The Author Guy Blog by Larry B. Gildersleeve

19th January 2024

Hello out there,

Welcome back. One of my resolutions for the new year was to read even more than I’ve endeavored in the past. Since I write fiction, I read novels almost exclusively – for two reasons.

The obvious one is the pleasure that comes from escaping into the imaginary world created by another author. A perhaps less obvious reason to those who are not writers or authors (and there is a difference) is to learn from those more skilled than I am.

I look forward to each new offering from John Grisham, though I confess disappointment in his latest “The Exchange.” The amount of his descriptive violence was a new experience for me, and the prose didn’t seem as robust and flowing as I remember. But that might just be me.

I highly recommend these three books that received awards and/or stunning reviews in 2023 – “Resurrection Walk” the much-anticipated sequel to his bestseller “Lincoln Lawyer” by Michael Connelly; “Tom Lake” by one of my absolute favorite authors Ann Patchett; and “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store” by James McBride. All three are New York Times bestselling authors, and I firmly believe you won’t be disappointed with any or all of these selections.

I’d be delighted to hear from you – about the books you’ve read that captivated you, as well as those that disappointed you. All part of my journey of learning as much as I can about the craft of writing and the profession of being both a writer and an author.

Until next week … 

Vaya con Dios

Larry B. Gildersleeve