Thursday, November 10, 2011

A Dark, Dark House

When my husband travels, I walk the dog in the evenings as well. Often it gets dark on my way home and let me tell you, it can be rather creepy as I walk towards the house. We are at the end of a dark, dark lane and all the sounds are magnified. I can usually recognize the rustle of leaves as the deer run away. But the worst sound is a low-to-the-ground croaking. I am convinced that's the alligator.

We didn't have any tricksters coming to our house, but this was the pumpkin my daughter carved. The location of our home and Ruth Brown's picture book A Dark, Dark Tale was the inspiration. We love that book, especially the ending. I wish I'd written it. My daughter has a little scene in her dollhouse that reflects it. I discovered it when I was tidying up her room. Yes, these are the hidden treasures of housework. 

What books do you not just admire but wish you'd written?

Spill ...

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9 comments:

A.L. Sonnichsen said...

That is a very cool pumpkin!

Whenever I read RUBY THE COPYCAT to my kids I always wish I'd written that book. I think her show-don't-tell is brilliant and I love Ruby's character. So flawed, but so loveable!

Amy

Marcia said...

I KNEW you were going to say something about the alligator (shudder).

I want to have written The Penderwicks.

Faith E. Hough said...

I always plan on carving cool pumpkins like that, but end up lazily going back to the old grinning face standard...yours looks amazing. :)
I wish I had written "Christina Katerina and the Box," for picture books...there are too many novels I wish I had written to choose--but at the moment I just wish I had already written the one I am beginning! :)

Bish Denham said...

Fabulous pumpkin! What book do I wish I had written? Oh that's a hard one...The Cat in the Hat and Winnie-the-Pooh are the first ones that pop into my head.

Don't I wish...

Vijaya said...

Amy, my daughter is very industrious. Oh, yes Ruby -- flawed and loveable makes the character so relatable.

Marcia, I didn't mean to, but I've had a couple of scares. Now that it's getting darker earlier, we just play in the backyard or my husband takes her out for a run. Penderwicks is great. I loved them.

Faith, we had a grinning face pumpkin as well and that's the only one I carve (except mine is always a cat with whiskers and a tail). I am not familiar with Christina, so will have to go check her out. I feel exactly the same as you do about the novel. Be done already!

The classics, Bish.

Thanks all for sharing. I hope that someday someone will say of our books -- I wish I'd written that. Wouldn't that be great?

Mirka Breen said...

I wish I'd written THE CARROT SEED. That perfect distillation can work as is, or as a full length movie.
Even more, I wish I'd illustrated it too. Wishing is free, right?

There must be a great story for your Dark House.

Ruth Schiffmann said...

I used to get depressed when I'd read a book that was soooo good. Because I was sure I'd never be able to write that well. Now those wonderful books inspire me and I can learn from them. What book do I wish I had written? Hmmmm. That would probably be The Book Thief. I just love that book.

Vijaya said...

Mirka, that's another book I have not read, so this is great. I am getting introduced to new authors and illustrators.

I think the kids and I will eventually come up with a good story for our own dark house.

Ruth, I also used to get terribly discouraged when I read a brilliant book, because the world does not need another mediocre writer. Now I also am inspired to work on my craft so that I can tell the stories I must.

Anonymous said...

I wish I had written "Humphrey's First Christmas" by Carol Heyer. It makes me cry (a good cry) everytime.