Welcome to the fourth and final installment of my “Books That Made Me” series, part of the #SixteensBlogAbout series featuring The Sweet Sixteens’ favorite books and authors.  So far in this little series, I have written about the book that made me evangelical about reading, that books that enthralled me, and the books that launched me into a community of readers.  Today I get to talk about a series of books that is close to my heart – the series that made me want to be a writer: The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner.

Now, I have been writing for a long time, since long before these books came out.  But whenever I finish one of these books, I have an overwhelming sense of “Yes!  The way I feel right now is how I want people to feel after reading something I’ve written.”  And who knows if I will ever accomplish that goal?  But these books are so well-written, so intricate, so engulfing that they inspire me to try.

Every time I reread this series (and I’ll be honest, I have to ration my rereads so I don’t get swallowed by self-doubt and the belief that I will never be able to write anything half so good – in case I haven’t mentioned it, they are really, really good!), I learn new things about character development, story structure, balance of showing and telling.  And yet, even while I am appreciating the artistry, I am entirely wrapped up in the story and the characters.  Megan Whalen Turner is an author who knows how to engage both your heart and your brain.

Come to think of it, I haven’t reread these in awhile….maybe that will be my reward for finishing the current draft I am working on.

And if you haven’t read them?  Seriously, go get them now.  You won’t regret it.