When my friend Josie Abrams messaged me on Facebook, she made an unusual request. “My daughter wants to be like you.”
?
??
How could a child I’ve never met want to be like me???
Josie and I graduated from Leadership Charleston in 1999. I didn’t see her much in the years between then and now. When I saw her on Facebook, I friended her, because she was one of those people.
You know those people.
You’re always glad you see those people. You go away from interactions wondering why you don’t see more of them…….and you think it again five years later when you next bump into them.
Josie’s ten-year-old daughter Emma orchestrated our recent get together.”Emma has a school project. She needs to interview a writer.”
?
??
!
I’m still adjusting to
being called a writer.
It took me a few read-throughs to realize Josie wanted her daughter to interview ME.
I met Emma and her mom at a local coffee shop. After we settled in with baguette and cheese (Emma’s choice), she pulled out her jewel-bedecked journal, her pencil hovering over her first question.
“What’s that?” I asked, pointing at a piece of paper peeking from the pages.
“Oh. This?” She thrust words my way. Stories. Pictures. Quotes. A newspaper. HER newspaper. She produced issues for her school friends. “I write everything and my dad copies them for me at work and I tried to get more people to contribute but everybody just wants me to write stories because they like reading my stories and I have all these ideas and do you like this picture?”
“I—”
“Because everybody likes this saying about reading and I drew the picture and put it right here where everyone could see it while they were reading the story because stories are so important.”
“Is this your favorite story you’ve written?” I ran my finger over ink and paper.
“No I mean I don’t know I mean………my friends really liked this one and they bugged me for new chapters and everything, but…………..”
“What?”
“I didn’t enjoy writing it so much anymore. I had new ideas. Do you ever feel like that? Like you’re ready to move on before your readers are? Does that make being a writer hard?”
I leaned across the table. “Emma, being a writer is amazing. Even when it’s hard. You’ll see. I’m sure of it.”
I’ll give Emma the last word on this one.
What’s the best thing
you’ve gotten in the
mail lately?
The Huffington Post calls Not Without My Father
“one literary ride you don’t want to miss!”
Click to read a sample of Not Without My Father
Buy Not Without My Father now at these outlets:
22 Comments
That’s great — you must be very touched. When she reads what you went through on the Trace, she may decide you’re either crazy or a superhuman. (Six of one, half a dozen of the other?)
I wonder whether Josie will let her read it. We’ll see………
“The meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose of life is to give it away.” ~ Joy Golliver
It’s quite evident that you are living your life exactly so.
I hope so.
Best thing in the mail lately? Hmm. Probably the latest copy of Poetry. Or maybe the new Mark Knopfler CD (Tracker) that was part of buying the tickets for his show here in September. Yeah, that’s probably it I am anticipating Brian Doyle’s new book “Martin Marten.” It should show up next week.
Any time you can spend listening to a kid and talking about life is time well spent.
Gotta get that Brian Doyle. If he’d have coffee with me, I’d probably pee my pants.
I love her fresh approach and her youth. And I’m so glad people now days encourage this “sort of behavior”…write on, girlfriend!
She was delightful.
Fun post. I love the world through the eyes of children.
Me too. Been doing a lot of that this week.
How nice is that beautiful validation? Nice I’m sure. This little girl is a treat!
Wow, I wish I had Emma’s determination and talent at that age. I bet you can hardly wait to read her first novel.
A note from a certain writer that I admire named Andra Watkins – and a Valentine’s card from my granddaughter.
Writers at age 10 ate writers for life (even when life sometimes says otherwise).
ARE writers for life. ; )
Wowsers. Aren’t children amazing? So resilient and so full of potential. I’m catching up today – sorry for the silence. I’ve read “Not Without my Father” – an absolutely fantastic read, Andra. I couldn’t put it down – you have become one of the hallowed authors whose book pages are bent from being taken into the bathtub with me
wow, how wonderful and what a compliment to you. )
Emma is so blessed to know you, Andra. How wonderful that you encouraged her. Love her card!!!
What a delightful interview! How fun for you both.
In answer to your question… The best piece of mail I’ve gotten lately is a thank you note from my 15 y.o. niece who knows that I have a blog. She’s a good artist so at the end of her hand-written note she drew me a picture of a mushroom with spots on it.
Why, you ask? Because she could not draw a bean, she decided to draw a mushroom. Then because she thought the name of my blog is the speckled bean, she put spots on the mushroom.
In its own wacky way, this makes perfect sense. And I love it.
Being a writer…touching lives, sometimes millions at a time, but more often, one at a time. Isn’t “one at a time” better than none ever? Once again, I’ll remind you of Mark Christopher.
This is so priceless, Andra. I love it how you inspire the old and the young to write. 🙂
This is heartwarming and wonderful! I love it!
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