In which I ramble about my favorite author
That would be Stephen King.
I was introduced to his work by Kate H. in 8th grade. She was reading a paperback called 'Salem's Lot. I remember having come across it and been kind of scared off by the cover a few years back at a book-filled summer house on the Cape.
I asked Kate "What's it about?"
She smiled. "Vampires. Want to read it?"
That was it. I was hooked. I must have read more of his books from the library or maybe Kate loaned me others. I can't remember.
I do remember my mother (who is wonderful at encouraging my passions even when she doesn't understand them) gave me a huge stack of King paperbacks for Hanukkah that year. I think Christine had just come out in paperback (which dates me terribly). I read those books to literal tatters. I haven't a single one left from that gift.
I started buying hardcovers as soon as they were released. I still have all of those. Except The Tommyknockers which sucked. I was so disappointed that I didn't bother keeping it with the rest. As far as I know the book was still in the basement of my parents' old house when it was demolished. I knew he was better than that piece of junk, so I kept reading his books.
When I was a freshman in college, unbeknownst to me, The Gunslinger, that mysterious volume that appeared in book lists, but never in book stores, was released as a trade pb. My doting mother mailed me a copy. Pretty much from the first sentence I became a fervent follower of Roland. It's been an epic journey and I cried when it ended, but I'm glad we finally reached The Tower.
Last fall, Stephen King made a rare appearance to promote Doctor Sleep. I was there, no surprise. All attendees got a copy of the book, about a quarter of which were signed. I saved the book for months. I knew this was going to be a good one.
I cracked it open for my birthday and I was right. It was a good one. It answers the question of "Whatever happened to that kid from The Shining?". Such a good story, so well told. You know that saying about if there's a gun on the mantlepiece in Act I, it better be used in Act II? He used guns I hadn't even noticed were on the mantle because they were obscured by the candlesticks. And because I remembered The Shining so well I saw a tiny detail early and wondered about it, but still didn't realize the full import until later.
And no, my copy wasn't signed, but I don't think those two words would have made the story any better.
Addendum: Over the weekend, I was talking about some of this with new_man and mentioned that I hadn't liked Thinner, but I regretted not buying The Bachman Books when I had the chance. In a recent essay on gun violence, King wrote that after several cases of kids coming to school with guns and a copy of Rage, he had that book pulled from publication.
Yesterday I got home from work and there was a large parcel waiting for me. Inside there was a library-bound volume of, you guessed it, The Bachman Books. He loves me.