Early Readers

Harking back to one of my previous blogs, I recently learned that one of my ten-year-old grandsons has started reading Judgment on Tartarus and has joined the crew of Astrella! His mother, my daughter, read the book first and okayed it for him. This boy loves to read!  He's one of those who doesn't want to go to bed if he's reading.

One of my goals is to encourage readers to explore their own creativity, whatever form it takes, and it's never too young to start. From a very early age I drew or wrote on every scrap of paper I could get my hands on---brown paper bags, old envelopes---everything! I made up poems and songs and stories. I play-acted with my dolls and paper dolls.

And I read books like they were going out of style ( which I hope they are not! ) I read every single book in the children's section of the local library, then started on the adult section. I read my favorites over and over again. My love of books led me to write my first complete novel at the age of eleven. I typed it out with one finger on an old manual typewriter. Yes, Virginia, those were the days before computers and laptops!

That first novel, as rudimentary as it was, led to a fascination with writing and a love of the Spanish language---which I went on to study in High School. (My Spanish is a bit rusty now, que lastima! ) But both reading and writing have enriched my life in untold ways, and, I hope, always will.

Keep on reading!

MRTighe