Looking for something good to read as winter sets in? We asked employees to share their favorite authors and books with us for a chance to win a copy of mortgage loan originator Michele Cope’s children’s mystery Linda & Michele: The Search for Snow Creek Circle. Here’s what they told us!
“My favorite author is Jane Austen, and my favorite books are her novels Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion,” says Northland universal banker Kim Balser, who won the copy of Michele’s book. “I like the Regency period, the old English language, and the history she describes — the respectfulness and dignity of lords and ladies in an era that no longer exists. I like the classic romance of ‘boy meets girl’ — the chase between the characters, them eventually realizing their feelings, and finally the decision to be together.”
Monika’s Stephen King collection.
“I am a big fan of Stephen King and his son Joe Hill, and have read all of their stories that I know of,” senior auditor Monika Ulatt says. “Most people think of King’s writing as horror, but I tend to say it is more supernatural and a touch sci-fi. You may not even realize the movies Stand by Me, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and many more were based on his work. Interestingly, he almost didn’t have a writing career at all! His wife retrieved the beginning pages of his first novel, Carrie, from the trash (he didn’t like the character) and urged him to keep going with it. King is 75 now, and his latest novel, Fairy Tale, was released in September. His son Joe has a very similar writing style.
“I began reading his work pretty young. Growing up, my aunt managed Schwartz Books in Grand Avenue Mall downtown Milwaukee, and she allowed her nieces and nephews to choose any book they wanted to take home. My sister always chose Stephen King. My sister and I actually got to see him and his other son, Owen, speak live at the Riverside Theater five years ago. All of the audience members received a copy of the novel they co-wrote, Sleeping Beauties. My personal collection began when my husband and I celebrated our first Christmas together while dating. He gave me his stepmom’s entire Stephen King collection from when she owned Martha Merrell’s Books in Waukesha. We just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary!”
“I am an avid reader and have been since I was a child,” says mortgage loan originator Robin Tegel. “My love of books came from my Grandma Ruby taking me to the library with her each week. We would take the bus to downtown Milwaukee and go to the Central Library, a very beautiful and ornate building. I selected books to read at home, and then did it all again the next week! My favorite author as a child was Laura Ingalls Wilder, who wrote the Little House on the Prairie books. I have read these books more times than I can count, and I can’t wait to read them to my granddaughter Ruby when she is old enough.”
Got a great book you want to tell us about? Share it with us at shorelines@northshorebank.com, or use the handy submissions form.