Reader Hall of Fame

Nominate

March 2021 winner: Marti Panikkar

Home: Northwestern Arkansas

What is the most recent book of Patricia McLinn’s that you’ve read? Proof of Innocence

How did you discover Patricia’s books? A free book offer hooked me!

What’s your favorite spot for reading? My recliner

What is your favorite Patricia McLinn book and why? The entire Caught Dead in Wyoming series. I love the humor, the clean, slow-burn romance, and the well-plotted mysteries.

What’s your favorite early memory of reading or having books or stories told? I can’t remember anyone reading to me. Somehow I learned to read when I was 4 years old and from then on read everything within reach (age appropriate? What’s that?!). My favorite memories are of being dropped off (a few years later) at the old ornately beautiful, two-story Carnegie Public Library and literally reading my way through the stacks. The librarians allowed me to check out 10 or 12 books a week!

Do you share your reading experiences with others? Absolutely! A very few rare and special souls even get to borrow books from my personal library.

Part of any reading groups? On-line, informal fan groups: Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Liaden Universe) and Jodi Taylor (Chronicles of St. Mary’s).

How do you feel about your local public library? Love/hate relationship. I love any free library (and ours is gorgeous) but I hate that they never seem to buy the works of my favorite authors — especially science fiction. Sometimes I wonder if they even know what an indie author IS.

What do you love about being a reader? I have lived thousands of lives. I have traveled the world and the galaxies in the past, present and future. I have met, loved, hated and learned from millions of different people!

Have any books made a difference in your life? Of course. How could all those experiences NOT affect me? 😊

September 2020 winner:
Eileen Aberman-Wells

Home: East central Minnesota

What is the most recent book of Patricia’s that you’ve read? Match Made in Wyoming

How did you discover Patricia’s books? I have no idea, maybe through a recommendation from another author. Although I’ve been Facebook friends with Patricia for a long time.  I checked and the first book I purchased written by Patricia was in 2012, Almost a Bride.

What’s your favorite spot for reading? I love reading curled up in a comfy chair.

What is your favorite Patricia McLinn book and why? I don’t know if I have a favorite, I guess it would always be the last one I read.

What’s your favorite early memory of reading or having books or stories told? My mom, who wasn’t a reader, would take me and my brother to the library to get books. We always came home with these tall piles of books that we gobbled up. We appreciated her support and encouragement to read. As a mom I loved reading with my four kids, usually alternating pages as we read. Now adults, my kids are all readers.

Do you share your reading experiences with others? Part of any reading groups? I post my reviews on a variety of book sites but I’m not really in any reading groups.

How do you feel about your local public library? I love my library and the selection of books they have to offer. They are also open to book recommendations for purchase, which I’ve done a number of times. My kids grew up going to the library from the time they were babies. It helps that I live in a large city with the library having many branches.

What do you love about being a reader? Being a reader has given me a way to escape the negativity or stress in my life. It has also taken me on adventures, back in time, or into the future. Books also give me new friends that I find between the pages.

Have any books made a difference in your life? I always say Fun with Dick & Jane because it taught me how to read, which opened my world to all sorts of opportunities.

Anything else you want to say? I’m a retired math teacher and occasionally helped in the school library. I loved surprising my students when I would recommend books to them and then having them tell me thanks because they loved a book.

[Like Jo Ann below, Eileen also prefers to keep an anonymous public face. But her Yorkshire terrier mix, Teddy, was featured in August’s Awww-some Pets newsletter feature, reading Eileen’s kindle.]

May 2018 winner: Jo Ann Willard Reinhold

Home: Northern New Jersey

What is the most recent book of Patricia’s that you’ve read? I started reading her Caught Dead in Wyoming series just lately and just finished Last Ditch (Caught Dead in Wyoming, Book 4). Can I say that I really love this series? [Yes, you can, Jo Ann! 🙂 )

How did you discover Patricia’s books? I found Patricia’s books when I got my first Kindle. … I found Almost a Bride and have been hooked ever since.

What’s your favorite spot for reading? I love to read curled up on my couch.

What is your favorite Patricia McLinn book and why? I don’t know if I have a favorite, I guess it would always be the last one I read.

What’s your favorite early memory of reading or having books or stories told? My favorite memory is my sister reading to me at night when I was little. She read all kinds of stories to me; Alice Through the Looking-Glass and Snow White and Rose Red are two that stand out.

Do you share your reading experiences with others? I share my reading with anyone who will listen!

How do you feel about your local public library? I haven’t made it to my new local library. … I just moved to New Jersey and am still settling in.

What do you love about being a reader? I love that books will take me anywhere with anyone I choose … they have always been my friends no matter what was going on.

Have any books made a difference in your life? Wow, a lot of books have affected me. When I was in school (which was a very long time ago), we had to read the book Hiroshima … even today that book stays with me.

Anything else you want to say? [Jo Ann let us know she really doesn’t like using her photo in public media; hence our use of a mystery reader to take her place above.]

October 2018 winner: Elaine Coghlan

Home: Stanmore, Middlesex, United Kingdom (in the greater London area)

What is the most recent book of Patricia’s that you’ve read? Proof of Innocence, Back Story

How did you discover Patricia’s books? From a BookBub back in 2015. It was the second book I got for my new Kobo reader.

What’s your favorite spot for reading? In my lounge.

What is your favorite Patricia McLinn book and why? This is a hard question as I love them all (I have 42 to date). It may be the very first one I downloaded, the Wyoming Wildflowers novel, Almost a Bride, that is what got me hooked.

What do you love about being a reader? I love being drawn into a book into another world.

Have any books made a difference in your life? I read more now, didn’t like it when I was younger, so making time up now. I google the places to see if they are real so I can get a picture of the location.

Anything else you want to say? Just to say a huge thank-you to Patricia, for writing such lovely books, and I look forward to many more. Patricia is my Number One author.

April 2015 Winner: Kathy Nesfeder

Home: Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania

What is the most recent book of Patricia’s that you’ve read? Not a Family Man

How did you discover Patricia’s books? I purchased a Kindle several years ago and was given an Amazon gift card for Christmas. I found Patricia’s books on Amazon and have been a fan ever since.

What’s your favorite spot for reading? My favorite spot to read is when I am camping and sitting outdoors. I have no distractions and it is very relaxing.

What is your favorite Patricia McLinn book and why? It is difficult to pick a favorite book because I have enjoyed all of her books. The Wedding Series would probably be my favorite and I ‘m anxiously awaiting the sequel to The Christmas Princess. I also enjoyed the Wyoming Wildflowers and A Place called Home trilogies.

What’s your favorite early memory of reading or having books or stories told? When I was young, my Aunt and Uncle gave me the Hardy Boys Complete Series. I would spend hours reading the books.

Do you share your reading experiences with others? Part of any reading groups? When my husband and I started camping we went with my brother and sister-in-law. My sister-in-law Gloria is an avid reader and we share books and discuss the stories and authors all the time.

What do you love about being a reader? In my previous job, I traveled a lot (I have traveled to 18 countries), so when I had down time, I would pull out a book and read. It was enjoyable and helped pass the time. I especially like book series because the characters continue to live on in the next book.

Anything else you want to say? I think Patricia is a great author and very sociable with her fans on Facebook. Patricia shares pictures of her dog, Kalli, flowers from her garden and lets you know about great deals on books. She also asks for help on character’s name when she is writing and personally answers you on Facebook which I think is pretty special.

December 2012 Winner: Paula Gibbs

Home: North Central Indiana

What is the most recent book of Patricia’s that you’ve read? Sign Off

How did you discover Patricia’s books? I was browsing through books at a used book store. The title and cover art of At the Heart’s Command  caught my attention, so I took it home to read and became an instant fan.

What’s your favorite spot for reading? My favorite spot is any place I happen to be with a few extra minutes to read. I always carry a book with me just in case I do have the time.

What is your favorite Patricia McLinn book and why? At the Heart’s Command is my favorite. My husband is a Korean War veteran, and I have always had a deep respect and admiration for our military.

What’s your favorite early memory of reading or having books or stories told? As a young child I did not enjoy reading. I guess my first enjoyable experience with a book was reading Ben-Hur for a book report when I was in junior high school.

Do you share your reading experiences with others? Part of any reading groups? I enjoy discussing books with friends but do not share on a regular basis.

Have any books made a difference in your life? Now that I enjoy reading, just the chance to escape the everyday stress and at the same time enrich the day’s experience makes an awesome difference.

What do you love about being a reader? I love getting to know the characters. It is fun to share in their experiences and at the same time to learn new things for yourself.

Anything else you want to say? My husband is a Certified Flight Instructor, and I do all of his scheduling. It is fun meeting all of his students and helping them to complete their pilot certifications. My husband and I also love to do the old car shows. We have a 1955 Willys M38a1 Army Jeep and Trailer and a 1981 Chevrolet El Camino. We meet a lot of new people each year plus get the chance to see so many of the wonderful old vehicles. We enjoy attending veteran’s activities and visiting any of the military museums.

August 2009: Becke Davis

Home: Grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, also lived in New Jersey and London, England. Have lived in Cincinnati for 16 years.

Favorite Spot for Reading: Anywhere! In bed, at the table, curled up in a cozy chair – I’m not particular.

How did you discover Patricia’s books? I think I read the first one when I subscribed to several Harlequin, Silhouette and SuperRomance lines. Then I was hooked. I kept an eye out for Patricia’s new releases long after I stopped subscribing, and finally sent her a pestering email when I hadn’t seen a new one for awhile!

 Which is your favorite Patricia McLinn book and why? Wedding Party. I’m not sure why that one hooked me – I read this series out of order; this may have been the first of Patricia’s books I ever read. I loved the Chicago references (Marshall Field’s, Frango mints, etc.) and I loved the whole Michael-Tris-Grady relationship (or non-relationship, in the case of Tris/Grady). I thought the scene with Michael’s holey sweatshirt was a sizzler, and I’ve reread this book several times, partly because I love that scene so much. I loved this whole series, but my second favorite is The Runaway Bride. (I love ALL of Patricia’s series, but I have a soft spot for this one.) My second favorite series – hard call, but I’d say the one that takes place in Wisconsin. [Wedding of the Century, The Unexpected Wedding Guest, A Most Unlikely Wedding, Baby Blues and Wedding Bells.]

What’s your favorite early memory of reading or having books or stories told? My parents used to read A.A. Milne’s stories to me when I was very young, as well as Golden Book stories. Milne didn’t just write about Winnie-the-Pooh; in fact, as I recall my earliest favorite was King John’s Christmas, a poem about a king who wanted an India rubber ball. Another favorite was The Tall Book of Make Believe (someone blogged about it here). It was a wonderful book that I read to my children, too. I’ve tried to buy extra copies of it, but it’s out of print and used copies cost the earth.

Have any books made a difference in your life? Yes, in so many ways. It would be hard to select individual books, because I think my life has been enriched by every book I’ve read, if in different ways. Books that have meant a lot to me over the years were mostly books I discovered when I was young: Madeline l’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince, Aldous Huxley’s A Brave New World – those are just the first to come to mind. I’ve loved the mystery genre since I read my first Nancy Drew at age 9, and I’ve loved romance and romantic suspense since I was a teenager. I’m just a bookaholic – always have been.

What do you love about being a reader? Well, you’ve nailed it – reading is a love affair, plain and simple. Every time I open a book, there is a sense of anticipation, almost like an electrical buzz. When a book meets (or exceeds) my expectations, it’s a thrilling experience – no matter what the genre. Reading is always an adventure, and I tend to approach books with a sense of wonder. The people and places in books become very real to me.

 Anything else you want to say? This may sound odd to people who make a study of literature, but I have always read for the sheer joy of it, and never analyzed the why’s or wherefore’s of that enjoyment. It’s only as I’ve gotten older that I’ve stood back and studied books with a writer’s eye. I think I purposely avoided analyzing books because I was afraid I’d lose the magic if I knew too much about the author’s process. Instead, the more I consider books with a writer’s eye, the more I’m awed that so many marvelous books were written by (relatively!) normal people.

I’d always placed authors on a different plane of existence; as if authors had been endowed with mystical powers of bringing imaginary worlds to life. This sounds naive, but in some ways I still believe this is true. As far as anyone knows, we are the only species to create stories about people and events that exist in a world of the mind. If that’s not magical, what is?

February 2007 Winners: Sisters Erin Tanner and Deane (Dee) Hay 

Home: Erin (on right in photo, on her wedding day): Barcaldine in Central West Queensland, Australia

Dee (on left in photo): Taroom in South West Queensland, Australia

Favorite spot for reading? Erin: My lounge, with my feet up on the coffee table. Dee: wherever I can get some peace and quiet – I have three small children

What is the most recent book of Patricia’s that you’ve read? Erin: The Right Brother. Dee: Least Likely Wedding (now titled A Most Unlikely Wedding) 

How did you discover Patricia McLinn’s books? By spending time with our Grandmother Petersen in Bundaberg, she and our mother are avid romance novel readers, Grandma keeps a large box of books under her spare bed that we all swap and go through whenever we visit her.

What is your favorite Patricia McLinn book and why? A favorite for both of us is Hoops. We have a long running battle (about 10 years) over Hoops and who owns the copy. We take turns stealing it from each other’s house whenever we visit each other. Dee gave the book to me as a wedding present in 2005 and has been unsuccessful in stealing it back ever since, much to her frustration! Ha Ha.

What’s your favorite early memory of reading or having books or stories told? Erin: Having When Willie Went to the Wedding read to me every night for about 3 years (Loved that book). Mum got so sick of reading it that she used to pay Dee 20 cents a night to read it to me.

Dee: Pinching mum’s romance novels and quickly skimming to find the rude bits, before she caught us! The both of us being bored one rainy day and deciding to write our own romance novel, We named the leading lady “Cochaneal Carnation” and the leading man was “Spam Lamb”, but afterwards was changed to “Lunge Randolf” – a lot of laughs were had during the writing of that story….

Do you share your reading experiences with others? Part of any reading groups? Just each other.

Have any books made a difference in your life? Erin: Inheriting Jack – shows you how important best friends are.  Dee: Edward the Emu – because it makes you realize that it is ok to be who you are.

What do you love about being a reader? Meeting the wonderful characters that are living these fabulous lives. By the end of the book you feel like they are a part of your life.

Anything else you want to say? Dee is my best friend, she always supports me, helps me and is there for me, I look forward to many more book battles over the years to come. 

June 2005 Winner: Joelle Deveza

Home: I live in France, near Orléans and about 130 kilometres from Paris

Favorite spot for reading? In my bed, with the cat close to me

How did you discover Patricia McLinn’s books? I read a book translated in French “Lost and Found Groom” (“A Force d’Amour” in French) I won in a contest sponsored by Harlequin.

Which is your favorite Patricia McLinn book and why? “At The Heart’s Command” is amongst my favorites. The characters seem so real, so human. The dialogue are so vivid. Ordinary people with ordinary life but the power of love is so big that they become unique and unforgettable.

What’s your favorite early memory of reading or having books or stories told? As far as I remember, I was fascinated by “The Wild Swans” and “The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Andersen, then later by “Planet of the Apes” by Pierre Boulle. I discover romance books later; only in 1997, I was very ill and bought a book with a lovely cover at the supermarket (Lady of the Upper-Kingdom by Merline Lovelace)… I thought it was something easy to read and forget… And I fell in love! I bought 4 more in the same week and devoured them and never stopped since then.

Have any books made a difference in your life? Many of them made me more attentive to people around me. And all of them have a place in my heart.

What books have stayed in your memory over the years? Books like “Song of the Wolf” by Roseanne Bittner ; “For My Daughters” by Barbara Delinsky ; “The Book Club” by Mary Alice Monroe ; “Cypress Point” by Diane Chamberlain or “Cloud Nine” by Luanne Rice still live in my heart and in a way change my point of view about life.

What do you love about being a reader? To “fly away “ from this rude world for a while. To live an exciting life with many characters I probably never met. To listen to my heart and emotions.

Anything else you want to say? I dream I could come to USA someday to rob book shops; to come to an RT convention and meet all the writers I love and say to all of them how important they are for me and to thank them for all the pleasure given with their wonderful stories.

I can say this to you, dear Patricia : THANKS for all the great moments I spent with your books and also for your kindness.

** Don’t miss Joelle’s wonderful website: Click on the moon to enter, then on the button called “Livres en Vo”, choose “June” in the contemporaries section and… surprise !

January 2005 Winner: Madalyn Reese

Home: Smack in the middle of Minnesota

Favorite spot for reading? Contrary to popular belief, it’s not the drivers seat of my car, or the ditch. It’s my office.

How did you discover Patricia McLinn’s books? I was lucky enough to meet Pat on the eHarlequin message boards, and loved her sense of humor, plus how down to earth she was. So I had to go pick up her latest–which was ALMOST A BRIDE at the time–and was very glad I did. Her books are just as funny and genuine as Pat herself.

What is your favorite Patricia McLinn book, and why? Boy, this is a hard one for me to answer, so I’ll take the easy way out and name two: ALMOST A BRIDE and MY HEART REMEMBERS.

ALMOST A BRIDE is where we get into Pat’s sense of humor–she almost killed me. Literally. I got impatient after leaving the store with it, so decided to read a bit of the first chapter while driving home from the store. Then I got to the bottom of page 13 (yes, can you say hooked?) and was laughing so hard I almost drove into the ditch. No, I won’t read and drive again. I swear.

MY HEART REMEMBERS sticks with me because of Shane *dreamy sigh* And the shiny things in it, of course.

What’s your favorite memory of reading or having books or stories told? I remember passing many cold winter hours curled up under about a hundred blankets, reading whatever I could get my hands on. And I remember thinking I was pretty hot stuff for choosing books with no pictures.

Have any books made a difference in your life? Wow, what a question. I think just about every book I’ve ever read has made a difference in my life somehow, whether it opened me up to a new perspective or just made me more mindful of how I treat others or myself because of whatever lesson the hero/heroine learned.

What do you love about being a reader? I’d have to say what I love best about being a reader is getting completely lost in a story, and letting a whole other world open up in front of me.

And what I love about being one of Pat’s readers is that her characters don’t get off easy. Everyone–from the main characters to the last secondary–gets exactly what they deserve, good or bad. Love that.

Anything else I want to say? Yes, I want to say thank you, Pat, for giving me hours of good reading, and a great example to follow. Not only in the writing of stories, but in how an author can remain a genuine person in this often crazy business we’re lucky enough to be part of.