I’ve always been an avid reader across various genres. With so many books to choose from, sometimes I struggle picking between the plethora of options. While I do enjoy a good TikTok book recommendation (if you haven’t read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, you should), I tend to decide my next read based on the author. I’ve worked my way through nearly all of my two favorites, Ken Follett and Ruta Sepetys, so I’m always on the lookout for something new.

Besides going by authors I’m familiar with, one of my other favorite ways to find a new read is when friends or family give me suggestions. It should be a love language in itself to tell someone “I read this and thought of you.” Bonus points if you hand them the used book to borrow, pages still dog-eared and all.

This got me thinking: I have been proactively shopping local lately to support small businesses in my community, so why not read local? Why not learn about local North Carolina authors’ books through a variety of genres and lengths, expanding my horizons to the talented authors just in this area? On top of that, I can provide some book suggestions for anyone who is struggling to find a good book or author to commit to. 

Charlie Lovett

Charlie Lovett is a Winston-Salem native, current resident and the author of eight books. His work has depth in genre – ranging from a study on the life of Lewis Carroll to historical thrillers and even a book for young readers. Fun fact about Lovett – he is known for having a collection of Lewis Carroll works and even curated an exhibition on the late author.

The Enigma Affair

My favorite genre is historical fiction, so I naturally gravitated towards The Enigma Affair when I was sifting through the choices for a Lovett book to read. This World War 2 thriller centers around a librarian and a criminal that work together to decipher a Nazi message encoded on an old Enigma machine.

The Enigma Machine was an excellent read – fast paced, exciting and well researched. I knew a little about what an Enigma machine was after watching the film The Imitation Game, but I learned so much more through Lovett’s novel and was entertained by the dynamic cast of characters. That’s what draws me towards historical fiction; being able to learn about a time period I am unfamiliar with while navigating the interpersonal struggles of the characters.

Historical fiction isn’t your thing? That’s fine! I recommend checking out Lewis Carroll: Formed by Faith if you’re interested in nonfiction and biographies. Do you want to give your kids an exciting book full of magic? The Book of the Seven Spells Book One: Guardians may be the perfect fit. Lovett has a lot to offer across various topics; all of his books and links to where you can buy them are on his website.

I haven’t had a chance to get through Lovett’s full catalog of works, but I am looking forward to shifting my focus when I read into a local lens. So, if you shop local, why not read local, too? Winston-Salem’s Charlie Lovett is a great place to start.