Agatha Christie or Robert Ludlum? Brother Cadfael or Stephanie Plum? Who are some of your favorite authors you love to read outside of Intrigue? And why? Do you read just for escape? Or are there elements in those books or characters that influence your writing style?

Julie Miller: When it comes to romance or romantic suspense, I love reading Suzanne Brockmann and Rachel Lee. Both write heroes who appeal to me on many different levels--from military tough guys to brainy investigators, from diehard protectors to strong, caring family men. I just feel good when I 'meet' one of their men in a story. It's sort of inspirational, I suppose, when it comes to my writing--I strive to create heroes, like my four Kincaid brothers in my Precinct: Brotherhood of the Badge mini-series that starts this month with Protective Instincts, who touch my heart and hormones just as strongly.

Outside the genre, I love reading mysteries (a longtime goal of mine has been to read all of Agatha Christie's books, and I'm gettin' there!) and travel/history non-fiction. I just like learning about the world. Sometimes, my reading leads me to an event or location that I'll work into a story. But reading is also an escape for me--it relaxes my brain and rejuvenates my creativity so that I'm ready to write that next book!

Dani Sinclair: I always hate questions like this because without droning on forever, I’m going to leave out so many of my favorite authors.  I read A LOT, generally a book a day. And I have pretty eclectic taste. Jayne Ann Krentz has always been one of my favorite romance authors. She builds great relationships between her strong, feminine heroines and her macho heroes while telling a fun tale. Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books have made me laugh out loud more than once. I’m always ready for the next installment. CE Murphy’s Joanne Walker is a great twist on urban fantasy. And Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson and her werewolves are always fun and exciting. Sharon Lee and Steve Miller’s Tree and Dragon series is a true space opera with a strong sense of family. And while I didn’t expect to like Steven Brust’s Dragaeran series--how could I possibly relate to a hero who is a professional hit-man?--I’m waiting impatiently for the next installment.

I could go on and on…REALLY. J  But what draws me to these authors and so many more are the strong, compelling characters they’ve created. I read primarily for relaxation. I love a good adventure with likable characters. If they have a sense of humor it’s icing on the cake. I try to bring that same sense of fun and adventure to my own writing.  Sometimes I even succeed.--

Mallory Kane: Let's see... Lisa Gardner, Andre Norton, Tami Hoag, Zane Grey, Rex Stout. As you see, I read all across the board. But everything I read influences me. I love Gardner and Hoag's suspense, and Andre Norton's otherworldly romance. Rex Stout is pure escapist pleasure, because I could never structure a mystery like he does. When we started writing the Silver Star of Texas series, I re-read Zane Grey to get into that Western Texas Ranger feeling. This month (June) the first book in Silver Star of Texas: Cantara Hills Investigation--The Heart of Brody McQuade-- comes out. It's the second Texas Ranger series we've done, and I'm hoping everyone will love Brody and Victoria's journey to love.

Sylvie Kurtz: My favorite authors? I read everything that Joy Fielding, Laura Lippman, Elizabeth George, Sue Grafton, T. Jefferson Parker and Joseph Finder write. Those are the authors just off the top of my head. I read everything. What I don't read, I listen to on audio. I can't get enough books. I hope that the influence of these very talented writers improves my own writing by making me work harder at my storytelling. Since I love mystery/thrillers that is what I read most. But I throw in some Stephanie Bond and Jennifer Crusie on occasion. Can't beat humor and romance. :) My daughter sends me  "literary" books that have enough plot that I will actually read them. :) I loved The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. It starts slow but takes off for a great story. I also loved The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard. I highly recommend it.

B.J. Daniels: The why-dunnit attracts me more than the who-dunnit, so I tend to read more suspense than mystery--like Joy Fielding, Lisa Gardner, Laura Lippman (especially the stand-alones), Jeffery Deaver, Harlen Coben, Dean Koontz.  But I can't live on a steady diet of suspense--my nerves can't take it <g>, so I like to read women's fiction, too, like Kristin Hannah.  I also like to go through the New Book section at the library and try something new and different.  I've found some of my favorite authors that way.  Reading a good book makes me want to write and weave that same kind of magic.

Pat White: Currently my favorite author is Harlan Coben.  This guy is amazing.  His characters are flawed, fascinating and sympathetic.  His plots are complex yet sensible.  His books move really fast, which I also appreciate.  I'm not into pages and pages of description.  He is a master of his genre.  I think you'd classify him as straight suspense.  I read one of his books, Tell No One, on a plane and embarrassed myself when I actually cried out, "Holy #(%*@$!"  at one of his plot points.   I'm reading The Woods right now and am loving it!!  

Patricia Rosemoor: I read for escape but also to keep current with the market -- in addition to wanting to know what's new, what's good, for my own work, I teach Writing Popular Fiction and Suspense-Thriller Writing at Columbia College Chicago. I read mostly suspense-thrillers (including romantic suspense and paranormal suspense) and urban fantasy (published as fantasy other than as romance). I of course like fast paced books with edgy heroes and/or heroines. I like authors who push the envelope. And no, I don't allow books I read to influence my style, but I do see what the possibilities are in way of types of plots and characters. I've always liked pushing the envelope and trying things that haven't been done before or that have been seldom done. The Last Vampire is a good example of that. It combines my interest in thrillers, urban fantasy and romance.

Dana Marton: Robert Ludlum and Stephanie Plum, definitely. I'm reading more for the action than the mystery. Possibly because my memory is pretty bad and if I read a twisty mystery, by pg. 100 I couldn't remember the clues dropped at the beginning :-) Action/thriller elements play a big part in my own novels as well. My current release, 72 Hours, is about a hostage crisis in Paris, with the U.S. consul captured and her secret commando ex sent to save her.

Rebecca York: I began reading romances in the early 80's.  One of my favorite authors was Sandra Brown. I loved the sensuality of her stories, and she definitely influenced the way I write love scenes.    I read a lot of mystery and suspense authors.  I like Dick Francis, but I don't think there's anything about the way he writes that influences me.  I read Clive Cussler, Lee Child, Robert B. Parker, Dan Brown, Harlan Coben, Carl Hiaasen, Nelson DeMille.  I'm always thinking about their characters, whether their plots make sense and about how they're working the suspense and tension.  I used to never switch away from a tense scene to another pov character unless the other scene was also very tense.  But these writers have influenced me to drop out at a tense point and go to something that might be less tense but advances the plot.