“Literature is my Utopia. Here I am not disenfranchised. No barrier of the senses shuts me out from the sweet, gracious discourses of my book friends. They talk to me without embarrassment or awkwardness.” ~ Helen Keller
Teen Detective Extraordinaire
Books literally feed my soul. They have since I was a child. The first person to do that was teen detective extraordinaire, Nancy Drew. Their is nothing like seeing those yellow jackets hiding a mysterious adventure. A girl who could do anything, and always used her wit to get out of any situation.
Heck I wanted to be Nancy Drew. At a young age I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to be a detective (private eye of course) or a lawyer like Nancy’s father. I would gulp her books down like they were a milk-shake for my brain and imagine I was in the books tackling the mysteries and saving the day. I even wished that I had Titan hair like Nancy, maybe that explains why I died my hair red at sixteen!
My Best Friend
She may have been a character in a novel, but she felt like my best friend. Even now when I am in a book store I will venture over to the children’s section to see if she has any new books out, though nothing can beat the originals.
If Nancy Drew was real (though to my six year old heart she is) I would be sending her a wine basket weekly. At a young age, I saw my sister reading her books and I just had to read them. I didn’t even bother with Doctor Seus or any of the learn to read books. I ran past go and straight to Nancy Drew.
Why I wanted to be a Writer
It is thanks to her that my love of reading and writing was cultivated. In an era before their was Fan Fiction, I was writing picture books (well stick and circle people really) in first grade with Nancy as the protagonist. (my mom still has them!) And when FanFiction.net was created, I began writing Nancy Drew Fanfics there. Why do I bring that up? Well for shits and giggles I went to see if my account was STILL there and if my novels were Still there…
They were! It literally gave me all the feels! I also apologize to all my cyber readers out there who were left waiting because I never finished the FF…Oops.
Okay back on subject.
Thank You Nancy (and Carolyn Keene!)
I owe a lot to dear old Nancy and gang. She taught me a lot about strong females, how to solve a good mystery, (and somehow always look impeccable while doing it) friendships, relationships, and while I can’t thank her, I can thank Carolyn Keene for creating a world and showing me at a young age what great plot, solid characters, and dedication to her craft is all about.
In a world pre Harry potter Carolyn Keene really was ahead of her time, in creating a world that felt as real as it was fantastical.
As I reread (and cringed) over my FF as well as read the comments (I know, I know NEVER read the comments, but it was all surprisingly supportive and great advice) I also remembered that I didn’t just love reading mysteries, I also loved writing them too. While I have gotten away from that genre, I just might have to pay a visit to it again.
Yes I owe a lot to Miss Drew. Somewhere out their in literary fiction I hope you know how influential you were and how much I appreciate you my dear book friend. Thank you!
Did you ever read Nancy Drew? Or have books that remind you of childhood?
“If Nancy Drew was real (though to my six year old heart she is) I would be sending her a wine basket weekly.” Hahahaa! And also, YES. I was a big Nancy Drew fan too, and also wanted to *be* her. But the books that held the most magic for me as a kid were my dad’s guidebooks to Egypt, from a trip he took as an intrepid young man. Their ability to transport me halfway across the world simply with a few pictures and words really awoke in me a love for storytelling through writing and photography, I think. Anyway … wonderful post!
I am glad you loved that comment! And yay! I love that you also wanted to be her!
I love love LOVE that! That is so cool! And what memories you share with your Dad! It is so incredible how books shape us at a young age. Thank you for sharing that memory and for reading! <3
Oh my gosh are these book pictures nostalgic! I LOVED Nancy Drew when I was little. I wish I knew where my parents put all my books so I can share them when my daugther is old enough to start enjoying them!! <3
Right? When I visited my parents, I raided my Nancy Drew collection. Just holding the books gave me all the feels! Oh my gosh I LOVE that! I hope you find them! I can not wait to pass mine on when I have children. Thank you so much for reading! <3
I absolutely love this! It’s so neat to see how what we read growing up shapes our life, and I’m so glad that you’re still celebrating that. I would love to read all of you mysteries! xx.
Awe thanks sweets! It really is! I think I will always have a soft spot for Nancy Drew 🙂 Aweee thanks love! You are the sweetest! <3
Awwww! This post just hard core threw me back! When I was younger, my sister and I would go to my grandparents house every winter to ski and I would peruse their book shelves for books to read. I read some Nancy Drew and seeing those books just sent me back to my childhood! Love this. <3 <3
Right?!?!?! Oh the good ol’ days. Lol. I LOVE that! Their is something about childhood memories and that includes other peoples, that gives me all the feels. I love that you have those memories! <3
oh my god as a fellow avid reader I cannot tell you how much I LOVE this post! Honestly, reading is such a fundamental part of me and how i grew up. I never read Nancy Drew (although I’m thinking that I majorly missed out!) but I loved Enid Blighton’s books for some adventure… my absolutely CRITICAL books had to be skulduggery pleasant and HIVE though! xxx