A Life in Books: Amanda Quick
Posted by Goodreads on April 18, 2016
Like your passion with a little edge? Then Jayne Anne Krantz has got you covered in every time period. The American author writes historical romantic suspense as Amanda Quick (Ravished), contemporary romantic suspense under her own name (All Night Long), and futuristic romantic suspense as Jayne Castle (After Dark). 'Til Death Do Us Part, her latest heart-pumping tale, sweeps us back to Victorian London. Here, headstrong Calista Langley, operator of an exclusive "introduction" agency—also known as a matchmaking service—finds herself caught up in a game of deadly obsession. Her main ally? Trent Hastings, a brooding author with a shadowy, secret past to rival Calista's own. Quick gives us a peek into her reading world, revealing the books that have inspired and influenced her career.
What book hooked you on reading?
Walter Farley's Black Stallion series. I can't remember exactly how or when I got my hands on those stories but they really resonated with me in a way that the Little House on the Prairie books never did. Sure, I read the Little House books. Someone in the family insisted on giving them to me on my birthday and at Christmas. But it was Farley's books that made me a reader for life. There was a sense of adventure and wildness in that series that was lacking in most children's books at the time. Naturally I mentally changed out the boy hero and inserted myself in that role.
What book made you want to become a writer?
Anne McCaffrey's Restoree. I stumbled onto this amazing book—the first true science fiction romance I had ever encountered; maybe the first one ever written—when I was backpacking through Europe with my college roommate. I will never forget it. Restoree combined all the storytelling elements I had been searching for my whole life—a gutsy heroine, a strange and futuristic world, an intriguing hero, and lots of adventure. I'm not saying that I immediately wanted to become a writer because of that book, but a few years later when I did start writing it was because I was trying to recreate the experience of that book in my own way.
What's the last romance novel that made you swoon?
Sorry, I've never actually swooned in my entire life. My favorite genre is the one that combines passion and danger—romantic suspense. In recent months I have enjoyed some great stories including Obsession Falls by Christina Dodd. This is the second book in Dodd's new series set in Virtue Falls, Washington. Let's just say this is one weird town. Everyone has a dangerous secret. I also loved Heroes Are My Weakness by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. As far as I'm concerned, Phillips has redefined the modern gothic novel with this book. A great read. I also enjoyed Perfect Touch by Elizabeth Lowell. Lowell is terrific at infusing the atmosphere of the modern American West into her stories of suspense and passion.
What book taught you the most about life?
I'm still working on figuring out life; however, I can tell you that The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo has certainly been helpful when it comes to deciding how to set priorities. And The Confidence Game by Maria Konnikova is eye-opening, to say the least. I mean, really, is it that easy to fool people? And what kind of creep deliberately sets out to do that? Just goes to show, you can't make this stuff up.
But I long ago discovered that the things I consider truly important—courage, honor, integrity, determination and a belief in the healing power of love—are the bedrock elements of the popular fiction genres, including romance. Popular fiction affirms those core values. We know that when the chips are down, the heroes and heroines of popular fiction—no matter how flawed—will do the right thing. And deep down we hope that, at crunch time, we will do the right thing, too.
What book do you want to read before you die?
I'm hoping to put off that particular deadline for as long as possible, so I'll have to get back to you on that. Too many good books left to read.
What book hooked you on reading?
What book made you want to become a writer?
What's the last romance novel that made you swoon?
Sorry, I've never actually swooned in my entire life. My favorite genre is the one that combines passion and danger—romantic suspense. In recent months I have enjoyed some great stories including Obsession Falls by Christina Dodd. This is the second book in Dodd's new series set in Virtue Falls, Washington. Let's just say this is one weird town. Everyone has a dangerous secret. I also loved Heroes Are My Weakness by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. As far as I'm concerned, Phillips has redefined the modern gothic novel with this book. A great read. I also enjoyed Perfect Touch by Elizabeth Lowell. Lowell is terrific at infusing the atmosphere of the modern American West into her stories of suspense and passion.
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I'm still working on figuring out life; however, I can tell you that The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo has certainly been helpful when it comes to deciding how to set priorities. And The Confidence Game by Maria Konnikova is eye-opening, to say the least. I mean, really, is it that easy to fool people? And what kind of creep deliberately sets out to do that? Just goes to show, you can't make this stuff up.
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What book do you want to read before you die?
I'm hoping to put off that particular deadline for as long as possible, so I'll have to get back to you on that. Too many good books left to read.
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Apr 20, 2016 06:21AM

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But the first 'real book was Robert Heinlein's Have Spacesuit, Will Travel. I read it at a fairly young age and got hooked on SF forever! Then all of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys (I liked the Boys better).

Me too! When my folks moved to an old age home and got rid of all the stuff they didn't have room for, I made sure to keep those volumes. The rest of them have become redundant, still says the earth is flat. Ha ha, not really. I am sure the two which covered myths and legends sparked my love of fantasy novels.


devoured them many times. My first taste of Canada growing in Australia.