Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Things Characters Have Said (Maybe a character said something really profound or romantic or hilarious or heartbreaking. You could share witty one-liners, mic-drop moments, snippets of funny dialogue between multiple characters, catchphrases, quotes that have become a part of pop culture–like “May the odds be ever in your favor.”, etc.)
I always struggle with TTT when the theme is about quotes as they are just not something I keep an eye out for, so I am going to go back to an old post I have had in draft for a while. I originally put this post together when the theme was Relationship Freebie (Pick a relationship type and choose characters who fit that relationship as it relates to you. So, characters you’d like to date, be friends with, be enemies with, etc. Bookish families you’d like to be a part of, characters you’d want as your siblings, pets you’d like to take for yourself, etc.), but I didn't get to post it at the time. I think we were away.
I previously did a post featuring the word sisters in the title, so this time I am going to share some authors who are sisters! Let's start with some Australian author sisters:
Liane, Jaclyn and Nicola Moriarty - Whilst Liane is probably the most famous of the Moriarty sisters, Jaclyn and Nicola have also been writing successfully for a long time. Jaclyn writes more in the YA space and Nicola more women's fiction. My favourite book by a Moriarty is probably Paper Chains by Nicola.
Back in 2012 I did a Q and A with Jaclyn Moriarty and asked about the fact that all three of them were writers and this is what she said
Both of our parents are enthusiastic story tellers. We are always saying to Mum, ‘Give us the short version’, and Dad is always advising, ‘Never spoil a good story with the facts’. We had shelves full of books to read when we were kids. Also, instead of giving us pocket money, Dad would commission us to write stories. So I guess we grew up thinking it was the only way to make money.
Here's my review of A Corner of White (it's actually a joint review with Shelleyrae from Book'd Out which I had completely forgotten we did together), and a quote about doing Tim Tam Slams from Free-Falling by Nicola Moriarty
Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell - Kate Forsyth is one of my favourite Australian authors, even though I haven't managed to fit in any of her books for quite some time! She writes amazing fairy-tale retellings, is an awesome guest speaker and avid read. Her sister, Belinda Murrell, writes kids books. Interestingly, their great-great-great grandmother, Charlotte Waring Atkinson, wrote Australia's first children's book. Pretty amazing historical connection!
Here's my review of Bitter Greens.
A S Byatt and Margaret Drabble - Whilst these two are sisters, they were estranged for many years .A S Byatt is best known for the book Possession and the book I remember reading from Margaret Drabble is The Red Queen. Here is my review.
Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte - It feels like it would be wrong to have a list of literary sister authors and not include the Brontes who have give us books like Jane Eyre, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and Agnes Grey. They also published a book of poetry under the names of Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell
Do you know of any other famous authors who are sisters?
My favorite Moriarty book is Feeling Sorry for Celia but I have not read every book they've written yet.
ReplyDeleteOther writer/sisters whose books I like: Joan Aiken and Jane Aiken Hodge, Penelope Williamson and Candice Proctor, and Elizabeth Gilbert and Catherine Gilbert Murdock. The first four wrote a lot of great historical fiction. Regarding the Gilbert sisters, I didn't really like Eat Pray Love (I don't really like memoirs) but I really enjoyed a YA series by Murdock called Dairy Queen about a tomboy who plays football.
I thought about the Gilberts but to be honest I hadn't heard of Catherine Gilbert Murdock before I started fact checking for this post!
DeleteI haven't read Feeling Sorry for Celia yet.
I like books that highlight positive sibling relationships.
ReplyDeleteMe too Anne!
DeleteReally interesting list. I had no idea there was more than one Moriarty sister!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy! I had to be careful. I nearly included a Moriarty who was no relation by accident!
DeleteIt's always interesting to see how people are related. The only sisters I could think of before looking at your list were the Brontes.
ReplyDeletePam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/the-js-have-it-ten-titles-starting-with-j/
They were definitely the most famous ones I could think of!
DeleteAren't you clever? I think I vaguely knew A. S. Byatt had a sister, but I don't think I knew who it was.
ReplyDeleteThey famously did not speak for years!
DeleteThe quote themes can be a struggle for me, too. I like this twist.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lydia!
DeleteWriterly sisters are so wonderful. K. M. Daughters, who when I read them often, were writers of romance and romantic suspense. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletehttps://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2025/03/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-things.html
Oh, I never thought of sisters who write under one name! Good Call.
DeleteThis is an interesting topic! I'd have never thought of it myself.
ReplyDeleteHere is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
Thanks for stopping by Aymee
DeleteSuch an interesting post. I don't really think about authors being related except the Brontes!
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2025/03/04/top-ten-tuesday-character-quotes/
I know a couple of cousins as well, and some parent and child relationships.
DeleteThis is very interesting! I don't know many authors who have siblings that write.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting topic! Nice work!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa!
DeleteOther than the Bronte sisters, I can't think of anyone except Jackie and Joan Collins haha. Great list.
ReplyDeleteOh, that's a good one Sarah!
DeleteI so enjoyed Bitter Greens!
ReplyDeleteI am very bad at that type of meme as well, so I went with another one:
https://wordsandpeace.com/2025/03/04/top-five-books-with-a-pronoun-in-the-title/
Such a good book!
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