Most authors can trace their roots back to childhood, when they discovered new worlds and adventures awaited between the front and back covers of books. They embarked on their journey, curled up on the sofa, or maybe under the covers with a flashlight, and travelled to new places-maybe a pirate ship, or space ship, or a foreign land. As they grew, they fantasized how they would change the adventure in those books and eventually found their own stories. In time, those stories were jotted down, maybe in school. I penned several hundred pages when I should have been listening, but that’s another blog.
What books inspired the author?
My childhood was filled with books. My earliest memories of reading was from the World Encyclopedia Childcraft books, particularly the one of stories and fables. And, of course, classics like The Pokey Little Puppy. Reading was all I did once the sun went down. My parents were avid readers and I learned at an early age that reading was a necessary and fun part of life.
Horses and dogs were required
Of course, once I got older, I moved on to chapter books. Mysteries have always been a favorite and you are not wrong to think of Nancy Drew, but my favorite was the Linda Craig mystery series, by Anne Sheldon, which feature Linda and her horse, Chica d’Ora, and their adventures solving different crimes. So, yeah, while my friends were reading about the babysitting club (it was a popular series, but typical of me, I didn’t read it), horse books won, and animal books.
The Black Stallion series and Man O’War by Walter Farley, Old Yeller by Fred Gipson, and King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry. Are you noticing a theme here?
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. By the way, Rawls penned another book that I still adore, called Summer of the Monkeys. This funny story packs some serious feels about a boy growing up in the Oklahoma Ozarks in the late 1800s with his crippled sister. All he wants is a pony and a gun. When a circus train crashes, he hopes to catch the escaped monkeys which carry a nice reward. It’s a timeless tale and one I shared with my kids.
Even outer space animals
But, by far, my favorite book was Star Dog by A.M. Lightner. No kidding, I still can recite the opening paragraph. “I remember Mitzie, she was the best dog I ever had…” This was actually sci-fi-ish. Another sci-fi book that I read multiple times was Splinter of the Mind’s Eye by Alan Dean Foster. It’s a spin off of the Star Wars franchise, but no animals were involved. Neither was Han Solo, so I’m not entirely sure why I read it, but I did and loved it. Staying true to my sci-fi influences, I wrote Bound To Happen, rated PG13 and not Christian, but it does have animals!
Childhood books impacted the adult author
Every book I’ve published at least mentions a dog or horse. In Higher Honor, Cassidy’s Rottie is mentioned and Andy’s K-9 partner. Most notably is one of the settings in The Redeemed Series is Soul Rise Farms, a horse farm with lots of animals, like Sledge, Simone’s beloved jumper, and Fletch, her Papillion (based on my daughter’s Papillion, Memphis).
The words of those tomes etched themselves in my gray matter and began shifting, sharpening, and working their way into my stories. My latest short story Old Dog will appear in the Christian Writers For Life anthology Then God Made Pets, set for release in July.
But, here is my childhood reading list. Next time, we’ll jump into my adult reading list.