From Eugenia Price and novels set in 19th century northern Florida and southern Georgia to T. Jefferson Parker and southern California and Mexico --- my reading routine has taken a distinct turn. After reading an in-depth article on T Jefferson Parker and his works, I became curious and picked up a copy of his latest crime thriller: Border Lords.
Set largely in that dangerous area between Mexico and the US, I find myself caught up in the plot as Parker sets it up. One has to pay strict attention to the characters and to details that in other genres might be overlooked with no harm done to reading pleasure, but this genre requires more concentration. As a result, I'm reading slower than usual. Could it be that I'm adjusting the the change in genre or just savoring Parker's writing style.
Already, I'm planning to read two of Parker's earlier works: California Girl and Summer of Fear. I'm told that Summer of Fear features a character with a brain tumor--something I am indeed familiar with. Changing genres, I believe, sharpens one's mind both as a reader and as a writer.
