Monday, March 6, 2017

Around the Kitchen Table with Mystery Lovers Kitchen Authors + book #giveaway!

Every few weeks, we're having a new Around the Kitchen Table discussion. We hope you'll like getting to know us as we have a little chat!

Today, we're talking about our love affair with reading, when it began, why we write.

BUT FIRST - new RELEASES plus two GIVEAWAYS below.  
Both Sheila and Linda have new releases!!  Congrats, ladies.


And now, let's chat!

From DARYL:

One set of my mystery bookshelves
I wasn't a reader until the 4th grade. I mean, sure, I COULD read, but I didn't like it. I was an active girl. I wanted to be outside, running, playing. I also enjoyed math and cooking. But reading? Yech. Then I got sick with the measles and I was bedridden for a week. My mother worked. My parents were divorced. Back then, latchkey was not a forbidden word. I was home alone until my mom came home at lunch to check on me. "I am so bored," I told her. So she gave me her set of Nancy Drew books (all 37 of them) and said she thought I might enjoy them. Honestly? (Ugh!) Luckily, I picked one up...and I read all 37 of them in a week. I was hooked. I tried my hand at writing one six months later. That never saw the light of day, but it was my first inspiration to become a writer. I'm so thankful!  (Sadly, I do not know what happened to that set. I would imagine they were sold along with all my comic books when my mom and sisters and I had to downsize. Sigh!)



From SHEILA:

I can't remember not being able to read (and wanting to!). The first book I remember reading on my own is Harold and the Purple Crayon, neck and neck with my battered copy of Read Me More Stories, an anthology which was given to me on my third birthday (it includes an early version of "The Runaway Bunny"). It has memorable black and white illustrations, and I added a few of my own. It wasn't long after that my mother got me a library card, and we would go pick out books every week or two. One small misunderstanding: I thought the books were mine to keep and stuck them under my bed. It took my mother a while to catch on. Clearly my passion for book-collecting started early!

From DARYL:

Sheila, I remember my first library card, too. I did love going to the library and picking out books. Wonder why it took me so long to fall in "love" with reading. Hmm.

From LESLIE:

I'm the youngest child by 9 years, so as a kid, it seemed to me like everyone else was always reading. Naturally, I wanted to read, too. The first books I devoured were The Happy Hollisters and The Bobbsey Twins. They went to the seashore! (No seashores in Montana!) They found clues in old mailboxes and decrepit buildings! Much as I loved those books, it was probably Harriet the Spy who made me want to be a writer -- I remember sitting in my bedroom with my notebook, looking out the window, hoping something would happen "out there" that I could write about. I'm eight in this photo -- could that be Nancy Drew in my hands?


From LINDA: 

I hear you, Leslie. I had an older sister, 14 years older, so I grew up almost an only child. I had a wonderful fantasy life and reading fed it. We had a lot of books in the house but mainly in Swedish, so I dove into the popular kids books of the time - starting with the Golden Books, and then, The Bobbsey Twins, and Charlotte's Web. And I loved horses, so I read Black Beauty, Misty of Chincoteague, My Friend Flicka, and all of the Black Stallion books. Then, I decided to write a novel...about a young girl, oddly enough same age as me, who lived on a ranch, and had a horse. The only mystery is why I still have it in my drawer.



From LUCY

Oh don't throw that away Linda--it's precious history! I'm so sorry I can't find my first short story ever--something happens to a girl and she's unhappy and so runs to the top of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, soon followed by her dream boyfriend, Micky Dolenz. That's right, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees LOL. That could be worth a lot in blackmail, don't you think?

I have loved to read as long as I can remember, and the first book I remember owning was called THE SCARY THING by Laura Bannon. My older sister and I (11 months apart), would come home from school and go to our rooms and read until dinner. Certainly Bobbsey Twins and Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys (stolen from my younger brother) and yes, the black stallion books, and hundreds more. I thank my parents for the love of reading--they read to us every night and they themselves were always reading. The best gift ever!


From KRISTA

I can't remember not reading, either. I was a huge Nancy Drew fan. In fact, I remember my mom shooing me out of the house to play. I took Nancy with me and read sitting on the lawn. I also had an older sibling. When I had the chicken pox (there seem to be some themes here!) my brother was going out one night. My mom gave him some money and asked him to pick up a book for me to read. I must have been around seven or eight. He brought home a collection of short stories that a seventeen-year-old-boy would like. It included Edgar Allen Poe and, most memorably, The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. As you might imagine, they were a bit grisly for a kid. I read every single one of them.

And PS to Lucy—after attending a performance of The Point, I rode home on the Tube seated just in front of Micky Dolenz.


From CLEO:

Mickey Dolenz! (Krista and Lucy: Marc and I are both unabashed fans of Mickey and The Monkees!) Okay, back to the subject. I loved reading all your memories of reading! I'll just add that my own connection with books began as a newborn. No, I couldn't read at the age of 0, but... My sister, Grace, was four years old and loved the story of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland so much that my parents decided to name me Alice (Cleo, of course, is my pen name). My next "chapter" on books came via my Dad. Our small Western Pennsylvania town had no library, but that didn't stop my father from driving me and my sister to the Big Green Bookmobile every Wednesday evening when it pulled into the Acme parking lot. Thank goodness (and it was literally goodness) for libraries and librarians. We didn't have the money to buy, but we sure had the will to borrow, which sparked a lifelong passion for stories and a fulfilling vocation in telling them. So here's to the librarians...and all those bookmobiles that rolled into kids' imaginations with hundreds of worlds on wheels.


 VICTORIA ABBOTT: 

Victoria here! One of the fun things about being a mother-daughter team is that we read together. I always loved reading with my mom..  We still love (and share with children)  the Frog and Toad books by Arnold Lobel. Here's Frog and Toad all year, a charming and funny look at the two friends through the seasons. These books are easy to read to pre-schoolers and great fun for young readers.





 MJ: The tragedy of my early life was when our public library burned to the ground when I was seven, putting an end to my access to the 'fairy tale' books from many countries. I'd had enough time to get hooked though, and switched to MacLeod's bookstore and Hardy Boys books. Now and then, books were treasured gifts:




I still have my tattered copy of Anne of Avonlea, the follow-up to Anne of Green Gables, a gift from my fourth grade teacher. I read all Lucy Maud Montgomery's magical stories of life in PEI.

From DARYL:  MJ, I can't imagine the horror of losing a library to a fire! How horrible. But I'm jealous that you still have childhood books. I have The Jungle Book, Robinson Crusoe, Dr. Doolittle, and a few others, all of which were my grandmother's.  The bindings are very fragile! The artwork in a few is amazing!








So, delightful fans, how did your love of reading begin?

GIVEAWAY!


Linda and Sheila are each giving away one of their mysteries this week. 
Two commenters will win! 
So remember to leave your email so they can contact you by Friday. 






99 comments:

  1. I remember learning how to read in first grade. My parents enrolled my big brother and me in some kind of monthly book club. We got Dr Seuss, Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose, and other treasures that I still have. I stole my brother's Hardy Boys books to read so my parents started buying me Nancy Drew and the Dana Girls. I never cared much for the Bobbsey Twins. The county library was down the street from my first elementary school and they carried all the mystery series. The city library wouldn't carry them because they didn't meet their criteria of "good literature." Our school library was also a treasure trove for readers but it didn't carry Nancy Drew either. I was lucky to grow up in such bookish surroundings!
    patdupuy@yahoo.com

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    1. Pat, I stole my brother's Hardy Boys books, too. Also a series about outer space.

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  2. Dick and Jane then little women and Nancy drew then Trixie Belsen. And I went to Ginny Gordon and Donna parker then cherry Ames.

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    1. I read Donna Parker, too! I still have one or two of the books.

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  3. My Mom got me a library card before I entered kindergarten. She instilled in me a love and appreciation of reading. My early favourites were Amelia Bedelia, Encyclopedia Brown and Beezus and Ramona.
    karen(dot)kenyon(at)rogers(dot)com

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    1. We loved all those books too, Karen! Such treasures.

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  4. My love of reading began as early as my first memory - my parents both read stories to me every single day; and then I'm proud to say I was in the advanced reading group starting in preschool onward :) I'm still a faithful library card holder to this day - there's something wonderful about reading a tangible book (I'm not an e-book fan, sorry). EMS591@aol.com

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    1. After being on the computer all day long, my eyes want to relax and not read on a device.

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    2. You were lucky indeed! The gift of reading keeps on giving.

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  5. As an only child, books were my salvation. My mom started going on kidney dialysis when I was 5 years old so I spent 3 days a week travelling with her to the hospital. Lots of time to read while waiting. We could not afford to buy many books so the Toronto public library was visited every week. Many of my early childhood favourites are mentioned. For mysteries, the first ones were Encyclopedia Brown and the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew. By the age of 11, I started reading the Golden Age mystery authors: Allingham, Christie, Marsh, Sayers, and thus started my mystery fiction book collection which now totals over 10,000 books. grace dot koshida at gmail dot com

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    1. You rock. Grace! What an interesting story too. Books can get us through the worst stuff. Hugs.

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    2. I was a wallflower growing up so books were my best friends. Loved the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew and went from there. Now I read a book every few days can't get enough mysteries. reggykaufman52@gmail.com

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  6. I love to read to visit places I wanted to go to and at 10 did not know I could get there. My mom loves to read also and always made sure I had a book. Memories I have till today and read all the time. lhardinjh@gmail.com

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    1. Lucky girl! That is such a gift from a loving mom.

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  7. My aunt who was a librarian was constantly giving me books & suggesting books for me to try. turtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com

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  8. My mother used to read to me when I was a baby. I think that's where my love of books started. I don't remember a time when I didn't love reading. My favourites as a child where Amelia Bedelia, Nancy Drew, the Babysitters Club, and the Boxcar Children. Cmkeck311@aol.com

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  9. My parents were readers and my mother was instrumental in giving me the love of reading from an early age. We went together to the public library when I was young to obtain a library card and from then on I rode my bike to the library and chose books every week. Reading to me is like breathing. I am a library patron. My first books were Nancy Drew and then i read the entire Anne of Green gables series in hardcover from the public library in the 1950's.

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  10. I had a ton of "Golden Books" when I was little. My grandmother would read to me when she was not working at our family's real estate office. I grabbed onto comic books as soon as I was able to. I'd take all the soda bottles my uncle would accumulate in his office (.02 each) and save up for each of those ten cent comics. My mother hated them but they took my imagination out into a far universe. Oh to have those comics today, my retirement would be well funded. She Who Must Be Obeyed (Mommy Dearest) tossed them out when we moved many years later. I had a lot of #1's from the 50's and 60's. She thought they were worthless and yet in '62 I believe a Superman #1 sold for $10,000.00 at auction. That alone would have paid for my college tuition. Anyway, today I have over 2000 books in my home library and many of them are all your titles, including autographed ones.

    Sheila and Linda I love your books and would be thrilled to own either of them. (Of course I love Sheila a bit more since "bumping" into her at RWA in NYC. LOL

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    1. I had stacks of comics of every kind, Nora! I wish I had them too - we'd be off on our yachts together.

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  11. I have always loved reading...my first word was purple, I remember it as if it were yesterday. My mom always told me that if you could read you could go anywhere, do anything, be anyone. My greatest joy was when my boys where able to talk to me about books they were reading. mommatoodle (at) msn (dot) com

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  12. My love of reading started early probably during 2nd grade on summer vacation when I was finally old enough to have a library card (this was the 60s lol) I would get as many kid books as I was allowed and have them all devoured within a few days. My dad was a non-reader and he always told me it would ruin my eyes to read so steadily lol. I think he just wished I would go run around outside more and be into sports etc. (He got his wish when my little brothers got older) From then I went on to Nancy Drew or whatever the man on the TV reading lesson our class watched said was a good one to try-- and have been a bookworm ever since. barbie 17 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  13. Reading was and still is my sole form of entertainment. Reading was everything to me. I was introduced to reading by my mother who tried to read every chance she could, even though the kids and housework beckoned. When I was old enough to walk to the local public library by myself which was at that time very young, I was thrilled. being able to chose books and be so independent was meaningful and important. Books brought me great enjoyment especially Anne of Green gables, Nancy Drew and the classics. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. Learn by example, right? My mother loved to read, too. At one time, we read the same book, and I remember we called each other later. She said, "Ululate? What the heck is that?" Now, my mother told me to always check the dictionary, but she was so upset, she hadn't done so herself. I had. It means to scream or trill at a high-pitched level. ~ Daryl

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  14. Love these stories -- and the reminders of the bookmobile. I rode my bike down to the public grade school every Sat morning in summer to load up, but willingly paid the price of walking my bike home, because I couldn't ride up the hill with all those books in my basket!

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  15. I've been reading since I was kindergarten age probably. My mom was a preschool teacher and shared her love of reading with me. I can't seem to get enough reading in these days. Love going to bookstores and libraries. mcastor@gmail.com

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  16. My grandfather gave me a copy of the Hobbit when I was in third grade. I cherished that book and read and reread it til my copy fell apart. From then on my librarian was my best friend, always trying to keep up with my appetite. For my baby shower, we asked our friends to bring a copy of their favorite children's book. My daughter has grown up surrounded by books. Our home is practically a library!

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    1. What a sweet thing to do for a baby shower! I'm going to steal that idea. ~ Daryl

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  17. I don't remember when my reading love affair began, I just remember Sweet Valley Twins, Sweet Valley High, Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, My Friend Flicka, The Saddle Club, The Secert Garden, Anne of Green Gables then gradually grabbing whatever my Mom had laying around weither it be Danielle Steele, Nora Roberts or others. I remember getting a library card in the first grade but it wasn't used much until later and then I would check out the allowable and return them the next week after they were all read. I could and still can read (if time allows) 15-20 books a week.
    Thank you so much for the chance at the giveaway!
    tiggercat24alisha@yahoo.com

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    1. Loved many of the same books,Alisha. I actually got a part-time job as a page at our public library when I was in high school so that I could be among the first to get my hands on new books being shelved!

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  18. My first favorite book was called Magic Elizabeth. It had a cat, a magic doll, and a secret identity. I fell in love. When I first met my hubby I told him this and he scoured every bookstore to find me a copy and sent it to me for Christmas. Of course I married him! jcyellowhorse1(at)aol(dot)com

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  19. My two older sisters were readers, and one loved playing teacher and reading the books she was reading at the time to me. The first one I remember is The Story of Helen Keller which I though was wonderful (and it taught sign language). I was able to read all of their hand-me-down books, and was basically reading by the time I was 3 or 4. One of the best days of my life was the day I got my library card and the librarian would let me check out as many books as I could carry. I even played Librarian at home and catalogued all of our books and made the little check out envelopes with return date cards in the back. Then one day, I was looking through my Mom's old books at my Grandmothers and found Nancy Drew, and I was in heaven. I read them all, then read them all again. bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net

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    1. How fabulous to have such gracious older sisters!! Lucky you! I hope they are still as nice. ~ Daryl

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  20. Books have been central o my life for as long as I can remember.
    I had mail order book clubs with a hard bound book coming each month! it was wonderful
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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    1. I am soooo jealous! I missed those, but Victoria belonged to book clubs.

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  21. I've always loved reading--and became interested in writing mysteries when I read Nancy Drew which is becoming something of a cliche, I know! One thing though: I hate being read to! Am I unique in that regard? I think it may stem from being sick in bed a lot as a kid and my mother reading to me--books I had no interest in at the time. And I think being read to is all tied up with memories of being sick and having to take that yucky orange cough syrup!

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    1. I didn't like being read to either! At least not at home. Some of my elementary school teachers would read to the class and I loved it.

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  22. I remember we always had little golden books and read and played school. I passed that love onto my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. I have a large collection of books that they will inherit some day
    judytucker1947@gmail.com

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  23. I love the stories of walking to the library, grabbing huge stacks of books from the library. You all are so special to share with us! ~ Daryl

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  24. I've always been a reader. My Mom says that she'd take me to the library to pick out books in the morning and by the afternoon I'd have read them all and want to go back to get more. We also had a used bookstore one town over and my Dad used to take us there and to the newsstand to pick up comic books.
    sgiden at verizon(.)net

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  25. I remember liking to read, but not actually loving it when I was growing up. I would see my parents read the newspaper and that was about it. I remember our bookmobile and how it would rock ever so slightly as you walked through it. I loved the smell of old books. My neighbor growing up was a teacher and he was my 4th grade teacher. He would drive the bookmobile in the summer and I remember walking to the school to check out some books. I thought it was a fun thing to do. I kind of wish they would still have bookmobiles. I dabbled in reading after I got married. I always read to my children and they would read to me. They each had their own collection of books that we would buy them. About 10 years ago I fell in love with reading. Now I buy myself lots of books and a lot of cozy mysteries. I have lots of other hobbies I do too.

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    1. I forgot my email address crossxjo @hotmail. com

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    2. Anon, out here in Montana, a few communities still have bookmobiles, and young and old wait for them eagerly! So glad you found cozy mysteries!

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  26. Little Golden Books and Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes were my early exposure to reading. Then it was Bobbsy Twins and Five Little Peppers along with Dick and Jane with Spot in grade school. I know I'm aging myself but they encouraged me to be the reader I am today. robeader53(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. OMG, Robin. We are same vintage! Remember the all with fondness.

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  27. I just remember reading everything like crazy from the time I was 4 years old. Even at the dinner table, when I wasn't allowed to have my book, I would read the condiment bottles, things on the shelves, flyers on the fridge, etc. As soon as I learned to read, it was like a whole new world opened up to me and I never wanted to stop exploring it.

    brookeb811 at gmail.com

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  28. Enjoyed reading about your early exposure to reading. I don't remember a time when I wasn't reading and I instilled that love in my son. elainehroberson@gmail.com

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  29. I don't remember a time when I didn't love reading. I remember being excited when the local branch library opened when I was in first grade. It was wonderful to have access to so many books.

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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  30. I don't really remember learning to read, but by 7 I was reading anything I could get my hands on.

    By 8 or 9, that included my father's scifi books, most memorably, a book of Issac Asimov's short stories and I was forever changed by the story Nightfall.

    It opened with a quote by Emerson - "If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown!"

    Being Asimov, that wasn't exactly the way people behaved in that circumstance.

    harbingerdc(at)gmail(dot)com

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  31. I have enjoyed reading since i was young my dad used to have me on weekends so he would pick me up from the foster home and one of his planned chores was to walk to the library and get a new western so while he searched i ran to the childrens. I was never able to check one out but i thought wow when i get to be big i am going to here and check out this whole section and never thought about how to return the whole section i just wanted all of the childrens books. So after my dad would read and i would walk downtown by myself and go into high end stores ones that had the pretty ladies in the window and practice how to be a big person of course my dad gave me a see thru plastic coin purse with change in it and i would pretend that i could buy any jewelry in the store as that was the first counter when you walked in. Wow those were the days my dad is the one who influenced me to read all the books i do and so proud! ptclayton2@aol.com

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    1. What wonderful memories. Dad's aren't often the ones who inspire reading in their children. Love the change purse memory, too.

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  32. One of my favourite memories is the one time a year in December when my parents would take us downtown Montreal to Ogilvies window. After watching the display we would go in and up to the bookstore they had in there. It was different than WH Smith and Coles at the time and had a wide range of historical fiction novels for my age ramge (7-10) I would sit on the floor of the book store and read the backs of all the books, jotting down the titles I was hoping to get for Christmas. No one shoed me away or rushed me. I could just get lost in the different stories until it was time to go. I miss that place. jenjans2002@yahoo.ca

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  33. I don't remember when my love of reading started but when I found a book I loved I could not put it down. Mom would call for dinner and of course I would always want to finish up what I was reading, she wasn't happy when she had to call twice.
    momzillasteel at gmail dot com

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  34. I remember looking forward to going to the library as a kid. It started my reading. My dad would also read to me at bedtime every night. christinrloves (at) gmail (dot) com

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  35. My granddaughter just turned seven last week and her reading skills have really taken off! You can see how excited she is by her new skills. When we read books now, instead of Grandma reading, she reads. But we have to be careful because she can also read things like text messages and potentially inappropriate things on the computer!

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    1. PEG, LOL ! Yes, they can read text messages. My grandkids love sending me emojis. Lots and lots of emojis. They don't have a clue what most of them mean. They just like sending them. :) ~ Daryl

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  36. I read at an early age..I read to my kids and grandkids when hey were little sitting on my lap and they are all avid readers..
    greeneyes2755@yahoo.com

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  37. Have loved reading as long as I can remember. My grandmother raised me and she was a lover of books and learning and passed that love on to me. Any one remember the Five Little Peppers, Anne of Green Gables and, of course, the original Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys?

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  38. I love how many people started with Nancy Drew! My family always read--my mother and grandmother swapped historical novels (the more royalty, the better), and we always had the glossy magazines like Look, Life and Saturday Evening Post around. But back in the dark ages it was hard to get to a bookstore, even if you could afford the books. My middle school had a service that came around I think maybe once a a month and sold books--I still have the copy of "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay" that I bought for 35 cents. The town library there was a nice old one, if a bit small--now it's a local history museum. I realized I had never seen the one that replaced it (it opened after I'd left for college) when I discovered last year that I couldn't find it (the town hid it behind the YMCA).

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  39. I fell in love with reading when we moved at the beginning of the summer and I didn't know any of the kids in town---but the library was only a block away from my house. I spent the whole summer there reading.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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  40. Daddy started me out by reading the comics in the newspaper everyday. I picked it up easily and quickly. He taught me to "sound out words". I'm surprised no one mentioned Cherry Ames Nurse books. I loved those! My favorite book of all times-and still today- is Heidi. I still read it every few years and still adore it!
    marthajane1@hotmail.com

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  41. I learned to read in the second grade, back in 1957 or 58. I can't remember my parents ever reading to me/us. But, my mom loved to read and my dad read the newspaper every night. I talked them into a book club when I was in the 5th grade and got loads of very interesting books that were far beyond my grade level and never looked back.
    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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  42. My dad got me a tote bag full of Little Golden Books for my 4th birthday. I remember my mom getting mad at him because money was tight and she wanted something I could play with right then. This was 1969 and times were hard for my parents. But I instantly fell in love with the books and my dad taught me to read within a few days. I was a voracious reader by the time I started kindergarten. Nothing has ever changed that. Thanks for the great giveaway!
    eswright18 at gmail dot com

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  43. Reading was my passion as a young child and it still is as a senior citizen
    gloriawalshver@yahoo.com

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  44. I came from a home full of readers so I don't remember a time when I was not a reader. I was one of those kids who got in trouble at school for reading when I was supposed to be doing math. (It explains a lot about my terrible math skills today) The library was not close by, but I did get to go to summer library programs and check out books from school. I got books as gifts for every holiday and birthday, and of course through the Scholastic/Troll programs. When we would go visit relatives out of state I would beg to go to Waldenbooks (we had no bookstores either) and it was like heaven. I love giving books as gifts to this day, donating books when the opportunity arises, and I have my own Little Free Library. I contemplate writing one, and maybe I will one day, even if it's just for myself.

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    1. As always, forgot the e-mail, haha! 2boys4me (at) gmail (dot) com.

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  45. I know my mom collected children's books for me starting when I was born so by the time I could talk I would ask people to read my books to me. I also memorized books so I could "read" them to my younger brother. By the time I was in Kindergarten I could read (before any of my classmates) and I never stopped!! njcar22@aol.com

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  46. My Mom or Dad read to us every night. It was the one time of the day where we would sit quietly and just listen. Then each of us started taking turns reading. Loved reading my entire life and confess to hording books. embam1969@comcast.net

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  47. It began when my Mom or Dad would read to me before I went to bed every night as a very young child. My love of mysteries began with our old friend, Nancy Drew. My Mom gave me her Nancy Drew books (the ones with the blue covers!)

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  48. Dick and Jane started me on my reading journey. They were followed by the Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Junior Biographies of Historic Figures.... I would spend hours every week sitting in the public library reading among all the books. My love of reading opened my children's lives to a wonderful world of books. I shared this love with all my young students that I taught to read.

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  49. Thanks for the awesome post and the chance to win too!
    awilcox1182@gmail.com

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  50. I believe I became interested in reading around 4th grade. My teacher read us portions of Island of the Blue Dolphins several times a week.
    kckendler at gmail dot com

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  51. My aunt taught me how to read when I was four years old. My love of reading grew from there and it still continues. I have, and always will, love to read and I always have a book with me wherever I go. Thank you for this chance! areewekidding@yahoo.com

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  52. I loved reading from a young age...so much fun to hear everyone sharing their favorite books from childhood...I loved the Nancy Drew series along with Trixie Belden. Golden hours of reading. cmeier2001@live.com

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  53. At 72,I've been reading for so long, I've forgotten how I started! Our city library was my favorite place to go, and now I am still going via online! flyingjstrails@aol.com

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  54. I can't remember ever not reading. I could check out as many books as I could carry on the summer, finding Laura, Anne, Betsy- Tacy, etc! Thanks for the chance to win!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  55. I grew up with my mother, grandmother, and grandfather and they were always making sure that they read to me. It was one of my favorite things to do. That came to an end when my grandfather (who was probably my most frequent reading partner) passed away when I was five. The next few years flew by and during that time I started school, learned to read on my own, and even got my first library card (though my mom had been checking out for me on her own card for quite some time). The bad thing was, I wasn't reading for fun. I was reading because I had to (for school) or just to have something to do. It wasn't until I was in second or third grade that Mama, Nana, and I went yard saling one weekend and Mama came across a box filled with books from The Baby-Sitter's Club series. She bought them (probably about 30 or so books) and asked me to give them a try. I did, and I'm so glad of it, because they managed to help me rediscover the love I had had for reading and I haven't stopped since. Thanks for sharing your stories and for the chance to win.
    robbfan141729(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  56. I grew up with my mother, grandmother, and grandfather and they were always making sure that they read to me. It was one of my favorite things to do. That came to an end when my grandfather (who was probably my most frequent reading partner) passed away when I was five. The next few years flew by and during that time I started school, learned to read on my own, and even got my first library card (though my mom had been checking out for me on her own card for quite some time). The bad thing was, I wasn't reading for fun. I was reading because I had to (for school) or just to have something to do. It wasn't until I was in second or third grade that Mama, Nana, and I went yard saling one weekend and Mama came across a box filled with books from The Baby-Sitter's Club series. She bought them (probably about 30 or so books) and asked me to give them a try. I did, and I'm so glad of it, because they managed to help me rediscover the love I had had for reading and I haven't stopped since. Thanks for sharing your stories and for the chance to win.
    robbfan141729(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  57. My love of reading began at an early age. My most treasured item was my library card. I would spend the weekends and on my summers there filling my head with all sorts of adventures through the dusty tomes. Zeta(at)iwon(dot)com

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  58. My mother would read tales from her German version of Grimms Fairy tales to us from the time I actually have memories. Then my older sister decided she wanted to play teacher. We were so lucky to have some book club thing where we got a new Dr Seuss book every month, a new Golden book the same and also the entire encyclopedia sets and monthly Natl Geo. My sis taught me to read when I was about 3 and then you could not stop me. I got my first library card when I turned 4 and loved nothing better than going to pick my own books out. (It didnt hurt that the library also has a park - yep still go to the same one which was built the same year I was born). My first books to be checked out were Beatrix Potter, still love those. I even bought the whole set in the original form of the small green cloth covered books with that glossy paper and super illustrations. I also thank my 2nd grade teacher for giving us all the desire to write. I may not have become an author, but I will forever love to write bits and pieces thanks to her, read thanks to my family and have a love of books thanks to the amazing librarians.
    Oh and who doesnt love Mickey!
    kayt18 (at) comcast (dot) net

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  59. I have always been a mystery lover and I now love cozy mysteries just as much.

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  60. My father used to read to my sister and I every night. He would make the voices of the different characters in the story and we always begged for another story when he closed the book. After a few years, he took a job working nights and our story time came to an end. My sister was younger than I and began asking me to read the books to her at night. I realized that I could do this anytime! To this day, I read every chance I get. Thanks Dad! finn.matt.kim@gmail.com

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  61. My mother was always reading and I think my sister and I caught our love of books from her. I can remember her always taking us to the library and she made sure we always had something to read. I can't imagine my life without books.

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  62. My parents always encouraged reading. I loved horses, and like Linda, my favorites included the Black Stallion and Misty of Chincoteague books. In junior high I decided Edgar Allen Poe and John Steinbeck were the bees knees. As a young adult, I fell in love with fantasy. I tried about every genre at one time or another. During my "western" period, I re-read all the horse titles I had read as a child. (Man of War was my favorite) If you can read, you will never be bored, at any age! s_ snively at hotmail.

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  63. Oh, oh, oh, do you all have any idea how much we love hearing from you, the Kitchen crew? Thank you for sharing your beautiful stories!

    xoxoxo

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  64. I was the luckiest girl around starting when I was a toddler--I had already started reading in my 2nd year--my parents drove the county bookmobile for the library. Mom was the librarian and Dad drove. What a blast surrounded by books on the road with my parents. All the time in the world with seemingly unlimited books! I LOVED mysteries from the beginning my earliest fav literary character was Meg from Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time...to the point where my youngest daughter's 1st name ISMeg!A book that enticed me into the fabulous mysteries of science. I STILL cannot have enough good mysteries. Thank you to the fine authors here today. I have loved their books and look forward to many more.

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  65. Not sure how old I was. But I do remember my Mom reading most evenings. Her and grandma often gave us kids books. I was the only one who looked at any of them. I was reading regularly by the time I was in first grade. Often walked the mile to the local library. Read just about anything I could get my hands on. When I was about 14 my Mom decided I was reading too much and refused to let me go to the library. So I started reading the encyclopedia and the dictionary. Now THAT was fun. My Grandmother bought a 2 volume set dictionary when I was born. Gave it to me When I was 10 along with the one that just came out. She said something about new words being added. So I started comparing the entries in each. The many changes is the meanings of words. Buy a new one every 5 years. Cannot believe how meanings for some of the old words, and the new words that get added. And in recent 30 years how much has changed because of "political correctness". Della at deepotter (at) peoplepc (dot) com

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  66. As many others, I had the Dick and Jane readers. I remember a nun in 3rd grade (who lnalso had in high school) who fueled my love for reading. I starting reading the paper. Thanks for the chance. Janngrogan@yahoo.com

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  67. i used to get in trouble for reading too much - always wanted to do that instead of coming to dinner table!

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  68. There are few things better than knowing that there is a wonderful book to read and then friends that will enjoy that book after you! I inherited my mother's love of reading as a young girl and a family love of cooking and baking so all these books have me written all over it. Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden may not have cooked, but they whet my appetite for mysteries!

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  69. I started out reading comic books and later Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Later on my aunt introduced me to Rex Stout and Agatha Christie. Is it any wonder I'm hooked on cozy mysteries? jhteague at me dot com.

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  70. When I was a young girl, encyclooedua sakesmen went doir to doir. My mother belueved that oyr family had to have thus set of Brittanucas and so at the age of three or four I was looking at the amazing things these books had to offer. i remember my Mom buying us each new Golden book that came out leading the way to my Trixie Bekdon, Nancy Drew and the Gardy Bots. i entered furst grade reading and understanding books beyond my grade level due to being surrounded by books and i still belueve that the challenge to read our set of encyclopedia was what spurred on my reading at that very young age.
    Cynthua B
    ceblain (At) tmlponline (DOT) net

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  71. The first books I remember reading were by Beverly Cleary. I didn't really enjoy reading until I was older! lindaherold999@gmail.com

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  72. The first book I remember was a Golden Book " Mister Dog ", by Margaret Wise Brown. I made my father read it to me every night! That began my love of books and it has continued for many decades.

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  73. I too, loved the Golden Alphabet book dictionary as a young child, then devoured Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden and Little House on the Prairie books. Loved going to the school library to see what I could get.
    ladbookfan813@gmail.com

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  74. I can't remember when I didn't read. I belonged to the library when I lived in West Philly (children's books were on the second floor). When I was in the 4th grade we moved to Northeast Philly and had a bookmobile. When I was a little older we used to ride our bikes to the nearest library. Finally my neighborhood got its own library branch which was up the street from my house. Even today I always have several books to read. Can't imagine how I could survive without books. mjmphila@yahoo.com

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