A Time To Read…

First, a few housekeeping items!

I’m thrilled and honored to report The Marriage Bargain is still holding on to the number one spot on Barnes and Noble Romance bestsellers, and the number 4 spot in All books.

The Hunger Games is one, two and three. To even stand in such company is simply ridiculous to me, so another thank you to everyone who has been emailing, twittering and facebooking me telling me they loved the book.

Next, I will be hopping around at some fabulous sites at the next few days. Here’s the schedule:

TUESDAY, FEBRURARY 28TH: Lush Book Reviews – http://lushbookreviewss.blogspot.com

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH: I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read – giveaway is planned! http://www.sithereandread.com

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29TH: Lisa Fox http://http://www.lisafoxromance.com

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29TH: Everyday Is An Adventure Http://everydayadventure11.blogspot.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 1ST: BOOK OF THE MONTH PICK! Maldivia Book Reviews!

http://www.maldiviabookreviewer.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 1ST: Reader Girls http://www.readergirls.blogspot.com/

FRIDAY, MARCH 2ND: Interview at Sharon Own http://sharonkowensimplycreating.wordpress.com/

Whew! There’s a nice mix of blogs, interviews, reviews and giveaways so please stop by!

Now, onward and upward to my topic this week. Reading. Specifically, on March 2nd, the event Read Across America is going on, and the schools are celebrating with inviting parents in to read to their children, and spotlighting different books that have made life long friends for our children. After all, it’s Dr. Seuss’s birthday!

We all know them. The classics. Books that changed us, guided us, made us cry and laugh and sometimes, made us a different person. Pretty powerful stuff. Some kids are not big into reading, but it only takes one story to transfix and transform, so always be on the lookout for something.

And if they won’t sit still? I love to tell my children stories about when they were little and growing up. I spin funny tales of temper tantrums, and silly words and events, and first milestones. I tell them their birth stories. I tell them mine and my husband’s, and it’s the first connection in their world that story is bigger than we all are. It is everywhere, in our footsteps, and when we are old and look back, those stories are our memories.

This week is a good time to look back. What have you read that transformed you as a child? As an adult? Something that has never left you – even if it is a piece of a sentence or clip of dialogue that stuck with you?

Read a book to your children this week. Read a book for yourself, or a short story, or try some new author on the horizon and take a chance on expanding boundaries. The words are all there for us, ready to pick up, splashed over a clean white page and ready to come alive.

Some of my all time favorites?

The Judy Blume books where I learned stuff my mom never told me

Shel Silvertstein Where The Sidewalk Ends – I carried it around for weeks, not wanting it to leave my side for even a minute of the day

Romance Novels – lots of them – too many authors to name. They made me dream, helped me believe in love, kept me a strong assertive woman, and gave me hope during my awkward, shy years.

Ann Lamott  and Julie Cameron – Their inspiring writing books pushed me to be better and seize the moment. Bird by Bird and The Artists Way are some of my favorites. I can’t forget Natalie Goldberg Writing Down the Bones either.

Stephen King and Dean Koontz – The masters of suspense and horror, yet bigger than their genre. For the entertainment value and some fantastic writing, they are classics.

Garth Stein – The Art of Racing in the Rain – I will never forget this book. Ever. Ever.

Laura Hildebrand – SeaBiscuit – another one that haunts me to this day.

Now, there are too many more to name, I just grabbed a few to tempt you.

Come drop by and share with me. What book changed you? Haunted you? What books do you love – as children or adults?

I wish you a wonderful week full of good things and good books.