I figured we should all jointly create a list of the authors everyone should try at least once! Add to my list (copy/past then add yours)
1. J.K. Rowling
2. Lisa Kleypas
3. Eloisa James
4. Richelle Mead
5. Christopher Paolini
6. Kay Hooper

You already named one I haven't tried (Richelle Mead). Here are 6 more:

1. J.K. Rowling
2. Lisa Kleypas
3. Eloisa James
4. Richelle Mead
5. Christopher Paolini
6. Kay Hooper
7. Mary Balogh
8. Pamela Clare
9. Julie Ann Long
10. Nalini Singh
11. Christine Feehan
12. Mary Jo Putney

I just thought of two that should be added...

1. J.K. Rowling
2. Lisa Kleypas
3. Eloisa James
4. Richelle Mead
5. Christopher Paolini
6. Kay Hooper
7. Mary Balogh
8. Pamela Clare
9. Julie Ann Long
10. Nalini Singh
11. Christine Feehan
12. Mary Jo Putney
13. Stephenie Meyer
14. Jane Austen

1. J.K. Rowling
2. Lisa Kleypas
3. Eloisa James
4. Richelle Mead
5. Christopher Paolini
6. Kay Hooper
7. Mary Balogh
8. Pamela Clare
9. Julie Ann Long
10. Nalini Singh
11. Christine Feehan
12. Mary Jo Putney
13. Stephenie Meyer
14. Jane Austen
15. Diana Gabaldon
16. Gaelen Foley
17. Liz Carlyle
18. J.R. Ward

Suzanne Enoch
Judith McNaught
Lisa Kleypas
Julia Quinn
Sandra Hill
JR Ward
Kresley Cole
Julie Garwood
Robin Schone
Jess Michaels
Khaled Hosseini
Emile Zola
Emily Brontë
Charlotte Brontë
Bill Bryson
Sarah McCarty
Loretta Chase
Heather Graham
Shana Abé
Wilbur Smith
Anne Stuart
JD Robb
Lucy Monroe
Jeffrey Archer
Lora Leigh (hahahaha!)

John Steinbeck (I'd recommend East of Eden)

Philip Pullman

C.S Lewis

Charlotte Bronte

Rick Steves; Everyone needs a good dose of travel! :)

annnnd...
William Shakespeare ... I know he can seem over done, but he is quite brillant.

Margaret Atwood

Charles Dickens

Oops!
1. J.K. Rowling
2. Lisa Kleypas
3. Eloisa James
4. Richelle Mead
5. Christopher Paolini
6. Kay Hooper
7. Mary Balogh
8. Pamela Clare
9. Julie Ann Long
10. Nalini Singh
11. Christine Feehan
12. Mary Jo Putney
13. Stephenie Meyer
14. Jane Austen
15. Diana Gabaldon
16. Gaelen Foley
17. Liz Carlyle
18. J.R. Ward
19. Suzanne Enoch
20. Judith McNaught
21. Julia Quinn
22. Sandra Hill
23. JR Ward
24. Kresley Cole
25. Julie Garwood
26. Robin Schone
27. Jess Michaels
28. Khaled Hosseini
29. Emile Zola
30. Emily Brontë
31. Charlotte Brontë
32. Bill Bryson
33. Sarah McCarty
34. Loretta Chase
35. Heather Graham
36. Shana Abé
37. Wilbur Smith
38. Anne Stuart
39. JD Robb
40. Lucy Monroe
41. Jeffrey Archer
42. Lora Leigh (hahahaha!)
43. John Steinbeck (I'd recommend East of Eden)
44. Philip Pullman
45. C.S Lewis
46. Rick Steves; Everyone needs a good dose of travel! :)
47. William Shakespeare
48. Margaret Atwood
49. Charles Dickens

Lisa Anne, what's your favourite Wilbur Smith book or series? I think the only one I didn't like by him was Shout at the Devil.

I can't believe I forgot to add JK Rowling to my list (a 'duh' moment!)

1. J.K. Rowling
2. Christopher Paolini
3. J.D. Robb
4. Dan Brown
5. Angie Sage

Our combined list so far...
52 people already! Whoohoo!


1. J.K. Rowling
2. Lisa Kleypas
3. Eloisa James
4. Richelle Mead
5. Christopher Paolini
6. Kay Hooper
7. Mary Balogh
8. Pamela Clare
9. Julie Ann Long
10. Nalini Singh
11. Christine Feehan
12. Mary Jo Putney
13. Stephenie Meyer
14. Jane Austen
15. Diana Gabaldon
16. Gaelen Foley
17. Liz Carlyle
18. J.R. Ward
19. Suzanne Enoch
20. Judith McNaught
21. Julia Quinn
22. Sandra Hill
23. Sophie Jordan
24. Kresley Cole
25. Julie Garwood
26. Robin Schone
27. Jess Michaels
28. Khaled Hosseini
29. Emile Zola
30. Emily Brontë
31. Charlotte Brontë
32. Bill Bryson
33. Sarah McCarty
34. Loretta Chase
35. Heather Graham
36. Shana Abé
37. Wilbur Smith
38. Anne Stuart
39. JD Robb
40. Lucy Monroe
41. Jeffrey Archer
42. Lora Leigh (hahahaha!)
43. John Steinbeck (I'd recommend East of Eden)
44. Philip Pullman
45. C.S Lewis
46. Rick Steves; Everyone needs a good dose of travel! :)
47. William Shakespeare
48. Margaret Atwood
49. Charles Dickens
50. Dan Brown
51. Angie Sage
52. Christopher Paolini

J.R. Ward is on the list twice. Maybe that mean she's twice as good. LOL!;-)

Julie (Mom2lnb) wrote: "J.R. Ward is on the list twice. Maybe that mean she's twice as good. LOL!;-)"

LOL I edited it. Thanks for looking out for the list Julie. I didn't notice it was on there twice. :)

Has Julie Garwood been listed yet?

Yes, she's on there Pamela at #25.

Marian Keyes. Her two collections of journalism (Under the duvet and Further under the duvet) are so funny.

Edgar Allen Poe.

Erich Segal.

1. J.K. Rowling
2. Lisa Kleypas
3. Eloisa James
4. Richelle Mead
5. Christopher Paolini
6. Kay Hooper
7. Mary Balogh
8. Pamela Clare
9. Julie Ann Long
10. Nalini Singh
11. Christine Feehan
12. Mary Jo Putney
13. Stephenie Meyer
14. Jane Austen
15. Diana Gabaldon
16. Gaelen Foley
17. Liz Carlyle
18. J.R. Ward
19. Suzanne Enoch
20. Judith McNaught
21. Julia Quinn
22. Sandra Hill
23. Sophie Jordan
24. Kresley Cole
25. Julie Garwood
26. Robin Schone
27. Jess Michaels
28. Khaled Hosseini
29. Emile Zola
30. Emily Brontë
31. Charlotte Brontë
32. Bill Bryson
33. Sarah McCarty
34. Loretta Chase
35. Heather Graham
36. Shana Abé
37. Wilbur Smith
38. Anne Stuart
39. JD Robb
40. Lucy Monroe
41. Jeffrey Archer
42. Lora Leigh (hahahaha!)
43. John Steinbeck (I'd recommend East of Eden)
44. Philip Pullman
45. C.S Lewis
46. Rick Steves; Everyone needs a good dose of travel! :)
47. William Shakespeare
48. Margaret Atwood
49. Charles Dickens
50. Dan Brown
51. Angie Sage
52. Christopher Paolini
53. Marian Keyes
54. Edgar Allen Poe
55. Erich Segal
56. Stephen King
57. Neil Gaiman
58. Chuck Palahniuk
59. D.H. Lawrence
60. the combo Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
61. Arthur Conan Doyle

1. J.K. Rowling
2. Lisa Kleypas
3. Eloisa James
4. Richelle Mead
5. Christopher Paolini
6. Kay Hooper
7. Mary Balogh
8. Pamela Clare
9. Julie Ann Long
10. Nalini Singh
11. Christine Feehan
12. Mary Jo Putney
13. Stephenie Meyer
14. Jane Austen
15. Diana Gabaldon
16. Gaelen Foley
17. Liz Carlyle
18. J.R. Ward
19. Suzanne Enoch
20. Judith McNaught
21. Julia Quinn
22. Sandra Hill
23. Sophie Jordan
24. Kresley Cole
25. Julie Garwood
26. Robin Schone
27. Jess Michaels
28. Khaled Hosseini
29. Emile Zola
30. Emily Brontë
31. Charlotte Brontë
32. Bill Bryson
33. Sarah McCarty
34. Loretta Chase
35. Heather Graham
36. Shana Abé
37. Wilbur Smith
38. Anne Stuart
39. JD Robb
40. Lucy Monroe
41. Jeffrey Archer
42. Lora Leigh (hahahaha!)
43. John Steinbeck (I'd recommend East of Eden)
44. Philip Pullman
45. C.S Lewis
46. Rick Steves; Everyone needs a good dose of travel! :)
47. William Shakespeare
48. Margaret Atwood
49. Charles Dickens
50. Dan Brown
51. Angie Sage
52. Christopher Paolini
53. Marian Keyes
54. Edgar Allen Poe
55. Erich Segal
56. Stephen King
57. Neil Gaiman
58. Chuck Palahniuk
59. D.H. Lawrence
60. the combo Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
61. Arthur Conan Doyle
62. Julia Quinn
63. Sabrina Jeffries
64. Tamora Pierce

1. J.K. Rowling
2. Lisa Kleypas
3. Eloisa James
4. Richelle Mead
5. Christopher Paolini
6. Kay Hooper
7. Mary Balogh
8. Pamela Clare
9. Julie Ann Long
10. Nalini Singh
11. Christine Feehan
12. Mary Jo Putney
13. Stephenie Meyer
14. Jane Austen
15. Diana Gabaldon
16. Gaelen Foley
17. Liz Carlyle
18. J.R. Ward
19. Suzanne Enoch
20. Judith McNaught
21. Julia Quinn
22. Sandra Hill
23. Sophie Jordan
24. Kresley Cole
25. Julie Garwood
26. Robin Schone
27. Jess Michaels
28. Khaled Hosseini
29. Emile Zola
30. Emily Brontë
31. Charlotte Brontë
32. Bill Bryson
33. Sarah McCarty
34. Loretta Chase
35. Heather Graham
36. Shana Abé
37. Wilbur Smith
38. Anne Stuart
39. JD Robb
40. Lucy Monroe
41. Jeffrey Archer
42. Lora Leigh (hahahaha!)
43. John Steinbeck (I'd recommend East of Eden)
44. Philip Pullman
45. C.S Lewis
46. Rick Steves; Everyone needs a good dose of travel! :)
47. William Shakespeare
48. Margaret Atwood
49. Charles Dickens
50. Dan Brown
51. Angie Sage
52. Christopher Paolini
53. Marian Keyes
54. Edgar Allen Poe
55. Erich Segal
56. Stephen King
57. Neil Gaiman
58. Chuck Palahniuk
59. D.H. Lawrence
60. the combo Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
61. Arthur Conan Doyle
62. Julia Quinn
63. Sabrina Jeffries
64. Tamora Pierce
65. Mark Twain
66. Nora Roberts

Hi guys,

I'm new here and am going to join in in a moment, but I think Chritopher Paolini(good author that he is) has been honored with spots 5 and 52.

Thanks for noticing Celeste, here is the list w/o Christopher Paolini twice. :)

1. J.K. Rowling
2. Lisa Kleypas
3. Eloisa James
4. Richelle Mead
5. Christopher Paolini
6. Kay Hooper
7. Mary Balogh
8. Pamela Clare
9. Julie Ann Long
10. Nalini Singh
11. Christine Feehan
12. Mary Jo Putney
13. Stephenie Meyer
14. Jane Austen
15. Diana Gabaldon
16. Gaelen Foley
17. Liz Carlyle
18. J.R. Ward
19. Suzanne Enoch
20. Judith McNaught
21. Julia Quinn
22. Sandra Hill
23. Sophie Jordan
24. Kresley Cole
25. Julie Garwood
26. Robin Schone
27. Jess Michaels
28. Khaled Hosseini
29. Emile Zola
30. Emily Brontë
31. Charlotte Brontë
32. Bill Bryson
33. Sarah McCarty
34. Loretta Chase
35. Heather Graham
36. Shana Abé
37. Wilbur Smith
38. Anne Stuart
39. JD Robb
40. Lucy Monroe
41. Jeffrey Archer
42. Lora Leigh (hahahaha!)
43. John Steinbeck (I'd recommend East of Eden)
44. Philip Pullman
45. C.S Lewis
46. Rick Steves; Everyone needs a good dose of travel! :)
47. William Shakespeare
48. Margaret Atwood
49. Charles Dickens
50. Dan Brown
51. Angie Sage
52. Claudia Gray
53. Marian Keyes
54. Edgar Allen Poe
55. Erich Segal
56. Stephen King
57. Neil Gaiman
58. Chuck Palahniuk
59. D.H. Lawrence
60. the combo Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
61. Arthur Conan Doyle
62. Julia Quinn
63. Sabrina Jeffries
64. Tamora Pierce
65. Mark Twain
66. Nora Roberts

1. J.K. Rowling
2. Lisa Kleypas
3. Eloisa James
4. Richelle Mead
5. Christopher Paolini
6. Kay Hooper
7. Mary Balogh
8. Pamela Clare
9. Julie Ann Long
10. Nalini Singh
11. Christine Feehan
12. Mary Jo Putney
13. Stephenie Meyer
14. Jane Austen
15. Diana Gabaldon
16. Gaelen Foley
17. Liz Carlyle
18. J.R. Ward
19. Suzanne Enoch
20. Judith McNaught
21. Julia Quinn
22. Sandra Hill
23. Sophie Jordan
24. Kresley Cole
25. Julie Garwood
26. Robin Schone
27. Jess Michaels
28. Khaled Hosseini
29. Emile Zola
30. Emily Brontë
31. Charlotte Brontë
32. Bill Bryson
33. Sarah McCarty
34. Loretta Chase
35. Heather Graham
36. Shana Abé
37. Wilbur Smith
38. Anne Stuart
39. JD Robb
40. Lucy Monroe
41. Jeffrey Archer
42. Lora Leigh (hahahaha!)
43. John Steinbeck (I'd recommend East of Eden)
44. Philip Pullman
45. C.S Lewis
46. Rick Steves; Everyone needs a good dose of travel! :)
47. William Shakespeare
48. Margaret Atwood
49. Charles Dickens
50. Dan Brown
51. Angie Sage
52. Claudia Gray
53. Marian Keyes
54. Edgar Allen Poe
55. Erich Segal
56. Stephen King
57. Neil Gaiman
58. Chuck Palahniuk
59. D.H. Lawrence
60. the combo Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
61. Arthur Conan Doyle
62. Julia Quinn
63. Sabrina Jeffries
64. Tamora Pierce
65. Mark Twain
66. Nora Roberts
67. Audrey Niffenegger (if for nothing else than The Traveler's Wife)

Terry Pratchett! Ken Follett

1. J.K. Rowling
2. Lisa Kleypas
3. Eloisa James
4. Richelle Mead
5. Christopher Paolini
6. Kay Hooper
7. Mary Balogh
8. Pamela Clare
9. Julie Ann Long
10. Nalini Singh
11. Christine Feehan
12. Mary Jo Putney
13. Stephenie Meyer
14. Jane Austen
15. Diana Gabaldon
16. Gaelen Foley
17. Liz Carlyle
18. J.R. Ward
19. Suzanne Enoch
20. Judith McNaught
21. Julia Quinn
22. Sandra Hill
23. Sophie Jordan
24. Kresley Cole
25. Julie Garwood
26. Robin Schone
27. Jess Michaels
28. Khaled Hosseini
29. Emile Zola
30. Emily Brontë
31. Charlotte Brontë
32. Bill Bryson
33. Sarah McCarty
34. Loretta Chase
35. Heather Graham
36. Shana Abé
37. Wilbur Smith
38. Anne Stuart
39. JD Robb
40. Lucy Monroe
41. Jeffrey Archer
42. Lora Leigh (hahahaha!)
43. John Steinbeck (I'd recommend East of Eden)
44. Philip Pullman
45. C.S Lewis
46. Rick Steves; Everyone needs a good dose of travel! :)
47. William Shakespeare
48. Margaret Atwood
49. Charles Dickens
50. Dan Brown
51. Angie Sage
52. Claudia Gray
53. Marian Keyes
54. Edgar Allen Poe
55. Erich Segal
56. Stephen King
57. Neil Gaiman
58. Chuck Palahniuk
59. D.H. Lawrence
60. the combo Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
61. Arthur Conan Doyle
62. Julia Quinn
63. Sabrina Jeffries
64. Tamora Pierce
65. Mark Twain
66. Nora Roberts
67. Audrey Niffenegger (if for nothing else than The Traveler's Wife)
68. Terry Pratchett
69. Ken Follett
70. Connie Willis (especially for To Say Nothing of the Dog
71. Connie Brockway
71. Lynn Viehl
71. Karen Marie Moning

just noticed that Julia Quinn is in here twice: #21 & #62

1. J.K. Rowling
2. Lisa Kleypas
3. Eloisa James
4. Richelle Mead
5. Christopher Paolini
6. Kay Hooper
7. Mary Balogh
8. Pamela Clare
9. Julie Ann Long
10. Nalini Singh
11. Christine Feehan
12. Mary Jo Putney
13. Stephenie Meyer
14. Jane Austen
15. Diana Gabaldon
16. Gaelen Foley
17. Liz Carlyle
18. J.R. Ward
19. Suzanne Enoch
20. Judith McNaught
21. Julia Quinn
22. Sandra Hill
23. Sophie Jordan
24. Kresley Cole
25. Julie Garwood
26. Robin Schone
27. Jess Michaels
28. Khaled Hosseini
29. Emile Zola
30. Emily Brontë
31. Charlotte Brontë
32. Bill Bryson
33. Sarah McCarty
34. Loretta Chase
35. Heather Graham
36. Shana Abé
37. Wilbur Smith
38. Anne Stuart
39. JD Robb
40. Lucy Monroe
41. Jeffrey Archer
42. Lora Leigh (hahahaha!)
43. John Steinbeck (I'd recommend East of Eden)
44. Philip Pullman
45. C.S Lewis
46. Rick Steves; Everyone needs a good dose of travel! :)
47. William Shakespeare
48. Margaret Atwood
49. Charles Dickens
50. Dan Brown
51. Angie Sage
52. Claudia Gray
53. Marian Keyes
54. Edgar Allen Poe
55. Erich Segal
56. Stephen King
57. Neil Gaiman
58. Chuck Palahniuk
59. D.H. Lawrence
60. the combo Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
61. Arthur Conan Doyle
62. Julia Quinn
63. Sabrina Jeffries
64. Tamora Pierce
65. Mark Twain
66. Nora Roberts
67. Audrey Niffenegger (if for nothing else than The Traveler's Wife)
68. Terry Pratchett
69. Ken Follett
70. Connie Willis (especially for To Say Nothing of the Dog
71. Connie Brockway
71. Lynn Viehl
71. Karen Marie Moning
72. Stieg Larsson

I'd have to add in

Ursula K. LeGuin
and
Octavia Butler

You can combine J.D. Robb and Nora Roberts. It's the same person. (Sorry, if that was a Santa Claus moment for anyone out there)

Otherwise do Stephen King and Richard Bachman get separate listings?

I just heard Ms. Roberts interviewed on NPR Books podcasts. It's a short, but good interview, she was at the RWA Convention? Conference? Fight Club? Hoedown? Comic-con? Whatever?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story...

She doesn't plot out her books in advance. But her publisher has a dry erase board charting out the publication schedule.