When I was very young, my parents would tell me and my sister to let them sleep on the weekends.

Whatever that looked like for us, that’s what we had to do.

I don’t know what my sister did.

Actually, I think she used to sleep in on weekends, too.

But I was an early riser.

Books were my method of choice for keeping busy and quiet.

The imposed quiet time is what inspired not only my love of reading but also my love of writing, leading me on a lifelong literary journey.

Here are some of the books I hold completely responsible.

My mom had a thick book of fairytales and nursery rhymes from her own childhood and possibly her mother’s childhood.

It was so old, the spine was held together with yellowing and flaking cellophane tape.

That book was a gateway to magic.

It was full of Grimm’s fairytales and Hans Christian Andersen and Aesop’s fables.

Storytelling at its finest.

I wish I knew what happened to that book.

I hope it winged its way to some other child.

Another book that inspired me was Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh.

I loved how Harriet created a whole town and stories for all the people who lived there.

I wanted to do that too.

When I was about nine or ten, I would save my birthday and allowance money and buy a stack of books from our local bookstore.

At the time, books cost about 75 cents or $1.25.

So with $10, I could buy a lot.

I bought Paddington Bear books.

I also remember Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and The Phantom Tollbooth.

But it was mainly Paddington who got to me.

I think because it took place in London.

I have that little bear to thank for me being an anglophile, too.

Anyway, I wrote to Michael Bond one summer day.

I told him I wanted to write books, too, and where did he get his ideas.

It was not a very original letter.

But he responded with some tips and, the best part, Paddington’s paw print.

I was hooked.

I wanted to write books just like that.

Sad to say, I’m not sure Paddington would be able to find a publisher these days.

The stories have very little plot and are very “quiet.”

Not enough pow and zing for today’s young readers.

Then there was A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

It was such a short book and so full of interesting characters.

I wanted to do that, too!

When I got older, I read Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher.

Could I somehow write a cozy novel, too?

I wish I could say I was inspired by literary titans like Dostoevsky or James Joyce or Jane Austen.

Or even Shakespeare or Dr. Seuss. But no.

It was the simple stories about loving your home in a small village (preferably England) and having good friends and pots of tea that inspired me.

Still does.

How about you?

What inspires your writing or creative passions?

Until next time,

~ Gail

Coundown: 13 weeks left of 2024

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