I began phonetically sounding out words at the age of two and was reading Little Golden Books by the age of three. Sound precocious, don't I? I wasn't. It was sheer desperation. I couldn't get people to read enough books to me, so I had to learn to read them myself. Ah, the magic of fiction. The fairytale world of other realities. I was well and truly hooked from a young age.This picture is third grade. My favorite part of school was the day each week that we got to go to the school library. This is the year that I found two great treasures. T
he first was "At the Back of the North Wind" by George MacDonald, and the other was "The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet" by Eleanor Cameron. Wow. Science Fiction was a shock to my system. This was fiction de la creme for me. I was hooked for years, later discovering Anne McCaffrey, Piers Anthony, and a score of other Science fantasy authors.Somwhere as a teen I stumbled across a romance. I took a vacation from Fantasy and dove into romances. Perhaps not all were the best choice for an impressionable teen girl, but some were a help in choosing the right husband. I passed up all the toads and waited for that really special someone. So glad that I did. Thank you, romance authors, for making me want a real hero.
Later I discovered and switched to inspirational romance. For me it was a combination of favorites...God and romance. In The Circle Trilogy, Ted Dekker presents God as a lover of romance, and the creator of all romance. That was a fun, new concept for me, affecting what I want to do as a writer.
My current list of favorite authors: Patricia Davids, Roxann Delaney, Starla Kaye, Penny Rader, Nina Sipes, Joan Vincent, Debbie Macomber, Jan Karon, Dora Jessie Saint, William MacDonald, Max Lucado, Francine Rivers, and Randy Alcorn. There are others, but I'm trying to hurry and finish this blog...
If I had to pick one book that was my favorite over the many that I've read, it would be "Deadline" by Randy Alcorn. It was a life changing book for me. My view of Heaven was so narrow until I read this book. It opened up a treasure of limitless eternal possibilities, making me see God and Heaven as terribly exciting and adventurous.
Nathaniel Hawthorne said, "Words --- so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary. How potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them."
Fiction impacts lives. Whether conscious or not, each author sends a message in her book. Every author holds power in her hands to affect the lives of individuals. Being the lover of fiction that I am, my life has been impacted through the years by authors and their stories. Some inspired me to greatness. Some inspired me to foolishness. As we craft our stories, may we be conscious of those that will hold them in their hands and make decisions based on those stories.
Why am I in a hurry to finish this blog? In my research for this blog, I discovered that there are five books in the Mushroom Series by Eleanor Cameron. I am long overdue for the second book in the series, so I'm off to the library. See you later.
6 comments:
What a great post, Elaine. It truly is one of lifes greatest pleasures to be swept away by a book. I'm sure most of us have one or two that we've read so many times we could recite lines from the dog-eared pages. I know I do. Thanks for reminding me!
I love the Hawthorne quote. How true it is! Thanks for including me in your favorites list--I'll treasure that. My kids turned me on to science fiction though I don't read a lot of it. I've been steaming through the Robert Jordan Wheel of Time series lately just finishing book 4. I do like McCaffrey. Have you ever read any of the Jayne Castle future world Arcane Society books?
Books do affect us. As writers we share a part of ourselves in our work. Thanks for sharing your thoughts
Thanks for the recommendation Joan; I have the first book (audio edition) on hold at the library...
Every author holds power in her hands to affect the lives of individuals.
Wow. Just...wow. That's a heavy load to carry.
Wonderful words, Elaine, all of it.
I've seen so many authors and titles, especially over the past month, that I want to find that lovely, empty beach that lives in my imagination, settle down and do nothing but read. That would be my definition of heaven.
Thanks to everyone who's shared, WARA bloggers and all those who've commented!
Elaine,
You're scary! That was a very moving/sobering post. You really nailed the worth of words.
I'm on your list!! Happy dancing #%^!
I've been whining to myself all week because I got an unexpected dump of work all over me. Your article really cheered me up.
I'm honored to be on your list, Elaine! And I love that you were reading by age 3. Wow. I don't even remember being 3. I'll have to check out some of the authors you mentioned.
And, I, too, loved each author sends a message in her book. Every author holds power in her hands to affect the lives of individuals. I going to print that off and post it in my writing notebook.
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