Memo to Self

Q: What book did you not enjoy, but motivated you in your own writing?
- from Susan

Hah, this question stopped me cold. I don’t often remember books I didn’t like. I mean, why waste precious brain cells on that? 
I admit, I do sometimes read contemporary fiction that just doesn’t cut it with me. But unless it’s got gruesome torture or scaring-the vulnerable-protagonist-half-to-death scenes, I don’t consciously think, I will avoid that kind of scene. I am not likely to stop and think, “...