Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Write Stuff Wednesday

Today, I want to pay homage to two authors who have the Write Stuff!

My all time favorite fantasy series as a kid would have to be CS Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. There were other books, of course, but I always went back to the Narnia adventures when I needed comfort reading. My own boxed set was a treasured gift and one that still occupies a place of honor on my bookshelf. Dog-eared and worn as it is, I can't part with it. This is the set I shared with my kids when they were ready and one day (waay into the future) my grandkids will probably wonder why this moldering old collection is still around gathering dust. Well if not this exact set, at least this exact series.

As an adult and a parent, I've read a lot of books in a lot of genres, but as fantasy goes, I'd cast my vote for Rowling's Harry Potter series. I remember how wonderful it was to discover these books and share them with my kids. I've never been one to read in the genre I write and Harry's adventures give me a much needed respite when I need to escape my reality or my fiction. For whatever reason, the cursed internal editor that often won't shut up, goes on vacation when I'm reading any book in this wonderfully crafted series. I can assure you at the end of book four I was crying because of the impact, but I was also crying because I'd reached 'the end'. These seven books will also be on my bookshelf, next to Narnia, for as long as I have a bookshelf.

So fantasy or not, what puts a book in your Write Stuff column and earns it a place on your keeper shelf?

Regan

6 comments:

  1. I love the Harry Potter series, too. Especially since J. K. has gotten such criticism for her writing. Maybe it's not the best, but she can tell wonderful stories! A true gift.

    I don't have much patience for detail anymore, but I still devour Tolkien's every word. Probably my favorite. I cried when scenes from the first movie flashed across the screen because I knew, immediately, that the books were going to be honored.

    mary
    http://www.cynthiasattic.blogspot.com
    http://www.woofersclub.blogspot.com

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  2. That is so funny Regan. I got choked up at the end of every Harry Potter book because I simply didn't want it to end. I would actually read slower as I approached the last few chapters just to make it last longer.

    http://nickvalentino.blogspot.com

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  3. I would definitely say Harry Potter is on my bookshelf, too. I fell in love with them when the third book came out, and I must have read that one over and over because it was my favorite of the first four! Then when the last three came out, I couldn't wait to read them! I read them as fast as I could:)

    Alyssa
    http://www.alyssamontgomery.com
    http://amontgomery99.blogspot.com

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  4. So cool to know I'm not the only one, Nick!

    It's great to know the fantasy genre is still so well loved!

    Regan

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  5. I've probably read the Harry Potter books a hundred times each. Not kidding. My husband used to play this sick game with me where he'd open a random page in a random book and I'd finish it, verbatim. Loving your picks!

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  6. Loved Harry Potter - hated the Narnia books. I didn't read Narnia when I was a kid, and they seemed ... well, too young. Potter was reader friendly even for me.

    Norm

    http://fangplace.blogspot.com

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