7 Author Shoutouts - Authors We Love To Recommend

Here are 7 Author Shoutouts for this week. Find your favorite author or discover an author whose work you have not yet read.

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This Weeks Author Shoutouts

Michael Crichton

A shoutout to Michael Crichton, an acclaimed author hailing from Chicago, Illinois, the best city in the United States. Known for combining science and thrill in his novels such as The Andromeda Strain, The Terminal Man, Jurassic Park, and Sphere, Crichton held a medical degree from Harvard but chose not to pursue a medical career. Several of his books were adapted into successful films, some of which he personally directed. Additionally, he was the creator and executive producer of the TV series ER, which launched the careers of Anthony Edwards, Juliana Margulies, and George Clooney.

Crichtonsaurus bohlini, a recently identified species of ankylosaur, was designated in commemoration of him in 2002. He passed away at the age of 66 due to cancer in 2008.

Emma Donoghue

Emma Donoghue, born in Dublin, Ireland, deserves an Author Shoutout. She has authored a total of five stage plays, five radio dramas, and a screenplay. However, it was her novel Room, published in 2010, that brought her into the spotlight. The book tells the story of a five-year-old boy and his mother who are trapped in a single room from the boy’s birth. Room received critical acclaim and was nominated for the Man Booker Prize. Additionally, it won the Irish Book Award. In 2015, Room was adapted into a highly successful film, with Donoghue herself writing the screenplay.

Ms. Donoghue has written a total of 16 novels, with Room being her seventh. One of her notable works is The Wonder, published in 2016, which explores the themes of faith and belief in 19th century rural Ireland. This novel was also adapted into a successful film featuring Florence Pugh.

Anne Tyler

Novelist Anne Tyler, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, deserves an Author Shoutout for her exceptional work. Her novels Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant and The Accidental Tourist were both Pulitzer Prize nominees, with her winning the Pulitzer in 1989 for Breathing Lessons. Additionally, her 2015 novel, A Spool of Blue Thread, made it to the shortlist for the Man Booker Prize. With a total of 24 novels to her name, including French Braid, released in 2022, Tyler stands out as a bestselling author who, unlike many others, is known for rarely granting interviews or going on book tours.

She resides in Baltimore, Maryland, the backdrop for numerous of her literary works.

Jim Butcher

Fantasy author Jim Butcher, born in Independence, Missouri where he currently resides, deserves an Author Shoutout. During his childhood, a case of strep throat confined him to bed, where he came across The Lord of the Rings and The Han Solo Adventures. These literary works had a profound impact on his writing style. Jim Butcher is best known for his famous book series, The Dresden Files, which revolves around a professional wizard in contemporary Chicago. Additionally, he has also penned the Codex Alera series, a more conventional fantasy tale.

The Aeronaut’s Windlass, the first book in the steampunk series called The Cinder Spires, was released by him in 2015. The second book, titled The Olympian Affair was released in 2023.

Dylan Thomas & Sylvia Plath

Two Author Shoutouts – to Dylan Thomas, a poet and writer, was born in Uplands, Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales. Eighteen years later, in 1932, Sylvia Plath, also a poet and writer, was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Both achieved recognition during their lives. Thomas was known for his accessible yet lofty poetry (Do not go gentle into that good night), recorded stories (A Child’s Christmas in Wales), and the play Under Milk Wood. Plath gained fame through her confessional poetry (The Colossus and other poems and Ariel) and her semi-autobiographical novel, The Bell Jar.

Tragically, both died by their own hand – Plath by suicide in 1963 at age 30, Thomas through hard living and hard drinking, in 1953 at age 39.

John Hewitt

John Hewitt, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, deserves an Author Shoutout. He was an early proponent of regionalism as a way to establish one’s identity, rather than relying on politics or religion. His strong connection to Belfast is evident in his early poetry, which explores themes of desolate landscapes, exile, and the search for a sense of belonging.

He focused more on the troubled past of his home province in his later works, highlighting the conflicting emotions he felt for the people and the landscape. Drawing inspiration from the radical dissenting tradition, he also delved into the ongoing violent conflicts that continue to haunt Northern Ireland. His passing occurred in 1987 when he was 80 years old.

Lee Child

Lee Child, born as James Dover Grant in Coventry, Warwickshire, England, deserves an Author Shoutout. Known for his thrilling Jack Reacher novel series, he embarked on writing novels after losing his television production job. He considers them to be the ultimate source of entertainment. His debut novel, Killing Floor, published in 1997, received accolades, including the Anthony Award and the 1998 Barry Award for Best First Novel. With a total of 28 novels already published, he has others which he co-wrote with his younger brother, Andrew Child.

His works, including the Jack Reacher films featuring Tom Cruise and the Amazon Prime streaming series, have become iconic in popular culture.

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