Who’s your favourite author?

Britons love Enid Blyton most of all, according to a new survey. Britain’s Costa Book Awards has released a list of Britain’s top 50 best loved authors.

Enid Blyton is at the very top of the list, thanks to her classic children’s stories featuring adventures, fairies, woodland animals and midnight feasts.

The next couple of places were also snagged by children’s authors, with Roald Dahl coming second and J.K. Rowling taking out third.

Other authors on the list include Jane Austen, Marian Keyes, Charles Dickens, Beatrix Potter and J.R.R Tolkien.

Now, I know that I at least have read something by all of these authors, and I bet a lot of lip readers will also be familiar with at least some of their books. What sort of a childhood is complete without The Tales of Peter Rabbit, how many people didn’t get swept up in the Harry Potter phenomenon and where would we be without Mr Darcy?

But thinking of our own literature, who would take out the top spot in an Australian list of best loved authors? What books have a place in our hearts?

I’m going to suggest Ethel Turner as a good candidate… I still cry when I read Seven Little Australians. I’d love to hear other people’s thoughts on this, though. Who is your  best loved Australian author?