“To dream of afar, to chase a star, to believe in Captain Hook. To dance with bears and have no cares, this is the magic of a book.” ―
The Kentucky Book Fair was yesterday, and in my last blog post I mentioned that I’d probably smile so much all day that I would have tired smiling muscles at the end of the day. My smiling muscles made it with no problem so either my smiling muscles are in good shape or I didn’t smile as much as I thought I would.
But here’s a fun thing that happened yesterday. A woman who had definitely seen a few years go by stopped by my table to talk. Without me saying the first thing about smiles or smiling, she rubbed her face and said earlier she had wondered why her cheeks felt sore. Then she realized she hadn’t stopped smiling since she got there. Book fairs can do that to book lovers. So we shared some more smiles and she went on her way to share more smiles with other authors and find more books to love. I even kept smiling when she didn’t buy one of my books. LOL. Actually, as much as I hope readers will give one of my stories a try, when I’m at a book event, I really do enjoy talking to the people there whether they are interested in my books or not.
Another thing I noticed as I people watched in between talking to readers about my books was that many readers showed up to take in the fun of the book fair even though walking wasn’t easy for them. Some were limping. Some had canes. Some moved with difficulty along the tables, but they were there to see the books and authors. Mamas and Daddies were there with babies cuddled close or pushing little ones in strollers. Grandmothers (at least, I guessed they were grandmamas) were hanging on to young children’s hands but giving them the gift of books. But in spite of the struggles some of the attendees had going around the room to see the authors and books and not counting a few of the teenage kids obviously in that stage of life where they didn’t want anybody to think they might be having a good time while with their parents, everybody was smiling.
When my friends Kristy and Sadie showed up we did some smiling for a selfie picture too. Later I spotted Sadie having a great time checking out all the kids’ books. Then Lavon, a reading buddy who is part of our blog friends here too, showed up with her granddaughter. Lavon shared later that her granddaughter had so much fun she wanted to come with her grandmother to the fair every year. What a gift to give a child – a love of books and reading! In my research for my work in progress, I came across a quote of a young boy who had health problems and wasn’t able to do many things. He said he wanted to learn to read so he’d never be lonesome again.
Reading can do that for us. Books can keep us entertained. They can teach us and expand our horizons. They can inspire and comfort us. We can experience so many different emotions as we travel through storyland with the characters in the books we read. We can see things in a new light and have our minds opened to different ways of thinking. And books can make us smile.
“A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading.” ―William Styron
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” ~ Jojen, fictional character, A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin
Do you love opening up a new book with the anticipation of “living” a new story?
Comments 4
Hey Ann! I’m so glad you had such a fabulous time at the Kentucky Book Fair connecting with your readers! I think it’s so true that anytime someone reads a book he or she goes on a journey with the main character! 🙂 Psalm 20
Author
And as a reader, I really enjoy taking those journeys, don’t you, Emily? Although I do prefer the journeys that end well.
I read a lot in my younger years from the time I leave to read in 46 until marriage in 60 and the birth of our first in 62. Then I read very little until after Katrina in 2005 when my sister gave me a book by Karen Kingsbury. I needed an escape of some kind from the destruction around me to include or home of 41 years. Again, I became an avid reader. I feel sorry for the lady that didn’t buy one of your books. She missed a golden opportunity. I would love to be able to come to one of your book signings so that I would have one of your signed books. (Or perhaps win one of your contests) 😊 Wonderful picture, Ann! Keep on smiling. 😊
My mother created a love for reading in all three of her children. She took us to the library usually once a week even though Daddy took our one car on his business trips. Fortunately we had a bus stop right across the street from us and could go by bus downtown to the library. We loved checking out books and taking them home to read. Later in school I worked as a library aide during one period in the day, and one of my sisters became a school librarian for a number of years. We all love to read!