I'm delighted to wish my first Main Character a very happy, if overlooked with all the hoopla of the week, birthday.
I had a parade to attend to, fireworks to watch, family to celebrate with.
I, like some of the characters in GLORY BE, kind of forgot all about Glory's birthday!
At one of the fantastic schools I visited this spring, a student asked when my birthday was. What an odd question, I thought. That's when I realized some kids assume I'm writing about myself and surely must share Glory's July 4th birthday.
A teacher at a different school remarked that she thought the way I'd made the connection between our country's freedom and the theme of Freedom Summer by giving Glory a July 4th birthday was well thought out. Maybe she even used the word Brilliant.
Thank you! Though I'm not sure I thought that out! It just happened.
But I'm glad it worked.
My birthday is also in summer, August 6. I've always loved summer. Always had swimming parties for my own birthday. So yes, some of that part of the story was Writing What You Know.
For some July related books and activities, check out Linda Anderson's blog HERE.
For previous July 4th posts, with pictures of the parade that inspired the July 4th Hanging Moss, Mississippi event,
click here.
And HERE.
I hope everybody had a great holiday week, stayed relatively cool, read tons of books.
What I'm reading now: THREE TIMES LUCKY. It's a new OKRA PICK book. Check out the rest of them at this link: http://www.authorsroundthesouth.com/okra
I'm also about to read CANADA by Richard Ford.
What did you do for July 4th? Anybody out there with a birthday on our country's birthday?
Read any good books lately?
Happy reading and happy celebrating.
Happy Birthday, Glory!!
ReplyDeleteFunny. Joyce and I have had an off & on again conversation about the importance of knowing your character's birthday. In Glory's case, it was most important!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Glory and hope the pool was finally open for your bday this year!
ReplyDeletep.s. You should meet Ruby Bridges ... you'd really like her.
ReplyDeleteSometimes our stories know themselves even better than we do! I love those unexpected connections that emerge from the subconscious.
ReplyDeleteAugusta,
ReplyDeleteI love that you celebrated Glory's birthday along with the nation's birthday.
Thanks for linking to my blogpost which mentions Glory Be. I appreciate that.
May your writing career be "glorious!"
Linda Andersen
Thanks, everybody, for all the birthday cheer.
ReplyDeleteCarol and Joyce, I'm intrigued with the idea of a character's birthday mattering. Of course, it did with Glory. But now you've set me thinking about my new character. Maybe it's his birthday and nobody knows. Hmmmmmm.