Getting older...or...not?

 

The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been.

 

Madeleine L'Engle, writer (1918-2007)

 

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What an insightful quote from dear Madeleine! I am always on the prowl for words of wisdom or delight or zaniness. These words from L'Engle remind me of why I, too, write fiction for kids: writing and reading whisk us away on a magic carpet ride to time and place unknown, formerly known, or yearned for.

Been there?... remember that evocative story that elicited yearnings to deep? You tried to explain but simple words didn't suffice. We are reduced to sighs of pleasure or expansive similes: "Reading Narnia is like...ahhh...falling into a warm soft cloud of melted chocolate and it's always summer and there are no taskmasters...ahhhhh!"

Better yet, referencing THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH...(paraphrasing rather than quoting): Mr. Bultitude did not experience pleasure as we do. No, pleasure was. But, here is the point: pleasure for Mr. Bultitude did not exist as a dry, hard fact, but as a vast, oceanic breadth and depth of joy in which Mr. Bultitude's every cell quivered in resonant delight.

THAT kind of feeling is what I (and probably every writer!) wishes to produce for each and every reader. I hope that my ANIMALS OF CHRISTMAS might take some folks there--early reviews are coming in and sounding good.

I hope that my next book will be even more evocative...stay tuned for future developments.

What have you read recently that was an:
1. I COULD NOT put this book down?
2. Ahhhhhh!