A Little Introduction

Hello from Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal region. I’m pleased to have been invited by the Susquehanna Writers to contribute to this blog.

Though I’m 60 miles from Harrisburg I’m still close to the river and my Sticks Hetrick mystery series is set in a fictional rural community near the capital. Sticks originated as a character in a short story written when I was on the staff of The Daily News in Lebanon, where I lived for 20 years.

There are now four novels in the Hetrick series: Something In Common, Cruel Cuts, Corruption’s Child and Being Someone Else, all published by Whiskey Creek Press and available in print and electronic forms. In addition to these mysteries I’ve published four other novels, three of them historical fiction and the other a mainstream novel (for want of a better description). In the near future I hope to announce a new publishing venture in another genre.

Since retiring as an editor with The News-Item, Shamokin, in 2000 I’ve been librarian of the Northumberland County Historical Society where I assist patrons with genealogy and research.

Between this second (or should I say third?) career, my writing, a voracious reading schedule, reviewing for several sites, marketing of my books, drawing, a few other hobbies, my children and four grandsons there isn’t much time for rocking on the porch. But I enjoy it all.

I invite you to check out my webpage for more information: http://jrlindermuth.com

What Writers Read?

I read an interesting blog on another site that started a discussion of what books in certain genres you've never read. Most writers are voracious readers not only in the genre they write but in many others.
Personally, I write romance and fantasy, sometime combining the two and sometimes not. I've read thousands of romance books over the years including perhaps the best known world wide, Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen's writings hold a prominent spot on my bookshelves. And how could I write fantasy without having read Tolkien's Lord of the Rings? But must I have read those masters to be a successful writer in those genres? Austen and Tolkien certainly didn't write in a style that would be accepted by today's publishing world.
Should an author entering the young adult market have read Harry Potter and Twilight? That market seems to be booming with many new writers finding success.
Should a writer read all of Oprah's recommendations if they're goal is literary fiction?
I don't write contemporary romance or fiction but if I did should I read Nora Roberts? Should I read Lee Childs or Robert Parker if I want to develop a contemporary suspense/thriller character to carry on a long running series? What do you think? Are there must reads for authors searching for success in certain genres?