For this June birthday, I’m picking Norton Juster. Why I picked him: The Phantom Tollbooth. I read it in elementary school, and it made a huge impression on me. Why? It’s funny. It’s a delicious bit of fantasy with a character that I think most people can easily identify with. Juster plays[…]
For this early spring 2022 edition, I chose Edna St. Vincent Millay. Why I picked her: You might be thinking, “Matteson, you’re a fantasy writer—what’s up with the poetry recommendation?” I’m guessing that it won’t surprise you to hear that I love words—I am a writer after all. And the thing I[…]
For this January 2022 edition, I chose Lloyd Alexander. He was an American author (I always thought he was British!) who wrote 40+ books. He’s perhaps best known for his children’s and ya fantasy books. Why I picked him: The Chronicles of Prydain was the first fantasy series I read. Sure, I’d read[…]
For this November 2021 edition, I chose Charlaine Harris. She is a New York Times bestselling author with multiple series, several of which are supernatural in nature. Why I picked her: Harris has been a big influence on my own writing. I first found her through her Sookie Stackhouse series—it was part[…]
I’ve been getting questions about what’s happening next with the Housekeeper series so I thought I’d give you some quick info on what I have planned. Q: Are there more books coming? A: First, thanks for reading! Second, yes! There are seven books planned in the current plot arc. Q:[…]
In a continuation of my “birthdays of authors you might enjoy” series, I’m bringing you two author birthdays: one for May and a bonus April author. (As usual, I’m featuring authors whose work you should be able to find in a library, but I’m also including affiliate links to Amazon[…]
I love to read. My best friend says that if there were an Olympic sport in reading, I’d be a medalist. I don’t think this is unusual for writers—I mean, if we didn’t like reading, why would we be writing stuff for other people to read? I like a wide[…]