A to Z Blogging Challenge: L

I'm sure lots of you are looking forward to a day off tomorrow even if you're really enjoying the challenge. I'm be using the day to catch up on more blogs I haven't visited yet from THE LIST for the A to Z Blogging Challenge. My continuing theme is a rendition of all the ways I'm going to advance my career as a full time writer after my retirement. (See countdown on right)

L: Library.  My county has a library system composed of a number of libraries joined together in one big organization. I can go on the website and find a book and request to have it delivered to the small branch library in my small town. Our little library is actually nearly brand new. Our town and surrounding community raised nearly two million dollars to have it built. It's friendly, peaceful and has some comfortable little nooks for reading or writing.

The library is a great resource for writers and readers. It's also a place that will host writers on panels and for book talks. When I enter my full time writing career, I'm going to find ways to make more use of my library and also ways to support the wonderful place. I'm also going to work to have them purchase the books of my writer friends for on their shelves. They do have my first fantasy book, The Keepers of Sulbreth, on their shelves. I need to get a picture of that.

Do you frequent your local library? What are some ways the library can help you as a writer?

Teaching Priorities

It's going to a few months of changes for me. My youngest child, my only daughter, is leaving this fall for Boston University. There aren't words to how much I'll miss her. We do so much together...

I'll also be starting my last year teaching next month after over thirty years in the public school system. I'm not having any sad thoughts about it, but I'll miss my students. Still, how many times will I be saying over the next twelve months, 'this is the last time for this.'

Another big change has started two days ago. My oldest son, now a teacher himself, bought his own house. He's in the process of moving out. Even people in their twenties manage to collect a lot of 'stuff.' He's been making numerous journeys in his car, packing and unpacking the same few boxes. There's no hurry, but it's interesting to see what he's taken and what is left behind. He has coaching responsibilities during the summer so he took most of his athletic clothing. His computer is still standing on his little corner desk. He uses it mostly for gaming(conquering the world). Only one possession is completely moved to his new domicile. All his books.  And there are lots of them. The only pieces of furniture he wanted to take with him were his bookshelves. His Kindle isn't laying around anyway either. Good boy.

Not what my son's new house looks like!

Today my daughter and I went into BAM. We can't resist. They had buy two get one free paperbacks. She wanted to buy a three book fantasy series that I already have on my book shelf. She said she needed to take it to Boston with her. I said take my copy. She said it's nearly worn out. This is the child who just received her AP scores in the mail and scored fives on all five of the tests she took in May. We bought the books.

My children know I can never say no to books. Even though we buy most of them as digital recently, we have more books than some libraries. As my children scatter to the world, I can't help but feel ... good.  They love to read. There's so much before them and they have the tools to discover their life's path and I'll know they'll do great. I hope if you have children, you buy them lots of books.