Top Ten Best Book Memories

Since becoming a writer, I've had a lot of great moments from meeting readers to giving presentations and attending conferences. However, today, I'm going to write about bookish moments from my perspective as a reader. It was fun to sit down and think about all my great book memories. There are so many, but here are the ten which instantly came to mind.

1) The first time I read The Stand and Watership Down. Both of these books really moved me when I first read them, and I went on to read them many times.

2) In college, when Richard Adams released a sequel to Watership Down. I eagerly waited for the release day for weeks. I also had a co-worker at the time who was also waiting for it, and it was fun to have someone else to share in the excitement. Although the book didn't live up to my expectations, the thrill of finding out more about some of my favorite literary characters was a great memory.

3) When Stephen King released the extended version of The Stand. I actually prefer the shorter version, but the excitement of being able to read MORE of one of my favorite books was memorable.

4) Harry Potter. I came to Harry Potter a little late, around the time the sixth book came out. My mom had all the books, so I borrowed them and settled down into a marathon read. It was painful to wait two years for book seven, but when it came out, my husband and I popped into a Barnes & Noble just to soak in the release night excitement.

5) Visiting George Bayntun - Fine bindings and rare books in Bath, England. I got a little bit of a tingle when I opened a book and it had an earl's crest stamped inside.

6) Meeting the poet W.S. Merwin. I worked at a TV station and he came in to do an interview. I got his autograph, and I was the only member of the crew who knew who he was.

7) Swapping books during summer camp. The books weren't great (Sweet Valley High, Flowers in the Attic) but it was fun to be around other girls who were excited about reading.

8) Reading A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux in high school. It was my first romance novel.

9) Reading Scarlett, the sequel to Gone with the Wind. As a Gone with the Wind fan, I eagerly anticipated this book and tore through it the weekend I got it. As a sequel it was a disappointment, but as a bodice ripper it wasn't bad. It was my excitement over the release which makes it memorable.

10) Reading The Diary of Anne Frank in junior high. Reading about the experiences of a young girl my age who was dealing with such a tragic and difficult situation, all the while struggling with all the issues of growing up, was very moving.

I hope my writing brings as much joy to readers as so many authors have given me over the years. I also hope this post inspires you to look back at some of your best memories of reading and to cherish them. If you would like to check out my novels, please visit www.Georgie-Lee.com