10 Day Book Challenge Choices Explained

For the past ten days I have been posting book covers every day. The challenge is to do so without explanation or captions. Now that the challenge is over, I thought I would give you a bit of insight on why I chose the books that I features.

There are so many wonderful books out there and many many more than 10 that I think of when asked to recommend my favorite books, so narrowing it to ten was a challenge. I had to establish some guidelines for my choices so that I could narrow the field a bit. Looking towards making this post after the challenge was over, I decided to choose books that said something about me as a Young Adult Writer.

Day 1- Little Women by Louisa Mae Alcott

This is my favorite book of all time, and I think Jo March is probably one of my favorite heroines. The author's story of 4 girls coming of age during the time of the civil war was greatly influenced by her own life and is a timeless read.

Day 2- Sciath by Jessica Darling

Sciath is the first book of a trilogy by my dear friend Jessica. All of her books are wonderful reads, and I highly recommend them all, but this first of the tale of the supernatural world secreted away from human eyes is near and dear to my heart. I was privileged to work with Jessica while she was preparing the initial draft for submission. Being a beta reader for her, doing a rough edit, those were moments that I didn't realize were shaping my own future as a writer. Thank you, Jessica for the opportunity to find my own footing. For that, for Jess, and for the story itself, I will always choose Sciath.

Day 3- The Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder-

Little House in the Big Woods is the first book I remember falling in love with. I loved Laura and even emulated her. I remember my mother finding me warning my nightgown in front of the fireplace and being sent back to my room with it because, no we don't need to change by the fire to keep warm. It was the first characters I connected with and my first fandom. Because of Laura Ingalls, I love books.

Day 4- Harpy Thyme by Piers Anthony

One of the Xanth series, Harpy Thyme was the first of them that I read. (It's actually the 17th) There are currently 41 books of the series in print with 4 more planned at this time, making it a very successful venture. Xanth is a witty and punny fantasy world full of magic. As for why I chose to feature it, well, it suits my sense of humor well.

Day 5- The Rowan by Anne McCaffery

McCaffery may be most well known for her Pern books, but she has many many others to be loved. Another first of a trilogy, The Rowan is book 1 of the "Tower and Hive" or "The Rowan" books, which are set in the same galaxy as the writer's "Pegasus" series. The Rowan is a favorite in the SciFi genre. Anyone who has ever played role-play games with me knows I am a fan of psionics and telepaths. The Rowan series may be partially to blame. Scifi fostered role-play and role-play made me a storyteller and world builder, both of which contributed to writing and brought me in contact with people who would encourage me everyday to do it.

Day 6- Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silversteen

Proof that poetry can be fun! This beloved book has been a treasure of mine for some time. Poetry was my first love, and is a place I still turn to pour out my emotions and process my thoughts. I chose this one in particular because I used to read it to my patients back when I worked in Alzheimer's care.

Day 7- The Steadfast Tim Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen

This is my favorite Children's book. It does have a tragic ending though. It is a sweet tale of the love of a tin soldier for a paper ballerina and how that love brings him home when he is lost. Back in high school, when I was on the speech and Debate team, I used this story for the prose competition.

Day 8- The Classic Tales of Edgar Allan Poe

I think this one pretty much speaks for itself. Most of us are familiar with the dark prose and poetry of Poe. I chose this one for two reasons. The first is that in the same period that I was reading the last book for Prose competition, I was reading Poe for Poetry, or as I called the presentation Poe-try (I did warn you about the puns). The other reason was that Poe's style has directly influenced me in my own. When I was asked if I could write Horror for the upcoming anthology from Big Small Town Books (October) it was Poe's style that came to mind on how I wanted my own story to flow. I hope that I have accomplished that in a way that is still true to me.

Day 9- The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

A classic that reminds me of the influences that surround us and how our choices impact our lives and can change them in one single moment.

Day 10- The Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts

This set included the titles Happy Ever After, Vision in White, Bed of Roses, and Savor the Moment. They are the stories of four wedding planners and life long friends finding love of their own. What can I say, I'm a romantic! There was a stage of my life that I wanted to be a wedding planner, and a brief time where I worked for one as well as the weddings I did as a florist. So, yes, I love these books. But, I also admire Nora Roberts and her ability to write anything. Her books both under this name and her Death series as J.D. Rodd, as well as under the pseudonyms Jill March and Sarah Hardesty. She has well over 200 books to her credit.

So, there you are, the background behind all ten books I chose for the challenge. I hope you have many books that influence you, too!