Melissa Ann Goodwin

Melissa Ann Goodwin

Monday, August 22, 2011

SPARK BLOGFEST POST

Hello Friends! Over the next few days, I'm participating in the Spark Blogfest, aka SPARKFEST. This is the brainchild of Christine Tyler, whose blog is called, "The Writer Coaster."  Much gratitude to Christine for her great idea.

If you want to participate, you can sign up at: http://www.christinetyler.net/ 

The "Spark" post topic for today is: What book made you realize that you were doomed to be a writer?

As a child, I read everything. I read so much everything that I can't even remember what I read. But the answer to this question is:  The House at Pooh Corner, by A.A. Milne. Now, considering the many more impressive titles I could have thrown out there, like War and Peace or Ulysses, you might wonder, why this book? The answer is: I don't know.

What do I know is that I remember reading this book when I was around eight years old, and having the quite specific thought, I want to write books like this.

Perhaps it was the "In Which ...." chapter titles. Or maybe it was the tiddely-poms. Milne had a rhythm to his words that made his prose poetic. And he elicited feelings of wistfulness that made me long for my childhood, even though I was still in it! Whatever the reason, this was the book that gave me the writer bug.

Would love to hear your answers to the question.....

18 comments:

  1. Great book! It's one of my mother's favorites. I enjoyed it, but don't share her passion for it.

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  2. I love Pooh and still some of the songs (from the original movie). Unfortunately, I've never read the book - but now MUST!

    I'm not a 'writer', but I write stuff *sometimes* for fun and use my blog as a therapeutic outlet...but that is about it.

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  3. Hi Brianna, thanks for stopping by!

    AB, you write beautifully...eloquent, poignant, hilarious...

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  4. Oy...just re-read my reply and I meant that I still SING some of the songs from the Winnie-the-Pooh movie. {eye roll}

    And thank you for the kind words!

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  5. Oh, I love Winnie the Pooh, and could never get enough of House at Pooh Corner when I was a kid. I still love everything about it. Great choice!

    I'm participating in this blogfest too, I think it's a great one. Just have to get my butt in gear and write my post LOL.

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  6. My kids have just discovered AA Milne, so I'm getting to re-read an old favorite. It's so lovely to sink back into that lyrical prose.

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  7. Awesome spark story. =)

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  8. Julie, I'll be by to check yours out.
    Kate & Patricia, thanks for stopping by and saying hello!

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  9. Anonymous8/23/2011

    I remember our tiny local library as a kid. Stuffed with books, dark and wonderful:) My memorable books were the Ramona series.I think it was the first "series" of books that I had read and I loved it!!! Couldn't get enough reading:)
    I am not a writer but I am a big fan of yours, does that count??? Nancy

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  10. Anonymous8/23/2011

    Hmm, I'm not sure I could come up with just one author or book. I was read to every night as a little child (spoiled, I know). Dr. Suess, Uncle Remus Stories (remember that one?), Perry (about a squirrel family if I remember correctly)and a series of "Golden Books" filled with lyrical little stories I can still recite (I'm a tough old sea-goin' cat, my name is Captain Jack...)
    It was a Mark Twain knock-off assignment in 7th grade that gave me the writing bug. (But I still love being read to :)

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  11. I love Pooh bear. How sweet. I can see why it would inspire you.

    I'm so excited for you and your book!

    The Write Soil

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  12. Never understimate the lasting power of a good childrn's book! Peter Pan comes to mind. Shel Silverstein is also one of my favs. But really...I love Pooh, too.

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  13. Nancy, you bet it counts!!

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  14. Dawn & Jan, & Anonymous, Thanks for the comments. So many great children's books. My favorite children's book is actually The Secret Garden, but it was Pooh that sparked the writer bug.

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  15. I like it when chapters start with "In which" too! The Enchanted Forest Chronicles chapters by Patricia C. Wrede start out that way. There's something so enticing about it!

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  16. Laura, there is! When I'm writing, sometimes it helps me get into a new chapter if I think of a chapter title that starts with, "In which....

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  17. Awww, I love Winnie the Pooh! Tigger's my favourite. It's so neat that that was your inspiration to be a writer! :-)

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  18. I think we all wish our original loves were something "respectable." Those of us who claim they were are probably lying XD

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