My favourite authors are
Leslie Charteris (Follow the Saint series)
Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman (Dragonlance)
Richard A. Knaak (Dragonlance and World of Warcraft)

Roger Zelazny - "Lord of Light". He has a way of making god-like characters exceedingly human. There is an intense longing for a simpler, often happier past, but we and the characters know there is no going back. His language is amusing in that it is both very conversational and very ornate by turn.

Sheri S. Tepper - The Land of the True Game series. Unfortunately, a very obscure author, but I happened to run across the first of her books as a young teen. The protagonist was right around my age, and we got along great. Recently, I got ahold of the rest of the series (or rather, remaining two series within a three-series, three-protagonist series). The world was the same, but the story and message had grown up with me. The closing theme of the final book resonated with me to such an extent, it would not be out of line to say it changed my life.

So many favorite authors :). Some favorites off the top of my head: Margaret Atwood, David Sedaris, Jen Lancaster, Jenny Lawson, Christopher Moore, L.M. Montgomery, Agatha Christie, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman.

Some of my favorites are Rick Riordan, Jessica Day George, and Jeffrey M. Poole.

None from the poll.

I think that the author, who always keeps me entertained, is Betty MacDonald. I absolutely adore the way she plays with words, how she finds humour in absolutely everything.

you had Michael Crichton listed in the poll!

but, yeah, Michael Crichton, because he never has a dull moment, he picks you up, pulls you in, and teaches you things throughout the book. I could never tire of his writing style

Diana Wynn Jones and Dumas. I love the fantasy genre and fairytale aspect that Diana keeps in her books. Dumas becuase he writes such interesting characters

Stephen king is my favorite, his books are just so awesome and thrilling!