Reading is a Together Thing

I come from a family of readers. My mother sustained me through many a dark day as a child, by reading poem after narrative poem to my sister and I on the couch. My father will not give you an hour's peace before he once again picks up a newspaper or book and reads an excerpt to you. Even my paternal grandmother read huge volumes of The History of the World when she was in her seventies. And she would tell me all about what she was learning.

So imagine my surprise when my Littlest just didn't show an interest in reading. Or so I thought. It occurred to me one day that she is highly interested, as long as reading is a social activity. And then I realized she is not so different from my mother, my father, my grandmother. Reading is something they always shared. It was and is a time of bonding and affection, of sharing.

Which brings us to me. I belong to three book clubs. I love to read, but rarely finish a book unless it's one I'll end up sharing with someone. It is only natural that I would function the same way in regards to my own book, Stone Crossings. After all, as I recently told an interviewer who asked me why I love to write, "I don't love to write so much as I write to love."

No surprise then that I wanted to start a Stone Crossings book club wiki where readers who desire to go beyond the opportunity to comment can really join the club by bringing themselves more fully into the sharing process.

As you may know, a wiki allows everyone to post, not just the wiki-master. So if you visit the new wiki right now, you'll see that this has already begun. People are posting pictures on the theme of Waiting for Stone Crossings. And, at least for me, it's a wonderful time of sharing, laughs, awe and bonding.

Of course, I invite you too. Stop by and see what others are doing, hear me read an excerpt, add your own pictures or blog post about Stone Crossings. Because reading is a together thing.


Here are a few people who've already joined the party by doing:

Photos and blog posts:
Dave Zimmerman
Christine Scheller
Charity Singleton
Blue Mountain Mama
Flourishing Mother

Photos:
Erin
Carl Holmes
Nancy
Kirsten
Christianne Squires
Ted Gossard
Spaghettiepie
Gail Nadeau
Craver


Waiting for Stone Crossings sculpture and photo, by Sara B, age 10. Used with permission.