TWELVE DAYS OF BOOKMAS
By
Jayne Ann Krentz
In which I answer the twelve questions that I am most frequently asked and recommend a book for that hard-to-shop-for person on your holiday list.
SECOND DAY OF BOOKMAS
Question # 2: What were your formative books, the ones you loved growing up?
I get asked this question a lot. The answer is, my mother made sure I was exposed to the classics but I can’t say I was ever a fan. There were two kinds of books that really called to me. The first were horse books, especially stories that involved strong, semi-psychic bonds between horses and humans — books like the Walter Farley horse stories and, later, the Dick Francis novels set in the racing world.
As for Nancy Drew, I considered her a role model right from the start. What girl doesn’t want to solve mysteries and drive her very own roadster? Oh, yeah, and there was a boyfriend. Cool.
Day 2 Book Recommendation for Holiday Gifting:
These books are for the young people on your list (grades 4-7). Writer pal, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, passed along recommendations from her two grandchildren. My thanks to both of them!
ROLLER GIRL by Victoria Jamieson (School Library Journal suggests this for grades 4-8). A graphic novel that features a 12-year-old girl facing the prospect of entering the scary world of junior high. The heroine joins a roller derby team and discovers her own inner strength
INTO THE KILLING SEAS by Michael P. Spradlin (School Library Journal suggests this for grades 4-7) This is set in the Pacific during WWII. It’s about two brothers searching for parents who might or might not be alive who stowaway aboard a battleship. The ship is sunk and the kids must fight to survive in the dangerous seas. There are sharks on the cover which should tell you immediately that young boys will love it.
****Edited to add: The winner of the giveaway is Rebecca Nini. An email has been sent.
The publisher is offering a copy of Illusion Town to a random commenter. To enter, just leave a comment – US only. I’ll choose a winner on Sunday.
Jayne Ann Krentz, the New York Times bestselling author of Secret Sisters, delivers a thrilling novel of the deceptions we hide behind, the passions we surrender to, and the lengths we’ll go to for the truth…
When Charlotte Sawyer is unable to contact her stepsister, Jocelyn, to tell her that one of her closest friends was found dead, she discovers that Jocelyn has vanished.
Beautiful, brilliant—and reckless—Jocelyn has gone off the grid before, but never like this. In a desperate effort to find her, Charlotte joins forces with Max Cutler, a struggling PI who recently moved to Seattle after his previous career as a criminal profiler went down in flames—literally. Burned out, divorced and almost broke, Max needs the job.
After surviving a near-fatal attack, Charlotte and Max turn to Jocelyn’s closest friends, women in a Seattle-based online investment club, for answers. But what they find is chilling…
When her uneasy alliance with Max turns into a full-blown affair, Charlotte has no choice but to trust him with her life. For the shadows of Jocelyn’s past are threatening to consume her—and anyone else who gets in their way…
Jayne Ann Krentz is the author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. She has written contemporary romantic suspense novels under that name, as well as futuristic and historical romance novels under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, respectively. Learn more at jayneannkrentz.com and connect with her on facebook.com/JayneAnnKrentz.
My formative books were not your usual one like Black Beauty, etc. I’m dyslexic so reading, in the beginning, was very hard for me. I wanted to read so badly that my mother would sit with me for hours with, first, Dick and Jane and, then, with The Bobbsey Twins. My mother lived to be 90 and she still couldn’t look at a Dick and Jane book without shuddering lol. But I can read because of her
Thank God for your mother, there is no greater gift you can receive than the ability to read.
I loved all books but Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle opened up my brain to the wonder of possibilities.
When my kids were in grades 4-7, they loved the Maximum Ride books, the Percy Jackson books and the Wings of Fire books. I love your books and have almost every one!
Did you read the Bonnie books like The Sweet Running Filly?
I loved horse books as well. Read allllllllll the approximately one billion Black Stallion books. Finished Nancy Drew by the end of second grade. Mucked out stalls so I could pay for riding lessons. Bonnie and her owner, Julie Jefferson, were always my favorites.
I just bought the Secret Sisters book…already enjoyed Illusion Town!! Love love the dust bunnies in your paranormal books. Always love reading your books..u you are so talented!
I loved the Black Stallion books too! As a school librarian I made sure my library had the books!
I WAS NOT A READER UNTIL I WAS 14 AND FOUND HARLEQUIN ROMANCES THEN OTHER BOOKS BUY AUTHOR I HAVE ALL OF YOURS..
Black Stallion was my favorite, I think maybe 2nd or 3rd grade. I also read all the Nancy Drew and Hardy boys books between 2nd and 4th grades, a friend of the family had complete sets! During early fall and late spring we had a playground with a lawn, when they mowed, several of us little girls would use the grass clippings to make corrals for our horses. Fun memory.
Merry Christmas. I guess my formative books would be Nancy Drew mysteries.
I loved Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden and the Happy Hollisters.
I love reading Jayne Ann Krentz books!
I read a lot when I was a child ( it hasn’t changed much). Favorites included Little Women, books by Beverly Cleary and Robert McCloskey as well as Bobbsey Twins and Nancy Drew and many others.
My favorites were Linda Craig mysteries (horse stories) and Nancy Drew, now everything by Jayne Ann Krentz & Nora Roberts. I can’t get them fast enough!!
Great recs for my grandkids. When I was growing up, I loved mysteries (Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, etc.,) biographies and books about animals. Thanks for the contest–I enjoy Krentz’s books under all her author names!
In elementary school, I loved the Boxcar Children series.
Definitely Nancy Drew for me! I loved those books!
can”t wait to read your new book!
Love all of these books . I would love to have a Dust bunny. The hot sex scene wow love it all.From romance to mystery the best series they are !!!
Hot hot hot
The 1st book I ever read on my own was Little Women, I was 5. Everyone told my grandmother I was way too young but she insisted. I thank her everyday because of her I have such a love for books.
Thank you, Ms. Krentz, for much reading pleasure over the years. I enjoyed reading your book reading history and seeing the book recommendations. Thanks too for the chance to win.
Loved Nancy Drew! Thanks for the recommendations
My formative books were all Barbara Cartland romances because that is what my mother read. I love books by Christine Feehan, Jayne Ann Krentz, Allison Brennan, and Yasmine Galenorn. Thank you for your books. I love them all.
I love Jayne Krentz’s books. Secret Sisters is one hilarious book. I reread twice already.
Sonnetta_jones(at)hotmail(dot)com
My childhood books included Nancy Drew and anything with horses. My early teen years were a mix of romantic suspense, such as Airs Above the Ground (still into the horses) and classics such As War and Peace. It was not until I was 17 or 18 that I discovered Harlequin Romances. But these genre lines led me to your own early works. Your author names may be different but all your books are great friends I enjoy being with time and time again.
When I was younger I loved the creepy books. I can’t even remember all of the authors. I know my mother used to worry about the “scary, weird” stuff I was reading!
I started memorizing words on flash cards when I was three much to the annoyance of my babysitter’s five year old kindergartner who was still mastering the alphabet. I thought the Boxcar Children Books were too exciting for words, the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew were my first look at critical thinkers. By the time I was eleven I had read every book in the children’s section of the library and with my parents permission I was allowed to bring home and read Edgar Rice Burroughs, Mark Twain, Zane Gray.
I am happy to say all my children, grandchildren and the one great-grandchild are readers.
I love JAK’s books (also by her alter egos Amanda Quick & Jayne Castle). I found lots of books in my grandparents attics – my favorites were the Cherry Ames Nurse series and the Bobbsey Twins series.
Can’t wait to read Illusion Town byJayne Ann Krentz.
My favorite book – horses – yes, the Walter Farley ones! Next were the Cherry Ames books, then came science fiction, and Then I discovered Pride and Prejudice! Completely cleaned out our small public library.
Early faves were Little Women, the Cherry Ames books and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I have read nearly everything JAK has written since I first discovered her around 1990. Also love SEP, Allison Brennan and Grace Burrowes.
I can’t wait to be illusioned!!!
I just love books. I am partial to romance hence my long love affair of any book by Jayne. I own them all.
Dust bunnies rule! Nancy Drew, not so much. I was a Trixie Belden girl, myself.
I loved Nancy Drew, but loved Trixie Beldon books even more. Nancy was almost too good for me – Trixie was a devilish teenage girl who was smart and got into trouble. Plus, she lived on a farm with horses!
I started with Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew mom’s influence. Star Trek and science fiction dad’s influence. And anything that was available. Sending me to my room was not a punishment. I enjoy your books they are a great mix.
Little Women and The Famous Five books are the books that come to mind when I think of my early reads. As I entered my teens, The Day of The Trifids and Animal Farm were my favourites.
little women, Nancy Drew. Bobsey Twins, Boxar Children and lots and lots more. I really enjoyed getting my very own copy of Jack and Jill Magazine in the mail.
I didn’t get into reading until I was older and having my own daughters. Luckily they both love to read like me.
I loved Anne of Green Gables, The Hobbit, Pride and Prejudice… I still love them!
In addition to Nancy Drew, I loved the Happy Hollisters. I still have all of them!
My parents got me the Dr. Seuss books via mail. It was always a special time of the month when those arrived. My father would set me in his lap and read while I looked at the pictures. He’d make funny voices and even now fifty years later I’ll smile thinking of “Ten tired turtles in a Tuttle-Tuttle Tree.” I love the Jayne Castle books, they are amazing. I also have a soft spot for Amanda Quick.
The Black Stallion series, Marguerite Henry’s books and the Nancy Drew series were my faves. My folks bought a set of classics of some 30+ books including the works of Socrates, Plato, Shakespeare, et al and Dad made me a bargain: for each of the classics I read he’d buy me 1 of my fave reads! Read ’em all!
I follow and collect all of Jayne Ann Krentz’s books doesn’t matter what name she writes under I love them all. Looking forward to Illusion Town and The Girl Who Knew Too Much.
Thanks Jayne for the great reads.