Lost in Another World

For a couple of days, I've been lost in another world--the Navajo culture, specifically, because I'm reading Anne Hillerman's Spider Woman's Daughter, which picks up her father's characters of Leaphorn and Chee and carries on their stories, with Bernie Manuelito, Chee's wife, as the main character. It's one of those novels that keeps me reading, draws me away from the other things I should be doing.
All my life, I've been blessed by the ability to get lost in a book. Not all books, but that's my criterion for a good novel: I have to move so completely into that world that I am immersed and almost removed from my own daily world. I remember years ago it was the Frances Parkinson Keyes novels that first introduced me to that feeling. I dived into the world of steamboats and post-bellum New Orleans. Steamboat Gothic held me captive for a long time, since it was a longish book for a young girl.
Even before that, I remember in grade school riding to the public library on my bike every summer morning, coming home with four or five books, and spending the day reading on the front porch. The neighborhood kids thought I was nuts but they remained friendly.
Today it is mostly mysteries that drag me into their worlds. I can get lost with Diane Mott Davidson's Goldy or July Hyzy's Grace and Olivia or Deborah Crombie's Duncan Kincaid and Gemma Jones. Confession: sometimes I even got so entwined in the world of my own fictional characters that I hate to come to the end of a story. You know that rare and wonderful feeling when you hate to finish a book?
I worry about people who don't read, about how they spend their time. I read listservs by crime writers discussing TV shows and I think, "When do they have the time? Why aren't they reading instead of watching TV?" Most but not all of my children are serious readers--and that's what I'm talking about here, serious reading. Not picking up a magazine and reading an article or two, but spending hours in the world of the book.
It's a blessing. I see one of my grandsons doing it. When his cousins are playing, his nose is buried in a book, and when I gave him two Rick Riordan books for his birthday he was ecstatic. I love it. I'm trying to make a reader out of Jacob, my local grandson, but it's an uphill battle, and I don't want to push so hard I turn him from it. One day recently he began The Boxcar Kids and was enthralled. "I see why you love to read," he told me. But he hasn't brought it over since, and he wants to watch TV or play on my iPad most of the time. I'm hoping things will improve.
Meantime, blessings on all of you who can get lost in the world of a book. Excuse me, I have to go see what Bernie Manuelito is up to.

More family fun--and a lesson about teenage reading habits

This morning I decided trying to organize my family was like herding cats, and I wasn't going there. So I let them figure things out at their own pace (age has brought remarkable wisdom) and they got it all done, albeit a bit later than they meant to, but . . .  . the grown girls had partied a bit much last night and weren't exactly feeling up to par. But they got the cars sorted out and delivered Jordan's to her, along with groceries for tonight.
While they did that, Maddie (the oldest who just turned eleven) and I went to Barnes & Noble to shop since I had given her a gift certificate. I put the top down on the convertible, thinking that would be a treat, but I couldn't see that she was much impressed. She turned out to be a careful shopper, finally bought one small book that would complete a Rick Riordan series she has, but she balked at the price for a small book ($12.95). I assured her TCU Press couldn't produce a book like that for that price, and she finally succumbed because she wanted it and Riordan is one of her favorite writers--she was thrilled when I gave her his e-mail address. She looked at the Stephanie Meyer's books (her mom has deckared the last one inappropriate, which doesn't seem to bother Maddie at all). She's read two, but there are a couple in the series she hasn't read that her mom thinks are okay. Trade paperbacks were $12.99, and she decided she'd wait for the mass market edition. (Is this a lesson for those of us in publishing?) I was amazed at the offerings in the teen section--all vampires, paranormal, fantasy, etc. (I can't sort the genres in my mind). Maddie had extensive knowledge of them and explained to me which series she read and liked, a series she liked the first two books but not the third, etc. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am that she reads so much. We came home, she announced she was hungry, and I offered frozen Doris' casserole. "Do I like that?" Yes, I assured her, she always had. And then she settled down with a book, until her mom came to pick her up, whisk her out to Jordan's for a quick visit with visiting Dylan, and then home to Frisco.
I was sad to see them go and to know Megan wasn't coming back for a goobye hug, but a part of me was relieved--I caught up on emails, read a bit, and took a long nap. Barely woke in time to go to the bbq at Jordan's in honor of Dylan. I went with Jay and Susan--food was appetizers (Jay brought a wonderful salmon carpaccio) and hot dogs, of which I'm sure Jordan has a bunch left over. I even ate two plus too much of Jay's salmon, some artichoke dip, and a sour cream dip with potato chips. Glad I'm not doing Weight Watchers.
The guests at the party were mostly Jordan's young friends, but I always enjoy seeing them, and Jay, Susan and I sat back and watched and had a good visit. Jay and Dylan had a long talk--let's call that liberal meets conservative, but Dylan (the liberal) held her own and Jay said it was an enlightening discussion. I think the highlight of the party was when Jacob pulled down his britches in the backyard and peed--when Christian hollered at him, he just looked at his dad and continued about his business, then matter-of-factly pulled his pants up and went about eating his hot dog. Jay and I suggested he should wash his hands, but he replied that he hadn't used the bathroom (literally true!). Christian moaned, "Where did I go wrong?"
It's been a lovely weekend, filled with family and friends. Tomorrow, back to the real world and settling in to my new routine--writing daily. I have much to do and need the will power to stick with it.