What books are on my nightstand?

A question proposed by the Forward Motion Writing community Merry-Go-Round Blog tour for the month of July:  what books are on your nightstand.  Like many others, I do not have a nightstand.  My bedroom is just too small.  However, I have a 4" tall bookshelf in my living room that I call "To be read".  As I sit here and write tonight, I see this shelf packed full of all the books I want to read.  Each one seems like it should be next.  The decisions are tough at the end of each book.

My tastes in books vary widely.  I have classics, women's fiction, young adult fiction and lots of craft books.  On the list right now is the Artemis Fowl series, the last two Jodi Picoult books, the Demon-hunting Soccer mom books, several books by Ally Carter, Sue William Silverman's memoirs plus craft book and other craft books.  There is no rhyme or reason to this collection.

I just finished reading Goth Girl Rising by Barry Lyga which was quite interesting.  Lyga can write a teenage girl like no other man I have ever read.  I learn a lot everytime I read one of his books.  He nails the mind-set of a girl messed up by the circumstances of her life.  If you want to write in the first person or like young adult, give Barry Lyga a try.

I am currently reading Things we didn't say by Kristina Riggle.  She is a local author from Grand Rapids, MI.  She will be doing an author sign this Thursday in a local bookstore a little north of my hometown.  She is a wonderful speaker and educated about things aspiring authors would like to know.  She will be answering questions about the process and this book in particular.

Not on my shelf:  World War Z by Max Brooks.  I believe this is the next book to read.  It is for a friend but I want to read it first.  So, what is everyone else reading these days?

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