I Wish I'd Written that Book

I enjoy writing mysteries more than anything I’ve ever done before. Initially people called it my “hobby,” and I smiled politely while trying not to voice my thoughts. However, after about the time my fifth book came out, those who knew me decided it wasn’t a hobby after all. (It’s nice to feel understood.)

However, I’m also an avid reader, or at least I was until I started writing. Now I don’t have enough time to read everything I’d like to. For purposes of this post, though, I’m going to remain a reader.

Beginning with my mother’s Honey Bunch books, and moving on to the Oz books, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys books, and finally real honest-to-goodness adult books, I’ve enjoyed the freedom to go places and do things vicariously through the characters and the stories.

All of that reading and all of those characters and storylines (along with a gentle push from a friend) are what prompted me to write mysteries. Some of the ideas of other writers are so unique that when I finish reading a book I sit back and wish I’d written it. As a reader, have you ever felt that way?

When To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee came out, even though I’d never given a thought to writing a novel, I read the last page and wished I’d written that book. The characters were so real to me – Atticus, Jem and Scout. The storyline reminded me of what times and people were like in the thirties. (Although I wasn’t even a sparkle in my mother’s eyes in the thirties, I’ve heard things.) And Boo Radley – oh, what a guy. I think every small town has had someone whom people talked about and who was highly misunderstood. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, read the book. You’ll be glad you did.

I still think about Marley & Me by John Grogan. The book made me laugh aloud, and then the story made me cry. I wished I’d written it because it was so entertaining. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t quite believe the story and ended up with two yellow Labrador Retrievers, Sugar and Murphy. Believe me, Grogan’s story hit the mark. These dogs have a bit of screwy mixed in with intelligence, and sometimes… Well, you’d have to live with a Lab to understand.

Sometimes I read one simple idea in a story – and wish I’d thought of it first. Oh,well… I do my best.

I could tell you about my books, but that would take too much time. There are now nineteen, with Number Twenty in the works. Maybe one day someone will read one of my books and say, “I wish I’d written that.” One can always hope.

Think of a book you wish you’d written, or that contained an idea you wish you’d thought of first. Maybe you’ll provide me with some new books to read.

Until next time, I hope you read a book that leaves you in awe of the story – a book that will live forever in your memory.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

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Thank you, Ms. Lee

I’m sure there are a lot of posts up about the loss of Harper Lee right now, and I decided to add my own. To Kill a Mockingbird is my all-time favorite book. I even named a dog Scout and a business The Mockingbird. That says a lot in itself.

I first read the book when I was young, and it was new. I’ve read that To Kill a Mockingbird is a controversial story. It wasn’t to me. To me, at the time, it was the story of a little girl and her brother, and the adventures they had as children. It was the demonstration of a wise and wonderful father who just happened to be a lawyer. I couldn’t put it down. I didn’t want the story to end.

I finished the book and put it on the shelf, knowing I’d read it again one day. Five or six readings later, it’s still my favorite book. Each time I read it I take away something different.

To me, the characters were real. Ms. Harper’s writing made me feel as though I was right there with them, watching what happened first hand. There were characters I adored, and there were those whom I detested. There were people in the story whom I pitied, and others who simply made me feel good.

Let’s not forget Boo Radley. The mystery surrounding him in the children’s eyes fascinated me. Dill was an inspired character with all the flaws of his age and lifestyle. Tom Robinson was a good man whose circumstances would change the lives of many.

The storyline? I learned a lot from it. Having been born and raised on the West Coast, the story covered things I didn’t know about at the time of the first reading. It was an eye-opener, but somehow not shocking.

Most of us have probably read a book that has this appeal – a book we won’t soon forget. There are a few others for me, but To Kill a Mockingbird is still Number One on my Hit Parade.

Harper Lee’s writing inspired me in many ways, but the fact that her characters came across as so down-to-earth and real was the biggest inspiration.

I waited for years for her to write another book that would entertain me the way the first one did, as did many other people. It didn’t happen until Go Set a Watchman came out recently. I just started reading it last night. So far it’s not grabbing me the way the first book did, but I’m only into it a few chapters.

I will say that from discussions with my family and older people I knew in my youth, I believe the story represented the era fairly realistically. While we can’t change the way things were, we can learn from them.

Good-bye, Harper Lee, and thank you!

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com