Friday Writing Essential- December 12, 2008

Happy Friday!

Today is dedicated to creative writing on any topic. I know people are busy with the holidays and life in general, but maybe you have something from long ago to share or something you previously posted that you'd like to share again. I look forward to your submissions.

There's been a lot of talk recently about the future of publishing, printed books, and bookstores. I have to admit, the news has been a little discouraging to someone who loves to read and own books. I don't really believe printed books will become obsolete any more than I believe in the eventuality of the paperless office that was predicted over thirty years ago, but the world is definitely changing.

It's sad to think that published books and reading are on the decline. I remember a marble tile topped bookcase that sat in my bedroom as a child, the shelves filled with Children's Digest magazines and The Happy Hollisters and Nancy Drew books, carefully arranged in chronological order by series. Paper dust jackets were carefully removed and stored while reading my treasured volumes. I always found it somehow comforting to know they were there both when I went to bed and woke up in the morning—my steadfast friends, immediately available whenever the mood struck.

There were occasional nights when I would grab a flashlight and book and hide under the covers to get in a little extra reading time after lights out. It was a cozy little world, just me and my book— a soft glow of light moving across the page as I read.

I treated my books well back then and still do. I don't have overflowing shelves or tottering stacks around my home. How could I treat a friend so shabbily? My books each have a special place reserved for them on a beautiful oak bookcase in my office. And just this week, a new friend joined the others, an unedited, leather bound copy of Gone With the Wind, with gilded paper edges and 22 karat gold accents. A jewel among jewels.

I don't buy nearly every book I read; I wrote last Friday of my childhood love for the local library, which remains an important part of my life. But there are some books that beckon me to take them home, keep them, and let them reside in that place reserved for my very special friends made of paper and love.


Do you have any special books at home that you especially treasure? Something you bought or received as a gift? A family heirloom perhaps? Maybe it's a book you wrote yourself. I'd love to hear what's on your bookshelves or wherever you keep your "stash".