Sasha Hibbs

My comfort books, books that I can read again and again, that make me want to write something worthy of evoking an audience that cannot forget the characters I write about, making them want to come back (like me) over and over.

1.) Jane Eyre-Top of my list. How can you not empathize with a plain Jane-who under the bleakest circumstances-perseveres and not only wins true love the hard way, but is rewarded for her goodness. I mean come on, this chick wasn't even pretty. I love a good underdog!

2.) Pride and Prejudice-Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett. The romance was epic in this one. Poor girl. Rich boy. Quick wit and the long road the two main characters traveled down to reward the reader with a happily ever after...

3.) Gone With the Wind-Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara. Has there ever been any two characters that endured such a fiery romance spanning the decades like these two? I often hated Scarlett yet admired her at the same time. And Rhett...Oh Rhett. I can truly credit this novel for inspiring me to write about strong female protagonists and men who have the 'bad-boy' image, but deep down, have a soft, tender side.

The list of novels that devour me and leave me wanting more can go on and on. But the one thing these three (my all time favorites) novels have in common is the characters draw me in and leave me with the desire to write characters not necessarily like them, but create original characters of my own-ones that will leave people feeling the same way I felt after reading them. I felt Jane's embarrassment, cheered for Elizabeth when her sharp mind humbled Mr. Darcy, and as much as I kept a love/hate relationship going with Scarlett, I finally wanted to throw myself at Rhett and persuade him that she really had changed this time, and he couldn't leave me-the reader-like this. What books have inspired you?