Fragrance of Thought

I love lyrical fiction. You know, the kind of writing that makes you feel as though you are lying in the cool grass with the book’s character, enjoying the gentle wisp of breeze rustling your hair, the faint whiff of summer roses permeating the air. I can almost hear the music of the trees as they swish against each other, the distant bay of dog, disturbed by a jogger passing by. Every sense tingles; every vivid word I read nudges me to wake and experience the scene as though I were there.

I found such a descriptive writer recently. Patti Callahan Henry is the author of eight novels about southern living and self-discovery. Critics compare her to Patricia Gaffney and Mary Alice Monroe, and now that I’ve read Patti’s books, I want to explore what the others have to say. I’ve placed her novels on my shelf alongside Kate Morton’s works. I’m excited to have found another literary favorite. I want to write my own manuscripts that touch others as deeply as their books have touched me. They inspire me and make me want to sit down at the computer, lasso words and corral them onto the page in ways that will best communicate the thoughts inside me. And though I may never reach such heights as these fine writers, I am grateful for their talent and what their genius does to me.

How about you? Who are your favorite authors, and what impassions you about their writing? Please share so others may sample their work.