Thursday, February 24, 2011

My Absolute Best Work

Several days ago, a reader asked me which of my novels I and other people think is the best. I completely understand why people would ask that question. I ran into the problem when I decided I wanted to try one of Tamela Hancock Murray’s books. She has about 40 books available and since many are romance novels, I don’t anticipate reading them all. I have fewer books, but even picking from five novels can be overwhelming when you just want one.

I wish I could say that it is an easy question to answer, but all of my books are good. I love each for a different reason. Add to that the fact that the book most fresh in an author’s mind is the one he will prefer above the rest. But having given it some though, I’ve narrowed the question of my best work to date down to two. And since I feel I must choose one or the other as the book I would recommend if people wish to read one book and no more, I will place Mother Not Wanted in the top slot and For the Love of a Devil in the second.

What I love about Mother Not Wanted is that it’s about a woman who has been raising a child that isn’t her own. The child’s mother, the woman’s roommate, died and the woman just kept on taking care of the child, but the woman has reached a point in her life that she realizes the child may be better off with her real family. With the last money she has, the woman takes the girl to her family, but the woman will do whatever it takes to stay in the girl’s life.

For the Love of a Devil is a story about true love. It is the story of how a man ought to love his wife. The woman no longer loves her husband and has turned to another man for love or at least the things he can give her. She leaves husband and their three children. That’s just the beginning of all she does to hurt him, but he loves her anyway. She does more and more to push him away, but he is unchanging in his love for her, even when she reaches a point in her life that no one else sees real value in her. At times, it is an emotionally difficult tale to read, but I think that is part of what makes it great.

If you don’t read anything else that I have written, read these two books. You won’t be sorry you did.

Your turn. If you've written multiple books, which one do you consider to be your best work? If you haven't, what is you favorite book by another author?