Hello,

It’s always great to discover new writers—or at least new to you—it’s like finding a piece of solid gold in your cereal box. Discovering new writers is finding new worlds, characters you can’t forget, new ways writing can be done; its one of the best gifts the universe offers. I came across my new writers through one of the best resources--another writer—who takes the time to seek out other writers just for the pleasure of it and doesn’t mind passing along his choices to others; my “another writer” is one of the best, Stephen King. You know how he’s my second favorite writer, so I of course took his choices very seriously and choose two new writers I hadn’t heard of from his list and I third I discovered myself.

First, is Kate Atkinson, who is a British mystery writer and her writing reminds me of Ruth Rendell’s (one of my favorites) though her novel called Case Histories is more clinical than her writing, yet engaging. The characters are people you want to follow and like Ms. Rendell; she presents a detective though a private one, who is not as domesticated as Police Detective Wesford. One of the things I like about Ms. Atkinson’s writing is that it’s good, the stories interesting enough that you want to read her next work as soon as possible. The second novelist recommended by Mr. King is Robert Goodard who's written Pale Battalions, he's a British mystery as well. I haven’t gotten the novel yet but I’m looking forward to it.

My third new novelist I discovered on my own, his name is Richard Stark who was the terrific Donald E. Westlake. I love the Richard Stark novels; I’ve read two so far. Mr. Stark wrote about master criminal Parker who is a master criminal that runs into a lot of bad luck it takes all his skill to get out of with his life and the lives of his partners. The novels carry you along; you root for Parker to make it out with his loot even though the twists and turns seem impossible for him to maneuver his way through but he does, even when it takes a bullet.

So there you have it, three new writers to take up more of your writing time, yet it’s more than worth it; it’s hard to write well if you haven’t read how well it can be done.

“Please write again soon. Though my own life is filled with activity, letters encourage momentary escape into others lives and I come back to my own with greater encouragement.” Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey

If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: mathewsla@hotmail.com