Frances Black is the founder of and literary agent with Literary Counsel. She loves to read, whether reading at the beach, under an umbrella, or curled up on a couch with green tea; she loves romance-based books, the quirkier the better. One of her all-time favorite books is Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa. Romantic: check! Quirky: double check!
Mr. Llosa gives his readers a tale and keeps them enthralled from beginning to end.
Somerset Maugham is also a favorite author. She says that, ÒYou can smell and feel his words. MaughamÕs innuendos about society, his plots and subplots and his portrayal of people can easily be observed today. One can glimpse his influences in current fiction and in original screenplays and, of course, in soap operas. His characters often take two steps forward only to fall three steps back. ThereÕs intrigue, deceit, travel and adventure and of course there is mad love, just what books should offer.Ó