Reading and writing is like music--I love just about every kind, but I want it to continue speaking to me after the song has ended. My favorite kind of reading is when I when the story still lives on even after I reach the back cover, and my goal anytime I write is for exactly the same thing. To have the reader continue thinking about the story, to hear the words, to wonder what the character may do after that final page is turned. My favorite kind of book is one that isn't tied to just one genre--I want a mystery to solve, a romance to watch and cheer for, something magical to happen that makes me smile, and more than a little humor to keep me entertained. I like strong characters who are confident enough to know it's okay to fail once in a while, but who always comes through when it really counts. When all of that comes together, you just can't beat the package. But the story truly is the thing. Give me a good story, the words woven by a master story teller, and I'm hooked.