Last week, I visited my friend Margaret. Margaret lives in an assisted living care facility. She is 88 and a dear. We talk books, theology, music, history, news, as well as life in general. It’s always a good day when I go see Margaret.
When I arrived last Wednesday, she announced she was reading Giant Pumpkin Suite. I was touched. One of the most unexpected things about the last six weeks of being A Real Live Published Author is the number of adults reading my book. I’m always surprised, though it’s certainly a wonderful thing. Margaret said she was enjoying it and that her neighbor had already finished it.
“She’d love to meet you. Before you leave, let’s go down and knock on her door. She reads all the time.”
I was intrigued—two older women reading a book that’s being marketed for ages 9–12.… (And one doesn’t even know me!) What a hoot! And Dolcie was—a hoot, that is. Lovely, gracious, mince-no-words kind of woman. She was as excited to meet me as Margaret said she would be, and she said wonderfully kind things about the book. I mentioned that I was doubly honored she’d enjoyed it as it was a book written for kids.
“For kids?!” said Dolcie, clearly taken aback. “I don’t think so!”
“Well, yes,” I said. “They’re marketing it as a book for 9–12 year olds.”
“You’re kidding!”
“Um…no. A precocious reader could read it earlier than nine…and I know some young teenagers who’ve enjoyed it, but.…”
“That’s ridiculous,” Dolcie declared. “I mean, it’s fine if children want to read it, of course, but I just can’t think it should be limited to them. I’m 97 years old and I quite enjoyed it.”
So, there you have it—Giant Pumpkin Suite, ages 9–97, give or take a few years!
These two!!!
