How I Got Here

I've always loved to read.  Any book that could take me into the pages and make me forget everything but the book was wonderful.  Don't get me wrong--my home life was fine so I wasn't trying to escape from it by reading.  But curling up and getting lost in a book was pure heaven.  I'm still that way.  The funny thing is that I don't remember ever reading the Wizard of Oz books when I was young.  We didn't have many books at home; I don't know why because my parents enjoy reading also.  Reading books from the school library were no fun--they were almost all read just to get book reports done.  Reading because you HAVE to defeats the purpose for me.  I read some good books, don't get me wrong but mostly I just read the inside cover and skimmed enough to get the report done.  Don't shake your head at ME!!  You probably did the exact same thing, admit it!

Summers were wonderful because the Bookmobile came every two weeks.  I can still remember the unique smell that old converted bus had.  Partly dusty, partly sweaty from all the kids that had run to meet it but mostly it just had that "book" smell.  Climbing up those steps into the bookmobile was pure excitement for me!  Who knew what books would be here this time?  They could take me anywhere to meet anyone doing anything. 

My favorite books were the ones that dealt with dragons, wizards, fairies and otherworldly places.  How could anyone not love them?  The dragons always turned out to be friendly and helpful to the princess/fairy in trouble.  Wizards would be on the loose; sometimes good, sometimes bad but always fascinating!  Those magical lands full of unicorns, elves and whimsy held my attention and heart for hours on end.  This type of book is still my favorite.  Aragon, Harry Potter, Terry Brook's Magic Kingdom for Sale--these are the books and authors I look for at the library.  They require me to use my imagination and paint such colorful pictures of places I never will go (but would certainly like to!)  I live, hear about and see the stories of love, lust, family, etc. every day and although I enjoy books of all types, fantasy books are still my first love.

So what does all this have to do with my love of the Wizard of Oz when I really have never read the books?  That will have to wait for another day.