Books

I know I said I wasn't going to post this weekend, but mother-in-law snuck out early this morning before I was even awake, and Little Mouse was so exhausted from the "sleep"over that she is still sleeping. It is quiet and I have thoughts...my own thoughts, even!

Books have played such an important role in my life. I have been an avid reader since I was very small. In our house, we don't have broadcast or cable television--our TV is used only for DVDs and video games, and even their use is limited. Many evenings will find all four of us sprawled across various couches, together, but each absorbed in their own book. I still read to my children every night before bed, even though my oldest is nearly thirteen, and they still look forward to this ritual very much, and are sad when circumstances do not permit us to do it.

Some books I adored as a child and read over and over again, like "The Swiss Family Robinson", and an old English novel by Ethel Noakes called "The House of Many Pages." It has been a joy to introduce my own children to these books, and to say reverently, "These books belonged to your grandfather when he was a little boy, so you must be very careful with them."

Books by Ray Bradbury, Sylvia Louise Engdahl and Octavia Butler opened my young eyes to the endless worlds of fantasy and science fiction, ignited the fires of my imagination, and started me down the path of telling my own stories.

Some books have come along at just the right time...Ann Maxwell's "Timeshadow Rider" came into my hands just after I broke up with my first love. It restored my faith in love eternal, and made me believe that my soul mate was out there and that I would one day find him.

Some books I feel I owe a lot to, given how they have changed (or even saved) my life. Pamela Peeke's "Body for Life for Women" and Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way" got me off my butt and got my feet firmly on the path to wellness and health after I stopped taking my bipolar meds and needed to reclaim my mind, body and creativity.

Books by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Mercedes Lackey, and Lois McMaster Bujold are like old friends that I return to again and again.

Writing Prompt: What role do books play in your life? What books did you love as a child? Which books opened your eyes to new worlds and new possibilities? What books have you read that still haunt your dreams? What books have you read more than once?