To all the books I've loved before

Why do I write? Why pick up a pen?

Read on and I’ll tell you the reasons.

In stories and books I found mentors and friends

Who helped me through all of life’s seasons.

Fantasy was the genre of my childhood years

When my world knew very few cares

I visited Lewis and Tolkien’s lands

And daydreamed about living there.

Romance novels swept my heart away

Beneath moons of my teenage years.

I yearned for a prince, for love’s first kiss,

In real life, heartbreak brought many tears.

Early in marriage nonfiction came in

And helped me know “what to expect.” 😉

Autobiographies, histories, diaries

Proved we could face what was next.

Mysteries came to save the day

When my children were very small.

I joined secret ops on naptime adventures

While teaching my babies to crawl.

Tragedy struck and I spent sleepless nights

Turning the pages of horror.

Brave leading characters, page-turning plots

Made my circumstance feel less like torture.

That’s why I write – every page every word –

To talk to somebody like me.

Whatever you’re going through, you aren’t alone,

Just pick up a story, you’ll see.