Author: John Brown

  • Top 200 YA Authors of 2010, Part 2

    ByJohn Brown

    Okay, I’ve really got to get some writing done. But since I posted the idea of seeing which authors have the highest average checkouts per book, I now feel obligated to share it because some of those on the top 200 authors list drop off while others appear. So this one shows the authors getting the most readers per book. For more information on the lists and source of the data, please see the previous two posts.

    BTW, a number of Utahans made this list that we hadn’t seen on the others.

    1. Stephenie Meyer (3)
    2. Shannon Hale (4)
    3. Lisa Mangum (8)
    4. Jessica Day George (10)
    5. Aprilynne Pike (13)
    6. James Dashner (21)
    7. Bree Despain (32)
    8. Mette Ivie Harrison (40)
    9. M.L. Forman (52)
    10. Brandon Sanderson (64)
    11. Chris Heimerdinger (112)
    12. Julie Wright (145)
    13. Ally Condie (146)
    14. Kiersten White (151)
    15. Jack Weyland (188)

    If I’ve missed any Utah (or former Utah) authors, please let me know. Holy schnitzel, look at them all.

    EDIT: 1/16/2011 9:32 AM: Informed that Bree Despain is also a Utah author.

    EDIT: 1/18/2011 6:21 PM: Turns out Kiersten White grew up in Utah, but moved to San Diego after she married. I’m still claiming her, although I often wish I could trade subzero land for beaches and 70 degrees

    EDIT: 1/18/2011 10:20 PM: just informed that M.L. Forman is a Utah author.

    The List

    Author Times Checked Out Number of Titles Avg Check Outs per Title % Rank
    Suzanne Collins 888 3 296 2.68% 1
    Rick Riordan 989 8 124 2.98% 2
    Stephenie Meyer 529 5 106 1.60% 3
    Shannon Hale 517 6 86 1.56% 4
    J.K. Rowling 318 4 80 0.96% 5
    Cassandra Clare 309 4 77 0.93% 6
    Christopher Paolini 191 3 64 0.58% 7
    Lisa Mangum 124 2 62 0.37% 8
    P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast 393 7 56 1.19% 9
    Jessica Day George 328 6 55 0.99% 10
    Kristin Cashore 105 2 53 0.32% 11
    Cornelia Funke  51 1 51 0.15% 12
    Aprilynne Pike 101 2 51 0.30% 13
    Judy Blundell 48 1 48 0.14% 14
    John Flanagan 413 9 46 1.25% 15
    Kelley Armstrong 131 3 44 0.40% 16
    John Grisham  43 1 43 0.13% 17
    Michael Scott 165 4 41 0.50% 18
    Angie Sage 246 6 41 0.74% 19
    Maggie Stiefvater 153 4 38 0.46% 20
    James Dashner 75 2 38 0.23% 21
    Kimberly Derting 37 1 37 0.11% 22
    Frank Beddor 110 3 37 0.33% 23
    Carrie Ryan 69 2 35 0.21% 24
    Gail Carson Levine 34 1 34 0.10% 25
    Jay Asher 34 1 34 0.10% 26
    Becca Fitzpatrick 68 2 34 0.21% 27
    Libba Bray 136 4 34 0.41% 28
    Julie Berry 34 1 34 0.10% 29
    Richelle Mead 202 6 34 0.61% 30
    Elizabeth Knox 67 2 34 0.20% 31
    Bree Despain 66 2 33 0.20% 32
    James Patterson 257 8 32 0.78% 33
    Cornelia Funke 63 2 32 0.19% 34
    Lisa McMann 94 3 31 0.28% 35
    Carolyn MacCullough 31 1 31 0.09% 36
    Markus Zusak 124 4 31 0.37% 37
    Lauren Oliver 31 1 31 0.09% 38
    Emily Whitman 31 1 31 0.09% 39
    Mette Ivie Harrison 123 4 31 0.37% 40
    Ally Carter 152 5 30 0.46% 41
    Cameron Dokey 271 9 30 0.82% 42
    Jason Henderson 30 1 30 0.09% 43
    Caragh M. O’Brien 30 1 30 0.09% 44
    Scott Westerfeld 354 12 30 1.07% 45
    Carrie Jones 88 3 29 0.27% 46
    Lindsey Leavitt 29 1 29 0.09% 47
    Lois Lowry 86 3 29 0.26% 48
    Philip Pullman  57 2 29 0.17% 49
    Lauren Kate 57 2 29 0.17% 50
    Lili St. Crow 56 2 28 0.17% 51
    M.L. Forman 28 1 28 0.08% 52
    Alison Goodman 28 1 28 0.08% 53
    Marissa Doyle 55 2 28 0.17% 54
    Eoin Colfer 302 11 27 0.91% 55
    Rachel Hawkins 27 1 27 0.08% 56
    Joseph Delaney 240 9 27 0.72% 57
    Cyn Balog 26 1 26 0.08% 58
    Christine Johnson 26 1 26 0.08% 59
    Anna Godbersen 127 5 25 0.38% 60
    Shauna Cross 25 1 25 0.08% 61
    Veronica Bennett 25 1 25 0.08% 62
    Betty Smith 25 1 25 0.08% 63
    Brandon Sanderson 100 4 25 0.30% 64
    Melissa Marr 99 4 25 0.30% 65
    Tamora Pierce 634 26 24 1.91% 66
    Aubrey Mace 24 1 24 0.07% 67
    N.D. Wilson 70 3 23 0.21% 68
    Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl 46 2 23 0.14% 69
    Lesley Livingston 68 3 23 0.21% 70
    Alex Flinn 68 3 23 0.21% 71
    Sara Shepard 181 8 23 0.55% 72
    Cinda Williams Chima 113 5 23 0.34% 73
    Melissa de la Cruz 154 7 22 0.46% 74
    Kay Cassidy 22 1 22 0.07% 75
    Louis Sachar 44 2 22 0.13% 76
    D.J. MacHale 328 15 22 0.99% 77
    Heather Brewer 108 5 22 0.33% 78
    Beth Fantaskey 43 2 22 0.13% 79
    Kimberly Pauley 43 2 22 0.13% 80
    Diana Wynne Jones 128 6 21 0.39% 81
    Herbie Brennan 106 5 21 0.32% 82
    Dia Reeves 21 1 21 0.06% 83
    Heather Hepler 21 1 21 0.06% 84
    Susanne Dunlap 21 1 21 0.06% 85
    Erica S. Perl 21 1 21 0.06% 86
    Linda Buckley-Archer 63 3 21 0.19% 87
    Lise Haines 21 1 21 0.06% 88
    Alyson Noel 188 9 21 0.57% 89
    Eva Ibbotson 41 2 21 0.12% 90
    Anne Osterlund 41 2 21 0.12% 91
    Sherrilyn Kenyon 20 1 20 0.06% 92
    Kenneth Oppel 80 4 20 0.24% 93
    story by Tohru Kai  20 1 20 0.06% 94
    M.R. Bunderson 20 1 20 0.06% 95
    Robin Palmer 59 3 20 0.18% 96
    Claudia Gray 59 3 20 0.18% 97
    Frewin Jones 155 8 19 0.47% 98
    Carl Hiaasen 58 3 19 0.17% 99
    Lisa Greenwald 19 1 19 0.06% 100
    Catherine Gilbert Murdock 76 4 19 0.23% 101
    Suzanne Harper 19 1 19 0.06% 102
    Suzanne Weyn 150 8 19 0.45% 103
    Rosalind Wiseman 18 1 18 0.05% 104
    Jen Nadol 18 1 18 0.05% 105
    Thomas W harton 18 1 18 0.05% 106
    Margaret Peterson Haddix 144 8 18 0.43% 107
    Ellen Schreiber 160 9 18 0.48% 108
    Patricia C. Wrede 158 9 18 0.48% 109
    Robin McKinley 105 6 18 0.32% 110
    Zoèe Marriott 35 2 18 0.11% 111
    Chris Heimerdinger 280 16 18 0.84% 112
    Amy Huntley 17 1 17 0.05% 113
    Rachel Ward 17 1 17 0.05% 114
    Sarwat Chadda 17 1 17 0.05% 115
    Nina Malkin 17 1 17 0.05% 116
    Chris Heimerd 17 1 17 0.05% 117
    Elizabeth Eulberg 17 1 17 0.05% 118
    Kathi Oram Peterson 17 1 17 0.05% 119
    Megan Whalen Turner 68 4 17 0.21% 120
    Chelsea M. Campbell 17 1 17 0.05% 121
    Rachel Vail 51 3 17 0.15% 122
    Becca Wilhite 34 2 17 0.10% 123
    Sarah Dessen 150 9 17 0.45% 124
    Debbie Viguie 100 6 17 0.30% 125
    Garth Nix 182 11 17 0.55% 126
    Michael Grant 49 3 16 0.15% 127
    Rachel Vincent 49 3 16 0.15% 128
    Jonathan Stroud 97 6 16 0.29% 129
    Lucy Christopher 16 1 16 0.05% 130
    Kay Lynn Mangum 48 3 16 0.14% 131
    Anna Jarzab 16 1 16 0.05% 132
    Sarah MacLean 16 1 16 0.05% 133
    Josh Berk 16 1 16 0.05% 134
    Lisa Klein 16 1 16 0.05% 135
    Jackson Pearce 16 1 16 0.05% 136
    Jacqueline Kelly 16 1 16 0.05% 137
    Caroline Goode 16 1 16 0.05% 138
    Kirby Larson 16 1 16 0.05% 139
    Lisa Shanahan 16 1 16 0.05% 140
    Katherine Applegate 16 1 16 0.05% 141
    Marthe Jocelyn 16 1 16 0.05% 142
    Ann Brashares 64 4 16 0.19% 143
    Holly Black 78 5 16 0.24% 144
    Julie Wright 31 2 16 0.09% 145
    Ally Condie 93 6 16 0.28% 146
    Juliet Marillier 31 2 16 0.09% 147
    Janet Lee Carey 46 3 15 0.14% 148
    Donita K. Paul 90 6 15 0.27% 149
    Tera Lynn Childs 45 3 15 0.14% 150
    Kiersten White 15 1 15 0.05% 151
    Jane Eagland 15 1 15 0.05% 152
    Sophie Jordan 15 1 15 0.05% 153
    Maureen Daly 15 1 15 0.05% 154
    Debbie Vguie 15 1 15 0.05% 155
    Leah Cypess 15 1 15 0.05% 156
    Jessica Brody 15 1 15 0.05% 157
    Rosie Rushton 15 1 15 0.05% 158
    Rachel Caine 134 9 15 0.40% 159
    R.D. Henham 104 7 15 0.31% 160
    Hilari Bell 178 12 15 0.54% 161
    L.J. Smith 326 22 15 0.98% 162
    Carol Lynch Williams 44 3 15 0.13% 163
    Laini Taylor 44 3 15 0.13% 164
    John Boyne 29 2 15 0.09% 165
    Victoria Hanley 58 4 15 0.17% 166
    Guillaume Prevost 43 3 14 0.13% 167
    Michelle Zink 28 2 14 0.08% 168
    Andrea R. Cremer 14 1 14 0.04% 169
    Lynn Weingarten 14 1 14 0.04% 170
    Kristopher Reisz 14 1 14 0.04% 171
    Andrew Klavan 28 2 14 0.08% 172
    Jessica Verday 14 1 14 0.04% 173
    Kim Harrison 14 1 14 0.04% 174
    L.K. Madigan 14 1 14 0.04% 175
    Heather Davis 14 1 14 0.04% 176
    Lauren Conrad 42 3 14 0.13% 177
    Sherman Ale 14 1 14 0.04% 178
    Alexandra Adornetto 14 1 14 0.04% 179
    Martine Leavitt 14 1 14 0.04% 180
    Morris Gleitzman 14 1 14 0.04% 181
    Charmian Hussey  14 1 14 0.04% 182
    Douglas Rees 14 1 14 0.04% 183
    Stephanie Hem 14 1 14 0.04% 184
    C.J. Omololu 14 1 14 0.04% 185
    Aimee Friedman 42 3 14 0.13% 186
    Kate Coombs 28 2 14 0.08% 187
    Jack Weyland 151 11 14 0.46% 188
    Michael Carroll 41 3 14 0.12% 189
    Philip Caveney 41 3 14 0.12% 190
    Pamela Wells 27 2 14 0.08% 191
    Grace Cavendish 27 2 14 0.08% 192
    Elizabeth Scott 54 4 14 0.16% 193
    Ridley Pearson 54 4 14 0.16% 194
    Laurie Halse Anderson 108 8 14 0.33% 195
    Gillian Shields 40 3 13 0.12% 196
    Simone Elkeles 93 7 13 0.28% 197
    Lisi Harrison 304 23 13 0.92% 198
    Patrick Carman 66 5 13 0.20% 199
    Darren Shan 313 24 13 0.94% 200
    Gary D. Schmidt 26 2 13 0.08% 201
    Gena Showalter 26 2 13 0.08% 202
    Michael Young 13 1 13 0.04% 203
    Miyuki Miyabe  13 1 13 0.04% 204
    J.V. Hart  13 1 13 0.04% 205
    Dandi Daley Mackall 13 1 13 0.04% 206
    Beatrice Gormley 13 1 13 0.04% 207
    Dodie Smith 13 1 13 0.04% 208
    Jaclyn Moriarty 52 4 13 0.16% 209
    Angela Morrison 26 2 13 0.08% 210
    James A. Owen 52 4 13 0.16% 211
    Nick Lake 13 1 13 0.04% 212
    E.E. Richardson 13 1 13 0.04% 213
    Fern Schumer Chapman 13 1 13 0.04% 214
    Priscilla Cummings 13 1 13 0.04% 215
    Stuart Hill 39 3 13 0.12% 216
    Jen Calonita 78 6 13 0.24% 217
    Valerie O. Patterson 13 1 13 0.04% 218
    Julie Kagawa 26 2 13 0.08% 219
    William golding 13 1 13 0.04% 220
    Lisa M. Klein 13 1 13 0.04% 221
    Lisa Mantchev 26 2 13 0.08% 222
    Gerald Morris 129 10 13 0.39% 223
    Cory Doctorow 25 2 13 0.08% 224
    Janette Rallison 125 10 13 0.38% 225

  • Top 200 YA Authors of 2010

    ByJohn Brown

    On Thursday I posted the top 200 YA  novels of 2010. Today I’m happy to share the top 200 authors. You might be wondering: if we already have a top 200, why post this? Because yesterday was about individual titles. Today’s post is about authors. Some authors might not have any books that are checked out in huge numbers. But because they have a lot of books available, the numbers of checkouts they do have add up. Yesterday’s list showed you the volume for individual books. Today’s list shows you the volume for each author. You’ll see it does result in a different ranking.

    This list is based on the same dataset as the previous list. And so while I can’t claim it represents the top YA authors for the whole United States, it does show who is being read in this neck of the woods. It’s a great list for those wanting to find YA authors to try.  Please be aware that these are YA books as defined by the library, which takes its cue from places like Booklist and School Library Journal. Other books like the first three Harry Potters, Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven series, and some of Dashner’s stuff are considered Middle Grade and so do not appear on this list. Later, I might do a combined list.

    There were 1,283 authors on the list. “Times Checked Out” is the sum of all the times any of the author’s books were checked out. “Number of Titles” is the number of different titles the author has that were checked out. “Avg Check Outs per Title” is the average number of times each title was checked out. “%” is percentage of total checkouts. Rank is rank. Another way to sort this would be by the Avg Check Outs per Title to see who’s getting the highest number of readers per book. But I’ll let you fiddle with that on your own. Again, I’m very happy to see a number of Utahans on the list. Kudos to the following (ranking in parentheses):

    • Stephenie Meyer (4)
    • Shannon Hale (5)
    • Jessica Day George (10)
    • Chris Heimerdinger (18)
    • Jack Weyland (38)
    • Lisa Mangum (55)
    • Mette Ivie Harrison (56)
    • Aprilynne Pike (71)
    • Brandon Sanderson (73)
    • Ally Condie (82)
    • James Dashner (94)
    • Bree Despain (110)

    EDIT: 1/15/2011 12:57 AM. Okay, okay here’s the list by average checkout: Top 200 YA Authors of 2010, Part 2. A number of people drop off, new names appear, and positions shuffle.

    EDIT: 1/16/2011 9:32 AM: Informed that Bree Despain is also a Utah author.

    The List

    Author Times Checked Out Number of Titles Avg Check Outs per Title % Rank
    Rick Riordan 989 8 124 2.68% 1
    Suzanne Collins 888 3 296 2.98% 2
    Tamora Pierce 634 26 24 1.60% 3
    Stephenie Meyer 529 5 106 1.56% 4
    Shannon Hale 517 6 86 0.96% 5
    John Flanagan 413 9 46 0.93% 6
    Meg Cabot 396 37 11 0.58% 7
    P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast 393 7 56 0.37% 8
    Scott Westerfeld 354 12 30 1.19% 9
    Jessica Day George 328 6 55 0.99% 10
    D.J. MacHale 328 15 22 0.32% 11
    L.J. Smith 326 22 15 0.15% 12
    J.K. Rowling 318 4 80 0.30% 13
    Darren Shan 313 24 13 0.14% 14
    Cassandra Clare 309 4 77 1.25% 15
    Lisi Harrison 304 23 13 0.40% 16
    Eoin Colfer 302 11 27 0.13% 17
    Chris Heimerdinger 280 16 18 0.50% 18
    Cameron Dokey 271 9 30 0.74% 19
    Anthony Horowitz 260 24 11 0.46% 20
    James Patterson 257 8 32 0.23% 21
    Angie Sage 246 6 41 0.11% 22
    Joseph Delaney 240 9 27 0.33% 23
    Richelle Mead 202 6 34 0.21% 24
    Christopher Paolini 191 3 64 0.10% 25
    Alyson Noel 188 9 21 0.10% 26
    Garth Nix 182 11 17 0.21% 27
    Sara Shepard 181 8 23 0.41% 28
    Hilari Bell 178 12 15 0.10% 29
    Michael Scott 165 4 41 0.61% 30
    Gary Paulsen 163 26 6 0.20% 31
    Ellen Schreiber 160 9 18 0.20% 32
    Patricia C. Wrede 158 9 18 0.78% 33
    Frewin Jones 155 8 19 0.19% 34
    Melissa de la Cruz 154 7 22 0.28% 35
    Maggie Stiefvater 153 4 38 0.09% 36
    Ally Carter 152 5 30 0.37% 37
    Jack Weyland 151 11 14 0.09% 38
    Suzanne Weyn 150 8 19 0.09% 39
    Sarah Dessen 150 9 17 0.37% 40
    Margaret Peterson Haddix 144 8 18 0.46% 41
    Libba Bray 136 4 34 0.82% 42
    Rachel Caine 134 9 15 0.09% 43
    R.L. Stine 132 43 3 0.09% 44
    Caroline B. Cooney 132 30 4 1.07% 45
    Kelley Armstrong 131 3 44 0.27% 46
    Gerald Morris 129 10 13 0.09% 47
    Diana Wynne Jones 128 6 21 0.26% 48
    Jean Ferris 127 13 10 0.17% 49
    Anna Godbersen 127 5 25 0.17% 50
    Cecily von Ziegesar 126 24 5 0.17% 51
    Janette Rallison 125 10 13 0.08% 52
    Markus Zusak 124 4 31 0.08% 53
    Lurlene McDaniel 124 47 3 0.17% 54
    Lisa Mangum 124 2 62 0.91% 55
    Mette Ivie Harrison 123 4 31 0.08% 56
    Ann Rinaldi 119 31 4 0.72% 57
    Kate Brian 118 21 6 0.08% 58
    Carolyn Meyer 115 12 10 0.08% 59
    Cinda Williams Chima 113 5 23 0.38% 60
    Amelia Atwater-Rhodes 112 11 10 0.08% 61
    Frank Beddor 110 3 37 0.08% 62
    Heather Brewer 108 5 22 0.08% 63
    Laurie Halse Anderson 108 8 14 0.30% 64
    Herbie Brennan 106 5 21 0.30% 65
    Kristin Cashore 105 2 53 1.91% 66
    Robin McKinley 105 6 18 0.07% 67
    R.D. Henham 104 7 15 0.21% 68
    Donna Jo Napoli 104 15 7 0.14% 69
    Catherine Jinks 101 10 10 0.21% 70
    Aprilynne Pike 101 2 51 0.21% 71
    Louise Rennison 101 10 10 0.55% 72
    Brandon Sanderson 100 4 25 0.34% 73
    Debbie Viguie 100 6 17 0.46% 74
    Melissa Marr 99 4 25 0.07% 75
    Catherine Fisher 98 8 12 0.13% 76
    Jonathan Stroud 97 6 16 0.99% 77
    Lauren Brooke 95 26 4 0.33% 78
    L.A. Meyer 95 8 12 0.13% 79
    Lisa McMann 94 3 31 0.13% 80
    Simone Elkeles 93 7 13 0.39% 81
    Ally Condie 93 6 16 0.32% 82
    Lynne Ewing 91 18 5 0.06% 83
    Donita K. Paul 90 6 15 0.06% 84
    Carrie Jones 88 3 29 0.06% 85
    Lois Lowry 86 3 29 0.06% 86
    Kenneth Oppel 80 4 20 0.19% 87
    Mary Hoffman 79 7 11 0.06% 88
    Philip Reeve 78 9 9 0.57% 89
    Jen Calonita 78 6 13 0.12% 90
    Holly Black 78 5 16 0.12% 91
    Laurie Faria Stolarz 76 7 11 0.06% 92
    Catherine Gilbert Murdock 76 4 19 0.24% 93
    James Dashner 75 2 38 0.06% 94
    Diane Duane 75 9 8 0.06% 95
    Philip Pullman 73 9 8 0.18% 96
    Gordon Korman 72 16 5 0.18% 97
    Neal Shusterman 72 9 8 0.47% 98
    Jerry Spinelli 72 8 9 0.17% 99
    Jane Yolen 71 14 5 0.06% 100
    N.D. Wilson 70 3 23 0.23% 101
    Ellen Hopkins 70 6 12 0.06% 102
    Carrie Ryan 69 2 35 0.45% 103
    Becca Fitzpatrick 68 2 34 0.05% 104
    Lesley Livingston 68 3 23 0.05% 105
    Esther Friesner 68 6 11 0.05% 106
    Megan Whalen Turner 68 4 17 0.43% 107
    Alex Flinn 68 3 23 0.48% 108
    Elizabeth Knox 67 2 34 0.48% 109
    Bree Despain 66 2 33 0.32% 110
    Bryan Davis 66 8 8 0.11% 111
    Patrick Carman 66 5 13 0.84% 112
    Nancy Werlin 65 6 11 0.05% 113
    Ann Brashares 64 4 16 0.05% 114
    K.A. Applegate 64 18 4 0.05% 115
    Rachel Cohn 64 9 7 0.05% 116
    Linda Buckley-Archer 63 3 21 0.05% 117
    Cornelia Funke 63 2 32 0.05% 118
    Ted Dekker 62 7 9 0.05% 119
    Vivian Vande Velde 62 13 5 0.21% 120
    Nancy Springer 62 7 9 0.05% 121
    Carolyn Keene 61 49 1 0.15% 122
    Kieran Scott 60 6 10 0.10% 123
    Robin Palmer 59 3 20 0.45% 124
    Claudia Gray 59 3 20 0.30% 125
    Victoria Hanley 58 4 15 0.55% 126
    Carl Hiaasen 58 3 19 0.15% 127
    Philip Pullman  57 2 29 0.15% 128
    Lauren Kate 57 2 29 0.29% 129
    Marilyn Kaye 57 29 2 0.05% 130
    Lili St. Crow 56 2 28 0.14% 131
    Sharon Shinn 56 5 11 0.05% 132
    T.A. Barron 55 6 9 0.05% 133
    Marissa Doyle 55 2 28 0.05% 134
    Celia Rees 54 6 9 0.05% 135
    Alane Ferguson 54 6 9 0.05% 136
    Ridley Pearson 54 4 14 0.05% 137
    Elizabeth Scott 54 4 14 0.05% 138
    Clare B. Dunkle 53 6 9 0.05% 139
    Jaclyn Moriarty 52 4 13 0.05% 140
    James A. Owen 52 4 13 0.05% 141
    Justin Somper 52 5 10 0.05% 142
    David Klass 52 11 5 0.19% 143
    E. Lockhart 51 6 9 0.24% 144
    Cornelia Funke  51 1 51 0.09% 145
    Rachel Vail 51 3 17 0.28% 146
    Susan Beth Pfeffer 49 4 12 0.09% 147
    Rachel Vincent 49 3 16 0.14% 148
    K.M. Grant 49 7 7 0.27% 149
    Michael Grant 49 3 16 0.14% 150
    Maureen Johnson 48 4 12 0.05% 151
    Terry Pratchett 48 5 10 0.05% 152
    Kay Lynn Mangum 48 3 16 0.05% 153
    Sarah Mlynowski 48 5 10 0.05% 154
    Judy Blundell 48 1 48 0.05% 155
    Wayne Thomas Batson 48 7 7 0.05% 156
    Christopher Pike 47 19 2 0.05% 157
    David Lubar 47 8 6 0.05% 158
    Janet Lee Carey 46 3 15 0.40% 159
    Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl 46 2 23 0.31% 160
    Lene Kaaberbol 45 4 11 0.54% 161
    Alison Croggon 45 4 11 0.98% 162
    Tera Lynn Childs 45 3 15 0.13% 163
    Lois Duncan 45 13 3 0.13% 164
    Carol Lynch Williams 44 3 15 0.09% 165
    Louis Sachar 44 2 22 0.17% 166
    Laini Taylor 44 3 15 0.13% 167
    Martha Finley 44 14 3 0.08% 168
    Kimberly Pauley 43 2 22 0.04% 169
    John Grisham  43 1 43 0.04% 170
    Beth Fantaskey 43 2 22 0.04% 171
    Guillaume Prevost 43 3 14 0.08% 172
    Margaret Mahy 43 5 9 0.04% 173
    A.J. Butcher 42 5 8 0.04% 174
    Lauren Conrad 42 3 14 0.04% 175
    Justine Larbalestier 42 5 8 0.04% 176
    Deb Caletti 42 4 11 0.13% 177
    Joan Lowery Nixon 42 16 3 0.04% 178
    Aimee Friedman 42 3 14 0.04% 179
    Gloria Whelan 41 10 4 0.04% 180
    Anne Osterlund 41 2 21 0.04% 181
    Philip Caveney 41 3 14 0.04% 182
    Eva Ibbotson 41 2 21 0.04% 183
    Michael Carroll 41 3 14 0.04% 184
    Francine Pascal 40 14 3 0.04% 185
    Walter Dean Myers 40 11 4 0.13% 186
    Gillian Shields 40 3 13 0.08% 187
    Isobelle Carmody 40 7 6 0.46% 188
    Fuyumi Ono  40 4 10 0.12% 189
    Stuart Hill 39 3 13 0.12% 190
    William Sleator 39 14 3 0.08% 191
    Michael Cadnum 38 11 3 0.08% 192
    Timothy Zahn 38 6 6 0.16% 193
    Sharon M. Draper 38 9 4 0.16% 194
    Peter Abrahams 37 5 7 0.33% 195
    Madeline L’Engle 37 11 3 0.12% 196
    Jenny B. Jones 37 3 12 0.28% 197
    Kimberly Derting 37 1 37 0.92% 198
    William Nicholson 37 3 12 0.20% 199
    Susane Colasanti 36 3 12 0.94% 200
    Ben Mikaelsen 36 5 7 0.08% 201
    Jacquelyn Mitchard 36 5 7 0.08% 202
    Richard Peck 36 9 4 0.04% 203
    Tim Green 36 6 6 0.04% 204
    Marilyn Reynolds 36 8 5 0.04% 205
    Sarah Miller 36 3 12 0.04% 206
    Sara Zarr 36 3 12 0.04% 207

  • Top 200 YA Novels of 2010

    ByJohn Brown

    USA Today just published their list of the top 100 bestsellers of 2010. Publishers Weekly  and other places will soon follow. But sales don’t always capture the full picture. Some books may be purchased once and read once. Others are passed around until they’re ragged. Furthermore, many books sell well over a number of years but don’t get the volume in any week or year to put them on the list. That’s why I like to also look at circulation numbers. And I just happen to have the YA circulation numbers for the Logan, Utah library (thank you Super Librarian Melanie), which serves the 115,000 folks of Cache County, 50,000 of which are in Logan itself. Not a bad population size to get an idea of what’s being read.

    Of course, I know each area in the country will have a slightly (or hugely) different list, which makes sense because tastes differ from region to region (for example, I’m betting Chris Heimerdinger isn’t really big in, say, Alabama), but also because collections differ as well. For example, I was surprised Dan Wells didn’t show up with I Am Not A Serial Killer, but the Logan library doesn’t even have that book. So this method does have limitations. It would be nice to get a national breakdown. But until someone is able to cobble that together, this gives a good picture of what’s being read in this part of the world. Regardless of where you live, this should constitute a list of books that ought to be great reads for teens and adults.

    In 2010, 3,574 YA titles were checked out a total of 33,156 times (by adults and youth–whoever has a card). Books in the collection but not checked out didn’t make the list, of course. Here are the top 200 books. The Total column shows how many times the book was checked out. % shows what percent of the total circulation that represents. Rank is rank. I was very happy to see quite a few Utah authors (or former Utahans) on this list. Congrats to the following (# titles in top 200):

    • Shannon Hale (6)
    • Jessica Day George (6)
    • Stephenie Meyer (5)
    • Brandon Sanderson (3)
    • Mette Ivie Harrison (3)
    • Aprilynne Pike (2)
    • Lisa Mangum (2)
    • Chris Heimerdinger (2)
    • Jack Weyland (1)
    • James Dashner (1)

    BTW, here are the companion lists: Top 200 YA Authors of 2010 (showing total volume, not by book, but by author) and Top 200 YA Authors of 2010, Part 2 (showing the authors with the most readers per book)

    The List

    EDIT: 1/13/2011 11:42 AM. I just found out the first set of data I posted included more than checkouts: things like renewals, searches, bills, etc. So the numbers were wacked. This changed both the rankings and the numbers of books included by some of the authors. What you see now are the correct numbers for checkouts.

    EDIT: 1/14/2011 3:31 PM. Okay, one more edit. Silly us–we left off books shelved in the “New Book” category. These numbers are checked, double-checked, and rock solid.

    Title Total % Rank
    The hunger games / Suzanne Collins 374 1.13% 1
    Catching fire / Suzanne Collins 273 0.82% 2
    Mockingjay / Suzanne Collins 241 0.73% 3
    The lightning thief / Rick Riordan 197 0.59% 4
    The last Olympian / Rick Riordan 194 0.59% 5
    The short second life of Bree Tanner : an Eclipse novella / Stephenie Meyer 181 0.55% 6
    Harry Potter and the deathly hallows / J. K. Rowling  160 0.48% 7
    Forest born / Shannon Hale 155 0.47% 8
    The red pyramid / Rick Riordan 143 0.43% 9
    The sea of monsters / Rick Riordan 139 0.42% 10
    Princess of glass / by Jessica Day George 113 0.34% 11
    The Titan’s curse / Rick Riordan 110 0.33% 12
    City of bones / Cassandra Clare 109 0.33% 13
    The book thief / by Markus Zusak 108 0.33% 14
    Brisingr / Christopher Paolini 101 0.30% 15
    The battle of the Labyrinth / Rick Riordan 99 0.30% 16
    Book of a thousand days / by Shannon Hale 96 0.29% 17
    New moon / Stephenie Meyer 94 0.28% 18
    Harry Potter and the half-blood prince / by J. K. Rowling 87 0.26% 19
    Breaking dawn / Stephenie Meyer 87 0.26% 20
    Tempted : a house of night novel / P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast 86 0.26% 21
    Eclipse / by Stephenie Meyer 86 0.26% 22
    Twilight / by Stephenie Meyer 81 0.24% 23
    Night world / L. J. Smith 81 0.24% 24
    River secrets / by Shannon Hale 79 0.24% 25
    City of ashes / Cassandra Clare 79 0.24% 26
    City of Glass / Cassandra Clare 78 0.24% 27
    Princess Academy / Shannon Hale 76 0.23% 28
    Uglies / Scott Westerfeld 69 0.21% 29
    Chosen : a house of night novel / P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast 69 0.21% 30
    Princess of the Midnight Ball / by Jessica Day George 68 0.21% 31
    The hourglass door : a novel / by Lisa Mangum 65 0.20% 32
    Pretties / Scott Westerfeld 63 0.19% 33
    Shiver / Maggie Stiefvater 62 0.19% 34
    The lost hero / Rick Riordan 62 0.19% 35
    Witch & wizard / James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet 61 0.18% 36
    The dark Divine / Bree Despain 61 0.18% 37
    Untamed : a house of night novel / P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast 59 0.18% 38
    The golden spiral / Lisa Mangum 59 0.18% 39
    Enna burning / Shannon Hale 59 0.18% 40
    Fire / Kristin Cashore 58 0.17% 41
    Erak’s ransom / John Flanagan 58 0.17% 42
    Wings / Aprilynne Pike 57 0.17% 43
    Spirit bound / Richelle Mead 57 0.17% 44
    The siege of Macindaw / John Flanagan 57 0.17% 45
    Blood promise : a Vampire Academy novel / Richelle Mead 57 0.17% 46
    Syren / Angie Sage 56 0.17% 47
    Betrayed : a house of night novel / P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast 56 0.17% 48
    Specials / Scott Westerfield 54 0.16% 49
    The golden compass / by Philip Pullman  54 0.16% 50
    The awakening / Kelley Armstrong 54 0.16% 51
    Marked : a house of night novel/ P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast 53 0.16% 52
    Magyk / Angie Sage  53 0.16% 53
    Fang : a Maximum Ride novel / James Patterson 53 0.16% 54
    The burning bridge / John Flanagan 53 0.16% 55
    The ruins of Gorlan / John Flanagan 52 0.16% 56
    The goose girl / Shannon Hale 52 0.16% 57
    The alchemyst : the secrets of the immortal Nicholas Flamel / Michael Scott 52 0.16% 58
    The maze runner / James Dashner 51 0.15% 59
    Inkdeath / Cornelia Funke  51 0.15% 60
    Hush, hush / Becca Fitzpatrick 50 0.15% 61
    The Looking Glass Wars / by Frank Beddor 49 0.15% 62
    Burned : a house of night novel / P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast 49 0.15% 63
    What I saw and how I lied / Judy Blundell 48 0.14% 64
    Eragon / Christopher Paolini 48 0.14% 65
    The merchant of death / by D.J. MacHale 47 0.14% 66
    Graceling / Kristin Cashore 47 0.14% 67
    The necromancer / Michael Scott 46 0.14% 68
    Beauty sleep / Cameron Dokey 46 0.14% 69
    Artemis Fowl / Eoin Colfer 46 0.14% 70
    A great and terrible beauty / Libba Bray 45 0.14% 71
    The demigod files / Rick Riordan  45 0.14% 72
    The Van Alen legacy : a Blue Bloods novel / Melissa de la Cruz 44 0.13% 73
    Spells / Aprilynne Pike 44 0.13% 74
    The sorcerer of the north / John Flanagan 44 0.13% 75
    The battle for Skandia / John Flanagan 44 0.13% 76
    Artemis Fowl. The Atlantis complex / Eoin Colfer  44 0.13% 77
    Theodore Boone : kid lawyer / John Grisham  43 0.13% 78
    Evermore / Alyson Noèel 43 0.13% 79
    Clockwork angel / Cassandra Clare 43 0.13% 80
    Physik / Angie Sage  42 0.13% 81
    Eldest / by Christopher Paolini 42 0.13% 82
    Captivate / Carrie Jones 42 0.13% 83
    Twice upon a Marigold / Jean Ferris 41 0.12% 84
    The Shadow Project / by Herbie Brennan 41 0.12% 85
    The reckoning / Kelley Armstrong 41 0.12% 86
    The kings of Clonmel / John Flanagan 41 0.12% 87
    Gone / by Lisa McMann 41 0.12% 88
    Fallen / Lauren Kate 41 0.12% 89
    Don’t judge a girl by her cover / Ally Carter 41 0.12% 90
    Tennis shoes among the Nephites / Chris Heimerdinger 40 0.12% 91
    The princess and the hound / Mette Ivie Harrison 40 0.12% 92
    Heist society / Ally Carter 40 0.12% 93
    Golden / Cameron Dokey 40 0.12% 94
    Dragon spear / by Jessica Day George 40 0.12% 95
    Dragon flight / Jessica Day George 40 0.12% 96
    Queste / Angie Sage  39 0.12% 97
    Need / Carrie Jones 39 0.12% 98
    Messenger / Lois Lowry 39 0.12% 99
    Bloodhound / Tamora Pierce 39 0.12% 100
    Wild orchid : a retelling of “The ballad of Mulan” / by Cameron Dokey 38 0.11% 101
    The chronicles of Vladimir Tod : eleventh grade burns / Heather Brewer 38 0.11% 102
    Terrier / Tamora Pierce 38 0.11% 103
    Revenge of the witch / Joseph Delaney 38 0.11% 104
    Inkheart / Cornelia Funk 38 0.11% 105
    Howl’s moving castle / Diana Wynne Jones 38 0.11% 106
    The diamond secret / by Suzanne Weyn 38 0.11% 107
    Darklight : a novel / Lesley Livingston 38 0.11% 108
    Pretty little liars / Sara Shepard 37 0.11% 109
    Just Ella / Margaret Peterson Haddix 37 0.11% 110
    The icebound land  / John Flanagan 37 0.11% 111
    Harry Potter and the goblet of fire / by J.K. Rowling 37 0.11% 112
    Dreamhunter / Elizabeth Knox 37 0.11% 113
    Destiny’s path / Frewin Jones 37 0.11% 114
    Crocodile tears / Anthony Horowitz 37 0.11% 115
    The body finder / by Kimberly Derting 37 0.11% 116
    Violet eyes : a retelling of “The princess and the pea” / Debbie Viguie 36 0.11% 117
    They never came back / Caroline B. Cooney 36 0.11% 118
    The summoning / Kelley Armstrong 36 0.11% 119
    The soldiers of Halla / D.J. MacHale 36 0.11% 120
    Shadowland / Alyson Noèel 36 0.11% 121
    The princess and the snowbird / Mette Ivie Harrison 36 0.11% 122
    The magician / Michael Scott 36 0.11% 123
    The luxe / Anna Godbersen 36 0.11% 124
    Gathering blue / Lois Lowry 36 0.11% 125
    Blue moon : the Immortals / Alyson Noèel 36 0.11% 126
    Sun and moon, ice and snow / Jessica Day George 35 0.11% 127
    The princess and the bear / Mette Ivie Harrison 35 0.11% 128
    Once upon a Marigold / Jean Ferris 35 0.11% 129
    The lost city of Faar / D.J. MacHale 35 0.11% 130
    Lord Sunday / Garth Nix 35 0.11% 131
    Linger / Maggie Stiefvater 35 0.11% 132
    The Forest of Hands and Teeth / Carrie Ryan 35 0.11% 133
    Extras / Scott Westerfeld 35 0.11% 134
    Betraying season / Marissa Doyle 35 0.11% 135
    Thirteen reasons why : a novel / by Jay Asher 34 0.10% 136
    Squire / by Tamora Pierce 34 0.10% 137
    Midnight pearls : a retelling of  “The little mermaid” / Debbie Viguie 34 0.10% 138
    Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix / by J.K. Rowling 34 0.10% 139
    Ever / Gail Carson Levine 34 0.10% 140
    The dead-tossed waves / Carrie Ryan 34 0.10% 141
    Clash of the demons / by Joseph Delaney 34 0.10% 142
    Cameron Meets Madison./ Jack Weyland 34 0.10% 143
    Belle : a retelling of “Beauty and the beast” / by Cameron Dokey 34 0.10% 144
    Before midnight : a retelling of “Cinderella” / by Cameron Dokey 34 0.10% 145
    Beastly / Alex Flinn 34 0.10% 146
    Artemis Fowl : the Arctic incident / Eoin Colfer 34 0.10% 147
    The Amaranth enchantment / Julie Berry 34 0.10% 148
    Alcatraz versus the Knights of Crystallia / by Brandon Sanderson 34 0.10% 149
    Alanna the first adventure / by Tamora Pierce 34 0.10% 150
    Splendor : a Luxe novel / Anna Godbersen 33 0.10% 151
    Shadow kiss : a Vampire Academy novel/ by Richelle Mead 33 0.10% 152
    Seeing Redd / by Frank Beddor 33 0.10% 153
    Claim to fame / Margaret Peterson Haddix 33 0.10% 154
    Beautiful creatures / by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl 33 0.10% 155
    White cat / Holly Black 32 0.10% 156
    The sweet far thing / Libba Bray 32 0.10% 157
    Radiant shadows / Melissa Marr 32 0.10% 158
    Incarceron / by Catherine Fisher 32 0.10% 159
    Gadiantons and the silver sword / by Chris Heimerdinger 32 0.10% 160
    Dragon slippers / Jessica Day George 32 0.10% 161
    A coven of witches / by Joseph Delaney  32 0.10% 162
    Being Nikki : an airhead novel / Meg Cabot 32 0.10% 163
    Artemis Fowl. The time paradox / Eoin Colfer 32 0.10% 164
    The woman who rides like a man / by Tamora Pierce 31 0.09% 165
    Winter’s child / Cameron Dokey 31 0.09% 166
    The sorceress / Michael Scott 31 0.09% 167
    Rules of attraction / Simone Elkeles 31 0.09% 168
    Radiant darkness / Emily Whitman 31 0.09% 169
    Once a witch / by Carolyn MacCullough 31 0.09% 170
    A kiss in time / Alex Flinn 31 0.09% 171
    Heroes of the valley / Jonathan Stroud 31 0.09% 172
    First test / Tamora Pierce 31 0.09% 173
    The crimson thread : a retelling of “Rumpelstiltskin” / by Suzanne Weyn 31 0.09% 174
    Blue bloods / Melissa de la Cruz 31 0.09% 175
    Before i fall / Lauren Oliver 31 0.09% 176
    Alcatraz versus the Scrivener’s Bones / by Brandon Sanderson 31 0.09% 177
    The warrior heir / Cinda Williams Chima 30 0.09% 178
    Vampire rising / Jason Henderson 30 0.09% 179
    Rebel angels / Libba Bray 30 0.09% 180
    Princess Ben / Catherine Murdock 30 0.09% 181
    The never war / D.J. MacHale 30 0.09% 182
    Max : a Maximum Ride novel / James Patterson 30 0.09% 183
    In the hand of the goddess / by Tamora Pierce 30 0.09% 184
    Flyte / Angie Sage 30 0.09% 185
    Faerie wars / by Herbie Brennan 30 0.09% 186
    Dreamquake : book two of the Dreamhunter duet / Elizabeth Knox 30 0.09% 187
    Cross my heart and hope to spy / Ally Carter 30 0.09% 188
    Cirque du freak : a living nightmare / by Darren Shan 30 0.09% 189
    Birthmarked / Caragh M. O’Brien 30 0.09% 190
    Artemis Fowl : the eternity code / Eoin Colfer 30 0.09% 191
    Alcatraz  versus the evil Librarians / by Brandon Sanderson 30 0.09% 192
    Wicked lovely / Melissa Marr 29 0.09% 193
    Water song : a retelling of “The frog prince” / by Suzanne Weyn 29 0.09% 194
    Wake / Lisa McMann 29 0.09% 195
    Violet wings / Victoria Hanley 29 0.09% 196
    Strange angels / Lili St. Crow 29 0.09% 197
    Princess for hire / Lindsey Leavitt 29 0.09% 198
    Maximum Ride : the final warning  / James Patterson 29 0.09% 199
    Maximum Ride : school’s out– forever / by James Patterson 29 0.09% 200
    Lament : the faerie queen’s deception / Maggie Stiefvater 29 0.09% 201
    Lady knight / Tamora Pierce 29 0.09% 202
    House of many ways / Diana Wynne Jones 29 0.09% 203
    Going bovine / Libba Bray 29 0.09% 204
    The enchanted quest / Frewin Jones 29 0.09% 205
    The dragon heir  / Cinda Williams Chima 29 0.09% 206
    Black water / D.J. MacHale 29 0.09% 207

  • Black Hawk Down, Pete Blaber, Not Waving But Drowning

    ByJohn Brown

    A Ferocious Battle

     I just finished reading Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden. It is the most gripping account of any battle I have ever read.

    In 1992 a Somali warlord attacked and killed U.N. peacekeeping forces. As a result, the US put a $25,000 bounty on his head and attempted to arrest and try him for war crimes. On October 3, 1993, by the order of President Bill Clinton, a force of United States Army Rangers and Delta Force operators, the Army’s most elite warriors, set out to capture several lieutenants of the warlord’s militia in an area of the Somali capital city of Mogadishu that was controlled by the warlord.

    The force of about a hundred U.S. soldiers helicoptered in during broad daylight. They roped down to the streets surrounding the target building. It was supposed to take them no more than an hour. They would bag the warlord’s lieutenants, put them on a convoy of Army trucks that had barreled into the city and were waiting right around the corner, and get out.

    But the citizenry, loyal to the warlord, weren’t going to take it lying down. They began to swarm with guns and rocket propelled grenades. They attacked, almost heedless of the danger. One Somali with an AK-47 rode a cow out in a strange charge, a number of other Somali’s taking cover behind (yeah, he and the cow died). But the Americans were overconfident of their Black Hawk helicopters. They didn’t think the types of weapons the Somalis had could bring them down.

    One chopper was hit and crashed. Then another. A third and then a fourth were damaged and barely made it back to safety before they crash landed. As for the Rangers and D-boys, they were in for the fight of their life.

    The book tells the story of their courage, but it also brings in the point of view of a number of actual Somalis who fought and were injured. In the process, we get a view of the battle that is both thrilling and poignant.

    Bowden did an excellent job researching and writing this. I could not put it down. It does include some military grade profanity, but it wasn’t there to titillate or shock. I’ve talked to those who saw the movie based on this book, and I could tell the book is, per usual, better than the movie. If you’re at all interested in the military and the military operations we conduct overseas, let me recommend that you read this book. 

    Delta Force Commander Shares Insights

    Delta Force is the world’s most elite counterterrorist fighting force. Pete Blaber was a Delta Force operator that worked his way up to become a Delta Force commander and took part in some of the most dangerous, controversial, and significant military and political events of our time.

    During his time in uniform, he learned a number of lessons about life, about how we make decisions and act on them. In The Mission, The Men, and Me, Blaber writes about a number of the missions he conducted and the lessons he learned from them.

    The missions were conducted in Montana, Iraq, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. One featured a commander stupidly ordering Blaber to take his men into sure destruction. Another featured some of the first plans to capture Osama Bin Laden, before 9/11. Another included a man in a gorilla suit.

    The lessons Blaber draws from these experiences are fascinating and apply to more than military operations. For example, the lesson he drew from the operation featuring the gorilla suit is something I use every day with my writing. Anyone who leads or manages or works in groups will find other critical lessons. This was another book I couldn’t put down. Anyone interested in special forces will love this book.

    Not Waving But Drowning

    “Not Waving but Drowning” is a poem by female British poet Stevie Smith. It was published in 1957 as part of a collection with the same title. The work is her most famous poem and describes a man whose distressed thrashing in the sea causes onlookers to believe that he is waving to them, not drowning

    I hadn’t thought about this poem since I was a student at BYU. Then a local poet read it as part of his remarks at a conference I recently attended. The image and message lingered with me for hours. I thought about it off and on over the following weeks. This is, for me, an incredibly powerful poem. It needs to be read aloud, I think, to be appreciated. Not in some silly way, but with the appropriate feeling. I’m going to record a reading for my website, but you can read it aloud for yourself. Or have someone else do it for you. Then read it again.

    Nobody heard him, the dead man,
    But still he lay moaning:
    I was much further out than you thought
    And not waving but drowning.

    Poor chap, he always loved larking
    And now he’s dead
    It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,
    They said.

    Oh, no no no, it was too cold always
    (Still the dead one lay moaning)
    I was much too far out all my life
    And not waving but drowning.

    How often does this happen? Those onlookers, caring only superficially, thinking it was too cold, thinking he was funning. But it wasn’t too cold. And his heart didn’t give out. He was struggling for his life, and they were too preoccupied to see it.

    Too preoccupied to really see. 

    I wonder. Is there someone around me, that if I just looked, just paused from my rush, I’d see they were much too far out, and not waving, but drowning.

  • The Three Rules of Great Antagonists?

    ByJohn Brown

    Jennifer Crusie is a long-time pro writer. In Filled with Glee: The Unauthorized Glee Companion by Leah Wilson, Crusie had this to say about antagonists in her essay “You Think That’s Hard? Try Being an Antagonist, That’s Hard”: Why Sue Sylvester is Essential to Glee” 

    “Sue is riveting, not only because she’s a fascinating character in her own right, but also because she embodies the Three Rules of Great Antagonists: (1) She is much stronger than the protagonist she sets out to destroy, (2) She will stop at nothing to achieve her goal, and (3) despite all that strength and implacability, she’s a vulnerable human being, not a cartoon.” (130)

    You know what I think of rules and of form outside the context of function. So here are my questions to you writers who follow my blog and have been following the posts on suspense:

    1. What function or effect do these qualities have on the reader or on story elements that impact the reader?
    2. Do all great antagonists exhibit these three qualities?
    3. If not, are any of these critical for antagonists?
    4. What’s your conclusion about these three rules?

    I’m interested to see what you come up with. And don’t be afraid to post your ideas. I really want to hear your take. You might want to read her whole essay.