Today’s post by this month’s featured author, Julie Kibler | @Julie Kibler
UPDATE: the winners for this giveaway are Susan Coster and Sandy Nawrot. They have been notified by email. Thanks to everyone who entered! And don’t forget to visit again soon.
Those of you reading CALLING ME HOME this month will understand the symbolism of the thimble. But Julie decided she didn’t just want you to read about it, she wanted to share one with you. Which is why she’s giving away two of these thimble necklaces today. One for a reader and one for a member of our Blog Network. All Blog Network members are automatically entered. And any readers who would like to toss their name in the hat can simply leave a comment on this post.
The first word I clearly remember reading on my own, without prodding from an adult, my fingers running across each letter, was Heidi — the title on the colorful cardboard sleeve of a read-aloud record album. I must have read other words before that. I was four or five, and I was an early reader, but for some reason, that experience remains vivid and fills me with nostalgia and the memory of listening to the story.
This doesn’t surprise me. Throughout my childhood, I was drawn to nostalgic stories about girls who were marginalized but remained or became strong. I was a painfully shy, often lonely girl. We moved a lot. I attended seven different schools. We never seemed to have quite enough money to make ends meet, and my brother and I were frequently ridiculed or bullied by the kids who had lived in our neighborhoods their whole lives. Being a preacher’s daughter often made things worse. Strong female characters who chased their dreams in spite of seemingly insurmountable barriers resonated with me. I lived vicariously through my fictional friends when my own life felt out of control.
They were orphans — Heidi, Pollyanna, Anne Shirley, Sara Crewe, Mary Lennox, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase‘s Sylvia Green.
They were poor and/or living on the edges of society — Laura Ingalls Wilder, Francie Nolan, Anne Frank, The Borrowers’ Arietty Clock, Blue Willow‘s Janey Larkin, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March.
They were just plain different — Cress Delehanty, Velvet Brown, Ramona the Pest, Caddie Woodlawn.
Or they were all three — Pippi Longstocking.
I grew up, married, and had babies. I divorced and lived five years as a single mom before remarrying. Now I’m following a career path I dreamed about for as long as I can remember—author.
And I’m not a bit surprised that I’m drawn to writing nostalgic stories about characters who are marginalized, yet resilient, characters who attempt to build happy lives and strong families in spite of their circumstances. In Calling Me Home, Isabelle is a young girl who falls in love despite all the naysayers. Dorrie is a single mom who would do anything for her children when they’re in trouble, yet believes she must handle her brokenness alone.
In spite of our differences, I am all of them. And they are me.
What characters did you relate to as a child? What characters did you want to be?
About Ariel Lawhon
Ariel Lawhon is the co-founder of She Reads, novelist, blogger, storyteller, and life-long reader. She lives in Texas with her husband and four young sons (aka The Wild Rumpus). Ariel believes that Story is the shortest distance to the human heart.
I loved reading Nancy Drew books and wanted to solve mysteries with my friends just like she did!
I am definitely putting this on my To Read list – which is already quite long…. this sounds intriguing though, both because of the time period it takes place in and because of the main story plot.
Crossing my fingers about winning the necklace, but either way (win the necklace or discover a new book); or both! we are all winners in this contest!
I, too, loved Nancy Drew mysteries. I thought it would be so cool to be as smart as Nancy and to have all the experiences she enjoyed. I still love mysteries!
I loved reading the Nancy Drew mysteries and then when I finished, I read my brother’s Hardy Boy series. The library was my favorite place and still is today!
The neacklace is lovely, it reminds me of my
grandmother! Thank you for the opportunity to win it!
I’ve read the book and loved it!
I saw myself as Jo March in Little Women.
Looking forward to reading the book!
Loved the books by Maude Lovelace…..smart independant girls even in the 1940s!
Although I was not a child when I read it, but studying to be a middle school teacher, I absolutely LOVED Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. That gal sure had gumption ~ something we all need. And, you won’t believe this, but I actually have a thimble collection ~ yes ~ and would love to win the most awesome necklace I have ever seen!
I loved the Nancy Drew series, any mystery in fact. Looking forward to enjoying this book.
THe necklace is stunning!
I have this book on my Kindle waiting to read it! I think I’ll start! When reading as a child, I wanted to be Laura Ingalls Wilder or Trixie Belden–pioneer or amateur detective!
I loved the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and wanted so badly to be Laura!
Loved reading Nancy drew!!
Would love to win the necklace and add the book to my library!
Looking forward to hearing Julie speak in Houston soon!
Oh my goodness….I have been an avid reader my whole life and have read countless books, so there is just no way to pick one character that I related to or wanted to be. (Although as a young teenager I sure thought the baby-sitters club girls were the bee’s knees!)
loved the nancy drew series
I loved the Little House on the Prairie books. I wanted to be Laura! I also remember my mom reading me and my sisters the entire series of Anne of Green Gables. I would sneak and read ahead because I loved her character so much. I loved Little Women as well and read every single Nancy Drew book! Every Saturday was library day for our family and it was the best day of the week for me!
What a lovely necklace! The book sounds great too! Can’t wait!
How exciting to learn if a new book to curl up with!
This is such a unique necklace. I would love to win it! Thank you.
I saw the movie “Gone with the Wind” and fell in love with the south, so I rushed to the library to get the book. Imagine my surprise to find so much more of the story that was left out of the movie. Now I try to read the book first!
Would love to win the necklace as it is my anniversary. I grew up reading a variety of mystery books and would have to say I always thought of myself as the one trying to solve the mystery whether it was a male or female character.
I loved the Heidi books, I think there were 4 of them, and was captivated by the lives contained in these stories. I also loved Louisa May Alcott’s “An Old Fashioned Girl” and so many others.
My imagination was wild. I was who ever the character. I loved to read! I like the redemption of the characters. The characters who were like Hedi, The Bobsi twins, Nancy Drew. I also liked Bioand AutoBio Characters. I would love to wear this Pretty Necklace as I read.
I always wanted to be either Trixie Belden or Nancy Drew. thanks for the giveaway!
As an experiment, I am reading the book aloud to my husband who, I am happy to say, is enjoying it. I read many books aloud to him, but this is definitely different from Hillenbrand, Grisham,
O’Reilly. However, since he wept during many parts of Rivers’Redeemed, it was worth a try.
Speaking of Nancy Drew…I was thrilled to find (even squealed with delight) an old
copy of one of her mysteries at a book sale.
Must add… I am grateful for She Reads. Thank you, ladies.
I love the story behind the story. It helps me to feel almost as if I’m a part of the story too. As a child I would read anything I could grt my hands on but was always drawn to strong, independent girls/women who also had good strong friendships with boys/men.
Love the symbolism of the thimble, a time gone by for sure.
The book sounds wonderful, and the necklace is lovely.
I read everything I could get my hands on. I mostly wanted to read about girls who found their prince to come rescue them
What a facinating story. I can’t wait to read it.
Trixie Belden was my favorite mystery solving protagonist. I also loved Cherry Ames, Student Nurse.
Never knew they symbolism of thimbles.
HM@hvc.rr.com
I just love the idea that we can get info regarding great reading material! There is so much garbage out there that I choose not to expose to my mind! Thank you for your blog and reading suggestions!
I enjoy She Reads and thankful for wonderful books like Calling me home. Thank you for the giveaway too!
I too loved Nancy Drew and the Laura Uncalled Wilder books, but I also remember seeking out all the Phyllis Whitney books too. LOVE the necklace – I have my grandmother’s and mother’s thimbles in a printer’s tray along with others I’ve collected from travels…
Oh yes Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys were the ticket!! I even got teased in school because on occasion–my maiden name is Drew. How many times did I hear “Oh, do you know Nancy? Luckily, I had a sense of humor and would always quip “Well, yes, yes I do!”
Can’t wait to read it!
The thimble necklace is perfect, and a sure conversation starter that will promote the book! Great idea!
Growing up on a farm as an only child the characters in books became my friends. Nancy Drew seemed so exotic because there were no mysteries to solve on the farm (or unknown people). And still to this day I become attached to many characters in books. They take me away to places that I cannot travel to. As a quilter, as was my mother and mother-in-law, the thimble has a wonderful place in my heart.
Would you be surprised to know that I saw myself as Beth in Little Women?
I discovered The Hobbit in 8th grade. I wanted to have adventures like Bilbo Baggins.
I am very picky about what I read…I can’t wait to read this one.
Recently had someone talk about having lost their sense of romance and asked what she could read to regain that. Your writings sound perfect to answer that question. My mama sewed and I’d love to have the thimble necklace to wear in her remembrance.
This reminds me of an old family story a second cousin and I were discussing yesterday. It is said that a relative in the Civil War was thought to be dead, but truly he was in prison. Many years later he got out,andwalked back to Neb. and to his old home where he saw children playing. He inquired of one and discovered his wife had remarried and begun a new life, so he walked on. The child told her mom about the visit and she ran to the road, but the man whom she believed to be her first husband was nowhere in sight. She never heard of, or saw him again.
I loved the Nancy Drew books. I Can’t wait to read your book.
I as intrigued by the description of Julie’s book, immediately ordered it, and plan to read it on the way to Florida. Looking forward to the story.
Love the necklace (anything that is old-fashioned is my favorite) and plan on reading the book as soon as I can.
Hope I’m not too late to enter the giveaway.
Thanks!
Not only was I a preacher’s daughter, but I am a preacher’s wife — I can definitely relate to the little girl who had big dreams while living in a fish bowl. My escape was to read of far away places and become the main character. I am definitely marking this blog and will be back often
I love to read…always have and it is normally fiction titles related to being a Christian, Amish, romance, historicals, suspense…I just LOVE to read!!!
I love nostalgic or historical novels. Can’t wait to read this!