Pages

Thursday, October 11, 2007

How The Baby-sitters Club Changed My Life


Not too long ago I received an email from the totally awesome gal who edited my book, The Icing on the Cake. The email said that an author recently submitted a manuscript and explained that it was reading my book that made her decide to submit her own.

This got me to thinking about the circle of creation: An author/artist/musician creates a work. That work inspires another author/artist/musician who then creates another work. And the circle continues.

Many authors have been in my circle, and I thought it would be cool to list a few of them.

Gilbert Delahaye and Marcel Marlier. This team authored Debbie’s Visit to the Countryside, my very favorite book when I was young. I still have my copy, and it still makes me feel giddy just to open it.

Ann M. Martin of Baby-sitters Club fame. Although some of the later books in the series were ghostwritten, Ms. Martin wrote the first 35 books. I was a gawky youngster whose best friend moved away after fourth grade, and I found a place with Kristy, Mary Ann, Claudia, Stacy, Dawn, and Mallory. The Baby-sitters Club books were among the first to teach me that books and their characters can be some of a girl’s best friends.

Norman Cousins. A journalist, author, professor and advocate, Mr. Cousins penned some remarkable works on the power of humor. He received the Albert Schweitzer prize in 1990 and died in November of that same year.

Sophie Kinsella. This supremely successful chick lit author, whose real name is Madeleine Wickham, has an amazing knack for writing comedy. I’m not usually much of a re-reader, but I can re-read her books over and over.

Fellow Ink Lady Tamra Norton. Tamra’s genuine, funny, kind personality comes out in her books. It’s easy to love her books because Tamra is the kind of person you would love to have as a friend. I think this is one of the highest goals to aim for as a writer, and Tamra does it so well.

So, tell me, who's in your circle?

2 comments:

Tamra Norton said...

Elodia, you just made my week! It's hard to imagine how our writing might affect others. I just feel so humbled and honored that it has meant something to you!

As you read in the previous post, Janette Rallison's first two books inspired me to give this writing thing a go.

Katie Parker said...

One of the stories that had a big impact on me was a short story that appeared in the Ensign called "Gert Fram." It was about a girl who wrote stories. I read the story as a child (and no, I didn't normally read the Ensign as a child), and it really impressed me that a kid like me could write stories like that.

Another early influence would have been Laura Ingalls Wilder. I always wanted to grow up and write the story of my life the way she did. Hers, however, was much more interesting.