It's that time again…Topic Tuesday. First, I know I'm kindarunning late. What the hell's new about that, you may ask. Well, this week I'm writing from the (not so beautiful) view of the 5thfloor (cardiac unit) of Memorial Hospital in lovely Gulfport, Ms.More on that mess later.
This week's Adkins Topic Tuesday addition is:
What is the book that made you a reader?
I think this is a great question. What book made me a reader? What book made me want to pick up a book, and turn the pages? Don't get me wrong…I read as a child. Golden Books stories,The Ghost on Windy Hill, some of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries, but I wasn't an avid reader.
No book held me captive. No book took me away when I read. I read because I had to read, not because I wanted to read. My sister read to me every night, or most every night. My bedtime stories were The Watchers and Phantoms by Dean Koontz, The Moon Pool by Abraham Merritt, and The Hobbitt by J. R. R. Tolkien, to name a few.
The first time I picked up a book because I wanted to read it was late spring/early summer 1984. The movie Firestarter had been released at the movies, and my sister took me to the show. Iloved the movie. I could not stop talking about it. I was bouncy.Ain't gonna lie. LOL
My sister said "It was okay, but the book is WAY better." Now, you have to understand my sister. First, she's fourteen years older than me, and this made our earlier years together a mother/daughter relationship more than a sibling one. We were always together and I was the baby. So, she was really another parent. (And that's a story no one really wants to hear. LOL)
I loved my sissy. Wanted to be way cool like my sissy. My sister is an avid reader and has been since childhood. She read the complete works of Shakespeare in 5th or 6th grade because she needed something to read. (Tell you anything? Lol)
I asked "Do you have it?" My interest was piqued. I wanted to READ this book. I had to have it. I craved it like a thirsty man craves water.
In typical Lemmie fashion, she reeled me in. "I should. Do you want to look when we get to the house?"
My bouncer was in overdrive at this point. We were ten minutes from the house, tops, and I wanted to be there that instant. I didn't want to wait. I didn't want to do the speed limit. I didn't want to wait behind slow people who were keeping me from THIS. BOOK!!
Didn't they understand? The superest, most wonderful, GLORIOUS book in the world was waiting for me. I didn't have time for this. I needed to be home, looking for the book. I had several bookshelves and boxes to go through to find what I was needing.
I raced inside as soon as we got back. I tore into the bookcase, moving things out of my way in my search. Lemmiestrolled in more sedately. She knew she had me. "Need help?" She exuded indifference. Hell, she'd read the damn thing. She didn't need it like I did.
"Where's it at?" Mind you, I'm still pulling books off the shelves in my mad hunt.
I swear to you. She reached into the bookcase and the FIRST book she pulls out is a hardback book with a stark white cover. At the bottom of the book is a depiction of flames in an overlay of a female face, or more precisely, a nose and mouth in the flames and bright green eyes in alignment above the flames.
I disappeared with the book, and only immerged when someone insisted I participate with the family. I don't remember now how long I took to read that book. At that point, it probably would've taken me a week. Today, I can plow through a book like a wildfire in the middle of a dry spell…just ask Logan.(LOL. Love ya, Red!)
Anyway, I'm sure you've listened to me ramble on long enough now. Thanks for stopping by the find out what book started me reading. Check back next week, and we'll discover together what new ideas the World's Greatest Promohomo has cooked up for our enjoyment.
While we wait, you may want to hop on over to see what these wonderful authors had to say about their first real book experience:
I'll get back to the reason behind my current incarceration another time. Maybe it will be an extra post sometime soon. When I feel up to it…or when the damn hospital stops restricting the webpages on their *^&#^%@ WIFI.
Until then,
Peace Up!
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