Tuesday, June 16, 2009

How to get through life

I just received an email about how to "Get through life".

One of the suggestions was to "read books".

I can't imagine life without books. For as long as I can remember I've loved books: dead tree books and electronic books.

I've also loved to write stories of my own.

Some people have a life long goal of selling make-up. Some build computers. Some farm. Some sew. Some draw. Some umpire.

I write.

And I read.

A lot of people read who never write but I don't know anyone who writes but doesn't read.

Reading was easier before I began to write in earnest. Now, when I see an awkward sentence or a plot hole my editor's hat comes out. I start to pick apart the story.

I love it when I get so lost in the story I don't get caught up in critiquing it. I want to get lost in the magic, to forget my life for a space and become someone else. I especially love to fall in love again with a handsome, dashing hero or to laugh out loud or have a grand adventure. I like to visit other times and places. I like to forget myself.

Nothing can do this for me like a good book.

You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

7 comments:

The Redhead Riter said...

My daughter just hated to read, but every night we would sit down and read a few chapters in a book...years passed. Same routine, I read a chapter, she reads a chapter. Then one night, we have two chapters left and we quit reading. The next day, I was just dying to know what happened in the book. That night I said, "Let's read." Alyssa said, "Oh, I already read it and started another book. I just couldn't wait for you." From that day on, the fatter the book, the more Alyssa wants to read it. We are a book loving family!

Wendi Zwaduk and Megan Slayer said...

I wanted to tell you that you rock. I ended up sending LHTB to Samhain the day before you told me to email Claire. Then yesterday, Jess Bimberg emailed from TEB and wanted the full for LHTB. Thankfully Samhain wasn't upset by the dual submission that way.

We'll see what happens. Jess seemed really excited about LHTB.

Wendi

Wendi Zwaduk and Megan Slayer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

My younger daughter used to hate to read, too, and then she discovered Harry Potter. And then manga. Now, she's always bugging me to take her to the bookstore.

It turned out they'd taken her out of reading class to put her in speech class so she missed phonics. That's why she hated reading. Oi!

Unknown said...

Samhain and TEB are both good. One of these days I will also submit to Samhain. I just like TEB so much, I keep sending everything to them. But I should spread the wealth.

You're welcome. I bet people will fight over your books. You're awesome - and so are your books, Wendi.

Clare Revell said...

I love reading, always have.

I just forced myself to finish a book that drove me nuts. I gave up with it the first time and honestly it wasn't worth finishing. Not only did it have at least 10 spelling mistakes it it!, the plot holes even made my kids laugh. Especially when the author keeps mentioning the 2004 tsunami and then had his whole cast on the sea front wondering why the ocean was just going out and out and out and it wasn't low tide!!
And then the ending was a total cop out. That's def one for the charity shop next time I go to town.

Unknown said...

I've forced myself to finish reading books I didn't love, either. Sometimes, I can't force myself.

Most of the time, however, I enjoy reading. I haven't stayed up all night reading recently, however.

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