Luanne Rice is the author of 24 novels, most recently What Matters Most, The Edge of Winter, Sandcastles, Summer of Roses and Summer's Child. This year Bantam has published Light of the Moon (January 2008) and Last Kiss (July 15, 2008). She lives in New York City and Old Lyme, Conn., where she is at work on her next novel for Bantam. She takes some time out of her amazing writing schedule to answer a few questions:
On your nightstand now:
The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman, China Court by Rumer Godden, Birds of Central Park by Cal Vornberger and The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw by Bruce Barcott.
Favorite books when you were a child:
The Whales Go By by Fred Phleger, The Happy Orpheline by Natalie Savage Carlson, Little Plum by Rumer Godden, Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry and I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven.
Your top five authors:
J.D. Salinger, Ernest Hemingway, Laurie Colwin, Gretel Ehrlich and Mary Oliver.
Book you've faked reading:
Harry Potter.
Book you are an evangelist for:
This Cold Heaven by Gretel Ehrlich.
Book you've bought for the cover:
Salamina by Rockwell Kent.
Book that changed your life:
The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson.
Favorite line from a book:
"Then I began to love him more than anything on earth."--From Islands in the Stream by Ernest Hemingway, but that will change 10 times before the week is over. Too many to count.
Book you most want to read again for the first time:
Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger.