What Kind of Book Would I Choose First? by Sandra Rafuse

"Perhaps your first book is still a dream. Or maybe you haven't dared to dream—yet." These words from InScribe's July prompt makes up the perfect beginning sentences for my post this month. Write a book? A first book? Prior to joining InScribe Writers Online I had never entertained a single thought of attempting to do that. But sending in a monthly post each month for the past year and a half has changed what I'm thinking and maybe, just maybe, I could dare to dream to do that.

One day, several months ago, I wrote out three titles that I felt I could use for a book should I decide to write one. They were: I Miss My Mom, My Friend Doesn't Like Me Anymore, and I Am Different. The titles popped up into my head without any particular reason for them to be there, but later I realized they each dealt with thoughts I had been thinking and feelings I had been feeling in previous weeks. I also realized I was thinking of them as books to be written for children. Well here I sit, months later, and the titles are still in that list waiting to be used. Will I use them? Definitely not right now and probably not for a long time. But as I write my way out of the amateur status I feel I am in, then perhaps I will start to dream of writing a first book.

As I write, using the prompts we are given each month, I am becoming more and more aware of how much work and time and concentration it takes to get my words down in an order that makes sense. And I have a much greater appreciation of how authors and illustrators have to work to write their stories and draw their pictures for the books they put out. 

In my mind right now, because of July's prompt and because of reading the posts that have come in to InScribe so far, I am thinking of three kinds of children's books that I love to read that perhaps I would choose to write. The first kind of book is a chapter book. Over Sea, Under Stone is a good example of this. In it, the man from the Dark is made out to be so scary, the evil shows in his dark, piercing eyes and his black hair. He is tall and dark, untidy, and at the same time forbidding. I shudder whenever I read about him. The second kind of book I'm thinking of is a children's book that has two or three sentences along with pictures of the story on each page. Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge is a favourite example of this kind of book. In this story, the old woman, who is losing her memory, is dressed in a colourful, flowing dress that hangs loosely on her body, with a few inches of slip showing below the bottom of the dress. She wears a pair of plain socks with comfortable slippers. When the young boy finds out she has lost her memory, he carefully collects objects to show her that he believes will help her get her memory back. The third kind of book is a picture book. A Boy, A Dog and A Frog is a wonderful example. "A picture is worth a thousand words" is so true here. Look at frog's face. See how sad he is that the boy, the dog, and the turtle are leaving him at the pond. Look at how mad they are that they couldn't catch him. The whole story right before you in pictures!

Will I write and publish a book someday? That's something to think about. I like the posts that have been shared this month. They have been so honest and encouraging. Thank you for sharing.

Sandra Rafuse lives in the small town of Rockglen, Saskatchewan, with her husband, Bob, a Gordon Setter named Sadie, and a Peregrine falcon named Peet. She is a retired teacher, an amateur writer, and is thoroughly enjoying having the opportunity to share what God has been teaching her through her life's experiences.

Photo by Sandra Rafuse