When we were looking for a new house, I always checked out the bookshelves. The house that we eventually bought had two books penned by me. It was a sign.
Every week the Sunday Star Times features a family and one of their rooms. I always look at the bookshelves. Not long ago, I spotted 'Kids Behaving Bravely' and 'Limelight' in one photo.
Recently, I was at a book launch and a friend introduced me to her companion.
'Have you met my friend, Tania Roxborogh?' she asked.
'No,' the companion replied shaking my hand. 'But I have read you.'
My husband, who works for Hewlett Packard, is also completing a degree part time in Community and Family Studies aka a Social Work degree. Yesterday, he went down to The Univeristy of Otago to do 'course confirmation' and had to have his papers signed off by the head of department, Dr Peter Walker.
Dr. Walker: is your wife Tania Roxborogh?
My husband: yes
Dr Walker's face lights up: I've read the first book and am half way through the second book and am loving it.
He then told the hubby he plans to hand the books onto a collegue of his who is a 'bit of a Scotophile'.
Today, I was having lunch during the school Sports Day and a member of staff (she's Scottish) said. 'Oh, I haven't told you. We went around to the in-laws over the summer and they had your book on their shelf. They showed it to me and raved. I hadn't told them I taught with you but I did then and they were very impressed.'
Sigh the small scrapes of validation the reading world throws at us taste like banquets
3 comments:
And last week...I had a teacher come and ask me if she can teach one of and could we buy one of Tania Roxborogh's books. Of course, I said yes - she's going to bring it in so I can read it. She never actually told me which one...I also told her I'd bring in my collection in case she wants to choose a different one.Karla
Ah - the rewards of all that hard work!
thanks guys. I remember thinking, back in my early years at university studying writers - well, you have to be mad to be one and I ain't mad.
Years later, one of my daughters who was then pre-teen accused me of being mad. I was shocked and then horrendously pleased. It meant one step closer to being a real writer.
Unfortunately, today, success is measured by books into film, sales like Harry Potter or Twighlight.
I get brought to earth weekly by kids and people who have never heard of me and are surprised by the fact.
Still, for me, as a mummy, cute to hear youngest who refuses to read the books, get excited about a possible storyline to put in the latest.
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