Friday, January 28, 2011

Sticky Fingers, and Something Cool

We had our housewarming on Australia Day, and the inevitable mingling of my friends and my brother's friends. (I'd already met most of Li's friends, as we get together for crafternoons, AKA gossip and cake.) Rory's three years older than me, and some of his friends have children. So of them came to the party. Children! At one of my parties. I nearly spontaneously combusted. They were all very well behaved children, despite my vision of a horde of screaming, sticky-fingered monsters. I say "all" and "horde" like we were being overrun. But actually, before a baby arrived later in the afternoon, there were two.

One was a ten year old girl, and once her mother prodded her to "tell Rhiannon what you're reading", I found I didn't mind they were there so much. This girl liked to read fantasy. She was reading Eragon, and liked books about witches and magic. I got up then and there and went to my bookshelves. I would have liked to throw several hundred books at her, but I started with one. My hands hovered over the Immortals quartet by Tamora Pierce, but something held me back. Those books are very to dear to me, and what if she didn't really like fantasy? I settled on the Wolf Tower books by Tanith Lee: funny, exciting, easy to love.

If I was guaranteed to have fantasy-book-loving, dance-class-attending offspring I'd happily procreate (eventually). But what if they're sticky-fingered whiny brats? What if they didn't like books? Perish the thought.

Also, something cool. I stumbled across this yesterday while I was Googling myself. I was actually trying to find a post I did on belly dance for Pirate Penguin. Honest I was.

7 comments:

  1. That link you accidentally (cough) found? Very cool. It must be awesome to see the word 'author' in front of your name.

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  2. I've always wondered if my future child (or children) would like to read. I can't imagine a worse (or more ironic) fate if my kids disliked or even--gasp--HATED to read.

    Oh, look at that! I indirectly helped you find that link. How nice ;) (btw, that link must be so exciting to see!)

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  3. I would have been so sad if my soon hated books, luckily he loves them he even takes one to bed with him instead of cuddly toy :) I guess it helps that they are everywhere!

    The link is very cool, exciting :)

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  4. You bet Lauren!!

    Sandy--Yes you did :D

    Alexa--That is SO CUTE.

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  5. I would have considered two children a great hoard, too. heh I am totally with you on the children thing. I have dogs.

    I have friends whose children don't read much and I have no clue what to talk to them about.

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  6. Children are always so hard to look through. Can't wait to have children on my own, really (as if that's gonna happen soon).

    Wow, random house, you must be so proud. (coincidences are a very magical thing, right)
    Nahno ∗ McLein

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  7. Having raised two bookworms, I have a 100% successful recipe for achieving that aim: when they first come home from the hospital a newborns, place a dozen rag books in their crib. As they grow into sitting up, find old (picture) books you are willing to sacrifice to hands not yet good at page turning at let them at it - and READ to them every night. I love reading to kids and will do so at every opportunity. Make sure you have lots of books around the house and be seen reading them and looking things up in them when the inevitable "why's" start (about age 2).

    Unfortunately, even dance-class attending readers of fantasy have their moments as whiny, sticky fingered brats, though.

    Ask me how I know!!!

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