Authors Pick Five: Angela Morrison

Author Angela Morrison picks the following six books as those most important or influential to her:

Really? Only five? I got it down to six.

Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women by Cornelia Meigs. I loved biographies in grade school. I found a battered copy of this 1933 classic in my school library and fell in love with Louisa. I pretended to be her all the time. My older, perfect sister was Meg, and I made my two younger sisters be Beth and Amy. I never grew out of wanting to be her. Who wants to play?

The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin. My teenage passion. I loved hobbits (and geeky guys who loved hobbits), but Ged's a serious babe. Still my favorite fantasy trilogy.

My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok. I discovered Asher at BYU. Potok even came and spoke while I was there. His Jewish world resonated in my Mormon girl heart. Coming of age at its best.

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. Ah, Natasha, Natasha! How could you? My favorite romance. (Jane Austen's Persuasion is a close second.)

Oh, Pioneers, by Willa Cather. I still sob every time I read this. Great training for a tragic romanticist like me.

The Dollmage by Martine Leavitt. I read this AMAZING fable-like fantasy when I was trying to figure out how to write fiction that resonated my faith without being preachy and confusing. This blew my mind. A master class on how to use your own, individual inner truth as the bones of your work. Riveting tale.

Angela is the author of Taken by Storm, a YA romance book that I loved and reviewed back in January. I was also able to interview her as part of that review post. I'll be doing a giveaway of a signed copy of Taken by Storm very soon, just as soon as I figure out a couple of details.

Recently, she sent me an ARC of her next book, Sing Me To Sleep, which comes out next year in March. I devoured it in one day, and can't wait to review it for you, but I will save it to post a little closer to it's release date.

She is currently working on a sequel to Taken by Storm, which is great, because that book left us all with a touch of that hanging feeling.

If you are a fan of t deeply moving YA romances, with lots of heart and lots of feeling, you need to check out these books!