MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH LIBRARIES
Okay, I admit I'm a library junkie. I love libraries. The tall stacks where I can get lost, the smell of the books, the high ceilings. Some of my best memories of growing up are of being in the library. My parents have pictures of me asleep with a library book in my hand (
Bambi's Children was a favorite) and my local library knows me well. So when I found out
Anathema was a finalist for the Best Books of Indiana award put on by the Indiana State Library, I was soo excited!
My books have won plenty of other awards so you'd think it would be no big deal, right? Wrong. I dithered about what to wear FOR WEEKS! I even changed my mind the morning of the award. LOL Should I get a pedicure? A new haircut? It was really a big deal to me. When we arrived at the state library, I felt like I was a little kid wandering in the library for the first time. I gawked my way to the Indiana Authors Room like I was five instead of, er, my age. :-) I was so happy I'd lost weight too! LOL The room was gorgeous and constructed of all Indiana materials: fabulous walnut bookcases and woodwork, Indiana limestone, ornate carved ceiling. My mouth was hanging open.
The Indiana state librarian, Roberta Brooker, was so gracious and sweet. Even though she didn't judge the fiction category, she told me she's read
Anathema and loved it was now reading the Rock Harbor books. I had my sweet hubby run to the car for a copy of
Cry in the Night for her. When the ceremony started, Roberta had all of us finalists come forward, sign our books, and place them in the collection. I about cried! When I actually won, I'm sure I made a total fool of myself. I blubbered about how my dream when I first started writing was just to have ONE of my books in my local library. Small dream, right? To me it was a huge, nearly unattainable thing.
Isn't God good though? He gives us the desires of our heart. Now my books are in libraries all over the country, and they're also in my state library. The library is going to get all my books for the Indiana Authors Room. I browsed the shelves and saw James Whitcomb Riley, John Jakes, Kurt Vonnegut. And me. All I can say is WOW!
So what's your dream? The one you're nearly afraid to speak of? Dream big! God can do it!
Labels: Best Books of Indiana, Indiana State Library, library
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18 Comments:
Yahoooooooooo!!!!!!! I'm so proud of you!!!!!!! :)
I have my biggest dream already - I married him on April 1st, 2000. If no other dream ever comes true, I'll never come back to reality. I'm still in the honeymoon stage 9 years later. *Jaime getting sappy*
YEAH COLLEEN!!!!
AND that new little one arriving soon. :-)
I have goose bumps reading about your wonderful award, Colleen. What an honor!
My biggest dream was always to have a Christian marriage and family and God so graciously did that for me.
My biggest writing dream I suppose is to hit the best seller list. And for people to be drawn to the Lord through my books. God is so good. I don't think we can dream big enough, actually!
Colleen, I love humble spirit and your continued enthusiasm for your books. Even though you're a multi-published, award-winning author, you don't let that go to your head. You still appreciate all aspects of your career.
And may I say your outfit totally rocks! Those shoes!! You'd make Stacy London from What Not to Wear yell "shut up". You look gorgeous, but that does not come from the clothes, the hair, or the weight loss. It comes from your inner beauty. You glow, girl!!
We CAN'T dream big enough for God, Golden! He surpasses every thought we ever have.
What a sweet thing to say, Lisa! Aren't those shoes cute? Those are those red shoes I've always wanted. LOL I LOVE What Not to Wear!
That's so cool, Colleen!!! And you look GORGEOUS!!! We are all so proud of you!
Thank you for reminding us that we serve a BIG God!!!
The pictures show how happy you are. Congratulations! My biggest dream...I honestly don't know. This is a question I realize I need to think about. Funny, I should be able to juust rattle off my answer...
LOL, Love Lisa's comment about Stacy London. Way cool, Colleen and I can tell the weight loss since I saw you last March. That is waaaay cool.
See you soon in Denver!
Congratulations, Colleen! I loved reading about your excitement and enthusiasm over this Award - - even though you've already won many other awards! ~ I'm really looking forward to meeting you in Denver (soon!). ~ My biggest dream was always to have children - - and the Lord blessed me with 3 precious redheads (that red hair is still a "mystery" though, but we love it!). Blessings, Patti Jo
Whoohoo! Congrats, Colleen!
Thanks, friends!
Thanks so much for sharing the details of how this all happened. When I heard you won the award, I knew it was a big deal. I just didn't know how big.
That is incredible!!
And I can say "I knew her when..."
I first met you when I did that news article for the Marion paper. I think you were getting Mentor of the Year for the second time. What year was that?
You have come a very long way, girl!
Congrats! I love your jacket!
Yeah! That is a great award. I love libraries too. The smell when it whisps past my nose as the door slide open. My boys think I'm crazy.
My dreams...PUBLISHED! I want to see one of my novels in print. I want to hold it, touch the spine, rub my finger along the spine and sniff it! YES! God is doing it for me.
Anathema was a great book Colleen and you are a great person! What an honor for you, makes proud for you and with you!!
This is a big deal! Congratulations! I am a library junkie, so even more excited for you! :-)
I LOVE the library also...(sigh of contentment). My library recently added a coffee shop. HEAVEN HERE ON EARTH---COFFEE AND BOOKS. It doesn't get much better.
For me, it's all the books. Just knowing that there is soo much there to soak up...I would gladly sell my cottage and take up residency in the library. I think I would put my comfy chair next to the Christian Fiction section...with my loveseat next to the cookbooks. :)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR BLOG. IT IS SUCH AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO ME!!! GOD'S RICHEST BLESSINGS TO YOU...
Sincerely.
Angie Good
Congrats on your dream coming true!!
My dream is to become a photographer that makes the whole world stop and think.
To continue to advance in my photography throughout my lifetime and to reach the highest potential that I can.
The big embarrassing dream is to do Celebrity Portraiture. We'll see... all I can do for now is keep working.
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