‘TIS THE SEASON TO READ and IMAGINE
I love to listen to and read with our grandchildren and great-grandchildren! With just a few words on the pages of their favorite books (re-read multiple times), their imaginations take flight—and carry me along with them. So it is that my first book selection for writers to READ this week is the short story titled: A HOLIDAY FROM TIME by John Mero.
Imagine what it would be like in our everyday lives if “time” jumped around. Author John Mero has created delightful characters—Turtle, Frog and Professor Hare—who explore such a scenario. Turtle has been carrying the world’s clock on his back for a long time and he’s tired. He wants a vacation, so Frog offers to carry it for a while. What happens when Frog catches a cold and starts sneezing? OH WHAT ADVENTURES we might conjure, and this beautifully illustrated story will definitely unlock everyone’s imagination to do so—and just might break through any of our own writer’s block.
For those of us who prefer to dive into a more serious exploration of current events, I discovered the book titled, GOD and COUNTRY: United 
We Stand! Divided We Fall by Joseph Bylinski.
Bylinski has sought answers to many questions about what is happening in the USA today. His research into Politics and Biblical mysteries has given him valuable insights, taking him (and his readers) on a journey of discovery that explores the intersection of the two. “Our country was founded on the Bible,” Bylinski tells us. “Our laws are based on the Bible…[but] our country has wandered away from its founding ideals and strayed too far.”
Many of the best minds in the world would agree with this author, and many would disagree. However, as authors, it is useful for us to read a variety of opinions because our characters must have different (and often opposing) beliefs.
These two books may seem like polar opposites to consider as tools to enhance our imaginations and writing skills. However, as the concept of imagination is defined, it is the ability (that only humans possess) to form ideas, images, sensation IN our minds without any immediate input of our senses. Each of these authors (Mero and Bylinski) have used their imagining abilities to offer interesting solutions to the problems they’ve presented. Quoting from Wikipedia’s site, imagination is fundamental to integrate knowledge, experience and learning. It is “a basic training for imagination to [create] storytelling (narrative) in which the exactness of the chosen words is the fundamental factor to “evoke worlds.”
What if the peoples of the world were devoid of imagination. Would science progress—or even exist? Would music, or poetry, or art, or novels exist? Would teachers be able to connect with their students and find creative ways to teach them? Without imagination, there would be no need to build museums, or libraries or zoos; or investigate archeological digs; or walk through National, State and Local parks; or look out our windows…and wonder.
So, today my writer/author friends, I applaud YOU! I thank you for being uniquely inspired and imaginative as you develop your manuscripts! And I encourage to you READ at least one of the above books—making notes about how you might have written it differently, or what research might provide more information on the topics. This is how we become better—and better—writers. ⚓︎
Self Publishing Advisor 