How did you find authors?

I've been hanging around blogs and forums by and for self-published writers, and the talk about promotion made me wonder, how do people find the authors they follow?

For me, in vaguely chronological order:

Terry Pratchett: I'd heard about his Discworld series from online acquaintances. When I had a look in a bookshop the first time, I put it out of my mind right quick, because the old Josh Kirby covers were so offputting, with people looking like scarecrows mde of skin stuffed with lumps. Then Nautilus a German magazine about fantasy media ran a series of articles, and when I needed a book for a long car trip, I picked up Mort (translated, paperback, full price).

Walter Moers: I'd heard about his novels back at school from one of my classmates, but didn't really pick up anything. A few years later I saw that the local library had the books, and I gave the first one a go.

Steven Brust: If I remember correctly he was recommended to me by Herm Baskervile and at least one other Profusion member.

Jim C. Hines: Becca Stareyes posted a review of The Stepsister Scheme on her Livejournal.

Lois McMaster Bujold: A local bookshop had remaindered English paperbacks on offer for one euro (the usual price for remaindered books being 3 or 4 euros nowadays...), and I found Komarr in that box.

M.C.A. Hogarth: I found her via the Livejournal grapevine. I think the first project of hers I heard about was the Three Micahs column. I could "sample" her fiction on her blog and with free short stories, and am in the process of buying the backlist as well as new offers.

Lindsay Buroker: I saw her posts on the Mobilereads forum, and somewhere (I think in her signature) she linked to a free short story featuring the same characters as one of her novels.

I get the impression what works best for me is word of mouth and/or getting something for little money or for free. I haven't really developed a habit of downloading samples of ebooks rather than looking for complete free works yet, but I'm working on it.

Which authors do you like so much you're keeping an eye out for their next book, and how did you find them?