“You’re never going to kill storytelling, because it’s built in the human plan. We come with it.” – Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid’s Tale
Someone once called me a storyteller. I loved hearing that. From the time I first learned cursive writing, I’ve wanted to write down stories. Maybe I printed out some before then. And now my fingers on the keyboard are my means for telling stories. I’ve written many stories. I’ve even gotten dozens of them published for people like you to read. That was ever my dream from the time I opened that first wire bound notebook and wrote my first sentence of a story. It’s still my dream all these years later. I want to tell you a story that you will be glad you read.
But while I’m a storyteller in written form, I have never tried to be an oral storyteller. At least, not in front of a crowd. I have told my grandchildren plenty of bedtime stories. With my oldest granddaughter, I had a girl named Sally who did the most amazing things. Other granddaughters wanted stories of princesses and castles, and the boys liked talking frogs and such. I’ve told Bible stories to my Sunday school and Bible school kids. You can tell some pretty dramatic stories from the Bible. David and Goliath. Elijah calling the fire down from heaven. Moses leading the Israelite people out of Egypt. So many stories in the Bible.
I wouldn’t have the courage to step on stage and tell my stories, but I do enjoy listening to others who do. Just last Saturday, we took two of my granddaughters to the Cave Run Storytelling Festival. I think they said it was the 21st annual event. I did meet one attendee who said he’d been to nineteen. I’ve not been that fortunate. But I think this year was my fifth straight time. I mark the next one on my calendar as soon as this year’s is over. I enjoy those storytellers. And as you can see, the girls enjoyed putting their feet in Cave Run Lake.
This year’s stories had some laughs as most stories do, but they also had their very serious moments. As my son told the girls when they were telling him about the stories they’d heard that not all stories are funny. One storyteller told about doing a play about Dr. Ruth’s early life, starting with her escape from the Nazis. She lived but she lost her entire family in the Holocaust. Another storyteller told about the young man who charged the shooter at a college a few years ago and sacrificed his life to save others. Another lady told an African folk story and had us all singing along with her. So many great stories. Heart touching stories. Stories that made us laugh. Stories that made us cry. You can read more about the tellers here.
I wrote down what one of the tellers, Kim Weitkamp said. “We never know the value of a moment until it’s a memory.” I’m glad these storytellers took those memories and shared them with me and all the others who came to listen to their stories Saturday.
While I don’t tell my stories aloud from a stage, I do want my stories to touch readers’ hearts, to maybe bring a tear and I love it when sometimes a reader tells me my story made them laugh. I need to remember the value of those moments that give me inspiration to write new stories.
And the Winners Are:
I figured out my technical difficulties last Sunday. Surprise, surprise. It was operator error. The mail site had done some updates and made the sign-in place a little different. I was doing it the old way that didn’t work. I finally took a closer look, and the light came on. So sorry I’m late announcing the winners. I have already contacted all three and they’ve responded. So their packages are ready to go to the post office. The first place winner was Annette from Texas. She got the Willow Tree figurine and chose my book, Summer of Joy. The other winners were Maryann from New York who picked River to Redemption and Murder is No Accident, and Vickie from Iowa who chose Murder at the Courthouse and Murder Comes by Mail. She’s ready to spend some time in Hidden Springs!
E-Book News:
If you like to read e-books, my latest release, The Refuge, is available at many e-book sites for 99 cents or less. You can check out some of the buy links from my book page for The Refuge. If you’ve ever wanted to read one of my Harmony Hill Shaker books, here’s your chance if you like to e-read. Not much you can buy for a dollar these days, but sometimes you can grab a book for that great price.
“We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories.” – Jonathan Gottschall, The Storytelling Animal
Do you like to hear people tell stories? Do you have storytellers in your family who can make you laugh as they tell family stories?
Comments 4
The story telling event you took your grandchildren to sounds delightful. I’ve never been to one. Not have I ever been good about telling stories! But my husband is. He used to tell our children almost every night a bedtime story about a character he made up and every night would be a continuation of the night before. I told him long ago he should write a children’s book. 😊
I tried pulling up The Refuge on Amazon for Kindle but they were unable to download it. 😕
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My son tells a similar type of story to his kids and has for years. I’m the same as you. I keep telling him he should write it down or record it, but he’s busy making a living and being a dad.
I don’t know why you would have had problems downloading The Refuge. I checked. It was still on sale for 99 cents. Maybe you could try again later, Karen. Maybe it was a wifi issue.
Ohhh, I would have loved attending that festival! It’s something I’ve hoped to do the last few years, but always end up working. Maybe next year I’ll be able to go.
My brother is a great comical storyteller…he can take a tiny little idea and weave the most outlandish tale…making the listener believe every word, right up to the ending. Then, Bam!, the punch line.
My grandparents were great at telling family stories of days gone by. Mamaw also wrote several of them down and included them in her many scrapbooks that I treasure. There’s been many times I’ve wished I recorded my Papa’s tales, though. He had so many stories that the next generations might never hear.
Storytelling is something that keeps history alive.
Thanks for sharing your fun time at Saturday’s festival, Ann. I bet those grandkids enjoyed the refreshing coolness of the lake. This weather is unusual, but I’m enjoying the warmth, even though we could surely use some rain.
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Your grandmother’s stories are a treasure, Lavon. I have a couple of tapes that Mom made for a University of Kentucky project (I think) where she talked about how things were for her when she was younger. I need to try to transcribe those. They aren’t exactly family stories but it’s neat hearing how things were for Mom when she was young.
I have a brother-in-law that likes to tell stories and you have to decide sometimes how much is embellished. But It is fun listening to my husband and his brothers and sister talk about back when. Darrell and one brother never agree on what happened. They have completely different memories of the same event. Funny how that can work. I came across a story telling quote that I may center my next post around that sort of speaks to that.
I could be happy with a few degrees cooler and enough rain that the grass would still be green and the trees would be turning color instead of brown. This is way too hot for this time of the year. It was be hot for July or August. But the weather is what the weather is. And soon we’ll all be complaining about how cold it is. 🙂
The storytelling festival at Cave Run is always the last weekend in September. Mark it on your calendar, ask for the day off, and I’ll see you there next year.