Thursday, August 16, 2012

Life and Reading

Gosh! This has been one of the craziest summers I can remember in both good and bad ways. The news first, I finished my manuscript "Hearts and Horses" for the Curse of the Scrimshaw Doll series with the Wild Okie group. What a grand feeling to finish the first round of edits, re-edits, and more re-edits and finally pass the manuscript on to a critique friend in the group.

I have a publisher interested in the "true fiction" work about my husband's aunt who died at the age of 18 in 1917. It was quite a scandal in small town Oklahoma. Keep your fingers crossed for me . . .

A Facebook friend of mine, Arlie, posted an interesting question recently. It made me wonder about you. I think your responses will be interesting and I wonder if our choices will be affected by location.

So, here are the questions and my answer.

What are the first books you remember reading? What were your choices from childhood through high school?

I remember having Little Golden Books and especially recall "The Poky Little Puppy." The first chapter books I can think of were "The Boxcar Children Series." I loved the sense of adventure the siblings had as they tried to survive without parents. There was a time I was really into anything about circuses. I wanted to be like Toby Tyler and join the circus. Then came Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames--more adventure. Later, in the high school years I was especially drawn in by Gothic Romance. Dorothy Eden was one of my favorite authors. More mystery and adventure. I think there's a theme here . . .

When I was in junior high we moved to a house in Lovington, NM that had an apricot tree in the back yard. It didn't take long for that tree to become my haven. I would climb up with a book, a Dr. Pepper, and a snack then settle into the crook between two branches. I spent hours up there reading and dreaming. When the apricots were ripe I could reach up and grab a handful and eat them warm and juicy right off of the tree.

Questions like those posed by Arlie make me take fond trips down memory lane. I've recalled books I hadn't thought about in years. Books I will make sure my granddaughters have access to when they're old enough to read.

So, what did you read and where did you live when you read those books?

8 comments:

Pamela S Thibodeaux said...

My earliest reading I can recall were Dr Seuss and I haven't stopped!

Great post, Nona and I'm SO VERY HAPPY for you in completing those edits and getting that novella out - just a few steps from publication!

Good luck and God's blessings on your current WIP's.

See you soon!
PamT

Unknown said...

Congratulations on finishing edits on the anthology story & what wonderful news about the publisher's interest. I'm so proud for you. I really don't remember what I read 1st. I think I stayed outside all the time & didn't read much as a kid. The 1st books that I remember getting hooked on was Nancy Drew mysteries.

Renee Vincent said...

Okay this is no lie. I came thinking I was going to write the follow books as my childhood books:
The Poky Little Puppy
Nancy Drew series
VC Andrews books

and come to find out you listed two of my choices. This is uncanny!

Like minds I suppose...

Great post, Winona!

Unknown said...

Congratulations on completing the manuscript. That always gives you a good feeling. Best of luck.
Apricots--the last time I was in NM, years ago now--the apricots were ripe. And they were GOOD.
Black Beauty, Little Women, Rose in Bloom were my childhood staples in rural Louisiana. I read them over and over along with a book called Trudy about a high school girl. Book pickings were scarce at our house. :) Later I enjoyed Nancy Drew mysteries, and a novel called Diana, which I read because that was my sister's name. Really, I read anything I could check out of the library or Bookmobile.

Beth Trissel said...

Congrats on finishing your story! WTG! As to books, I was a voracious reader as a child and young adult. I loved the Chronicles of Narnia and Little House Books best of all, but read everything.

Winona Cross said...

Your responses have stirred other memories--I read anything horsey, how could I not think of Black Beauty, Misty of Chincoteague, or Chronicles of Narnia.

Silly me.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on finishing your WIP! What a great accomplishment!

Christi Corbett

Karen Kelley said...

Congrats on the contract!!!!