We asked our authors from around the world to share their thoughts on why they write, why they read, and the books that have influenced them.
Here’s what they had to say.
Tell us why you read and share your favorite books! Join the discussion @HarperCollins on Twitter using #hc200.
Susanna Gordon
I write out of compulsion. “The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner,” as Alan Sillitoe remarked—the exhilaration and discipline of the run; the finish line unknown until you get there. Do I think of my readers as I write? Yes, in the sense that they are part of the dialogue as I seek to excavate something for them, for me—power, love, despair. Seduced and in love with words and the beauty of syntax: that’s writing. Who will read your book when you launch it into the world? That’s a matter of luck. You think mostly of the vacuum between books, and wait until the next one arrives like a gift.
