Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Miscellaneous Ramblings: Why I Love to Read


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One of the beautiful things about literature is that as a reader we get to experience so much more of the world than what is right in front of us. A reader doesn’t have to travel halfway around the world to visit China, explore the Louvre in Paris, or sail the seven seas. We can become wizards, journey to the center of the earth or travel back in time. We can walk in the shoes of someone we feel has it all or someone who is troubled. For the length of the book, we see life through someone else’s eyes. We might discover that money doesn’t necessarily equal happiness or that the quiet girl—the one everyone has labeled a freak—is really so much more than meets the eye. Books that tackle difficult subject such as substance abuse, depression, or illness provide awareness, even if the readers aren’t aware of the hidden message in the book they are enjoying. Literature in general makes it possible to realize that we don’t have to be limited by what’s right in front of us. And I love that.


I write paranormal stories because the unknown interests me. I find the possibility of what might be fascinating so I enjoy learning about different myths and legends. I like to watch documentaries on things like the great pyramids and the Lost City of Atlantis. My mind starts to form questions and stories forcing me to dig deeper into different theories and beliefs. I then take what I’ve learned and bend and twist the myths to create my own characters, often with supernatural abilities. I set their world in a modern day setting and create unique stories that I share through my writing. After all, one of the perks of being a writer is that we get to make things up for a living and in doing so we get to be the ones introducing others to new experiences.

What are some of the reasons you love to read?

10 comments:

  1. Yes! Seeing the world through different eyes, or even seeing different worlds through different eyes is the main appeal for me. I love entering someone else's life, get to know them a little, and learn what makes them tick.

    Great post, Cherie :)


    Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews

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  2. I love feeling strong emotions from reading. When authors sweep me up in their characters' lives, making me cry and/or laugh, I adore reading.

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    1. I agree. I love getting lost in the story. Thanks for stopping by.

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  3. I love reading to explore new worlds. To feel things from someone else's perspective.

    I love reading to see how the writer conveyed their story. At some point I began analyzing what I was reading. Oddly it doesn't detract from the love of the story.

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    1. I tend to analyze what I'm reading too. Thanks for commenting. :)

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  4. Like you said, reading instantly transports you somewhere else- and I love that! Whether it be a place or just inside someone head's whose voice really catches my attention.

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    1. Yep. And when one story ends there are so many more for us to explore.

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  5. Yes, write the kind of story you love to read, Cherie.
    To date, I've met only one good writer who reads little. My writing friends and acquaintances are all voracious and thoughtful readers.

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    1. Most of the writers I knew love to read, too. I always find it funny when someone says they are writing a book and I ask them what they read and they can't even remember the last book they read.

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