In this book Card made learning proto-slavic languages something useful and interesting. He wove a story that not only ties together many seemingly disparate pieces of plot, he also ties in older fairly tales. And he does it all in a way that makes sense. There is no ‘deus ex machina’ here (God outside the machine), Card does not rely on random events to push his plot forward, he drives it through his characters and solid tie ins.
I have always strived to meet these ideals in my own writing. As a writer, I have never been concerned that anyone else be so caught up in why you might like something I’ve written, I only hope that you do.
AJ Scudiere has written two thriller novels, Resonance and Vengeance. Both novels have been produced as AudioMovies (enhanced audio books with complete cast, soundtrack, and sound effects). AJ recently released her third novel, God's Eye. AJ attends numerous cons each year and loves meeting her fans. She has been interviewed on radio programs and podcasts. Her own podcast, Smart Chickens, is available through iTunes.
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