D is for “Desperation, Depression, Decisions”

Welcome to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Every day in April (except Sundays), I’ll be sharing a short bookish memory with you.

In high school, I wasn’t the greatest student. I had a terrible attitude and did the minimum amount of work I needed to graduate. When I met with my guidance counselor to talk about my future, I said I wanted to be a crazy dog lady, live in the woods, and never see another person again. I didn’t want to go to college. I didn’t want a job. I didn’t want a husband or kids. If we’re being honest, I didn’t want to be alive. My teenage years were very dark, very angsty, and very strange. In one of Stephen King's books, he uses the phrase "going out of the blue and into the black." Yeah. Teenage-me was deep in the black and had no intention of trying to get out of it.

One of the few things I enjoyed about my senior year of high school was my creative writing class. Instead of taking a final exam, we had to revise the stories we wrote for class and create a portfolio of our writing. I worked abnormally hard on my portfolio. Seriously, it had been years since I’d put that much effort into anything, especially a school assignment. Teenage-me was much too angry and cynical for school. I turned in my portfolio and hoped for a good grade.

The teacher gave our portfolios back during the last week of high school. Creative writing was my final class of the day, so I walked halfway home with my portfolio, then sat under a tree and flipped through it.

My writing teacher had been supportive of my work all semester, but I was surprised by her comments on my assignment. She said a lot of nice things and thought I had a talent for writing. She didn't want me to give up on it.

I had never thought of myself as talented at anything, but I started to wonder if she was right. I loved books, and I loved writing, and I really loved writing about books. My portfolio was proof that I could work hard on something and not fail. If one person in the world thought I was talented, maybe others would, too.

A few weeks after I graduated from high school, I signed up for literature classes at a community college. It was a brilliant decision. I loved college so much that I went for 11 years and ended up with three degrees. All of them are related to writing or literature.

And, I still have my portfolio with my high school teacher’s comments.

If you went to college, how did you choose what to study? Did you have a teacher who influenced your choice?

C is for “Colorado USA”

Welcome to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Every day in April (except Sundays), I’ll be sharing a short bookish memory with you.

I’ve lived in Colorado, USA for most of my life. The state is overcrowded, but as far as places to live go, it’s an excellent one. It’s usually sunny, even when there are several feet of snow on the ground. Compared to other states, it’s (mostly) safe and (somewhat) clean. You’re never far from the wilderness here.

Growing up in Colorado has influenced what I read. The Southwestern US is rich in folklore and has a long, strange history. Living in the "Wild West" is what sparked my interest in ghost stories. Spending time in nature has given me an appreciation for survival stories and books about plants and animals. Big cities have always felt foreign to me. In fiction and in real life, I like silence and room to breathe.

Here are some pictures I’ve taken while exploring Colorado over the years:

Does where you live influence your taste in books?

B is for “Books in Stockings”

Welcome to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Every day in April (except Sundays), I’ll be sharing a short bookish memory with you.

I didn’t love reading as a kid, but I always got books for Christmas. They were usually in my stocking along with an obscene amount of candy. I didn’t know it at the time, but some really important books showed up in my stocking: Bridge to Terabithia, Hatchet, When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, Holes, Walk Two Moons, Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Summer of the Monkeys, The Golden Compass, Around the World in 80 Days, and many others.

Recently, I asked my dad how he—I mean, how Santa Claus—chose which books to put in our Christmas stocking every year. Neither of my parents are readers, so I wondered how they’d picked books for us kids. My dad said he didn’t remember. He didn’t even remember which books they’d given us.

I remember. Most of my Christmas books were classics or winners of major literary awards. I have a feeling my parents went to the children’s section of a bookstore and chose whichever books were sitting on the shelves with the covers facing out. If you’re searching a store for popular books, that’s a pretty good strategy for finding them.

I'm not sure how my parents chose books for me, but I’m very grateful they did. If I ever have kids, they’re getting books and candy in their Christmas stockings.

Some of my original stocking books.

Did you get books for the holidays when you were a kid?

The Sunday Post #91

The Sunday Post is hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to recap the past week, talk about next week, and share news. It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is hosted by Book Date. I get to tell you what I’ve read recently.

Blogging From A To Z

Things around here are a little different this month. I’m participating in the Blogging from A to Z challenge. Every day in April (except Sundays), I’m going to write a short post about how books and book blogging have impacted my life. Brace yourself. Posts are coming.

On The Blog Last Week

• On Monday I reviewed Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks.
• On Wednesday I reviewed Slasher Girls & Monster Boys by April Genevieve Tucholke (Editor)
• On Thursday I wrapped up March.
• On Saturday I started the Blogging from A to Z Challenge with A is for “Margaret Atwood.”

On The Blog This Week

• B is for “Books in Stockings”
• C is for “Colorado USA”
• D is for “Desperation, Depression, Decisions”
• E is for “Escapism”
• F is for “First Blogging Failure”
• G is for “Graduate School”

In My Reading Life

Guys, Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces is kicking my ass. I’ve had to stop reading several times to Google what the heck he’s talking about. This book requires a huge amount of concentration, so last week I took a small break from it to read Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Leah Remini. Right now, when I’m not reading the Campbell book, I’m reading Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel. To everybody who keeps telling me to read Sleeping Giants, I’m finally doing it! (And, yes, I’m liking it. You were right.)

In The Rest Of My Life

Five things that made me happy last week:

1. My career actually took an itty-bitty step in a non-disastrous direction. What is this sorcery? Things don’t usually go right for me! Of course, it could always blow up in my face, but let’s enjoy it while it lasts.
2. The Blogging from A to Z Challenge started.
3. So many books. I got a ton of books for my birthday, and most of them showed up last week.
4. My parents got me a second week of Nutrisystem because I liked my first week. The second week also went well.
5. New season of The Amazing Race. I love that show.

Take care of yourselves and be kind to each other! See you around the blogosphere!