What’s your favorite genre to write? To read?

Ah, my favorite genres! This is a terribly difficult question for me to answer.

For the longest time, I claimed that fantasy was my favorite genre to read. Then I realized that I read far more mysteries, biographies and historical fiction than fantasy or science fiction.

Mysteries are my go-to books. I adore Bruce Alexander’s historical murder mystery series The Sir John Fielding Mysteries, starting with Blind Justice. The characters are outstanding, the books are well researched, the mysteries engaging and well plotted. Of course, I’m also a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories. I enjoy Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series immensely (though I have yet to finish).

I enjoy reading mysteries for the possibility. They can be transposed to any time period, to any branch of society. They may or may not have murder at their center. I enjoy the puzzle, the quest to determine the outcome before the detective (I’m always pleased when I come to a conclusion before Holmes announces it).

As for writing, it’s varied, but largely speculative fiction. I enjoy researching and writing historical fiction, but my favorite stories that I’ve written fall under the header of ‘speculative.’ They may not be obviously fantasy or science fiction, but an alternate world exists.

I haven’t attempted to write any mysteries.