Thursday, October 18, 2012

Blog: Vicki Batman-Why Can't we Go on Forever?

Discovering Reading Magic


Many years ago, I'd browsed my local Half Price Books and picked up a book to read: Maeve Binchy's Light a Penny Candle.


I'd seen the movie, Circle of Friends, with Chris O'Donnell and Minnie Driver, and loved it. But HPB didn't have a copy of that one for sale. Instead, I picked up Light a Penny Candle, read the back cover blurb, and said, yeah, I could read this. The book was pretty hefty, too, but not intimidated. Since I'd devoured Gone With the Wind several times, I knew I could whiz through this one.

I went to a conference with Handsome and hadn't had much opportunity to read. When time to leave, we were standing outside of the resort's entryway, waiting for the airport shuttle. I had the tome cradled in my arm. A woman--obviously, a book lover--leaned over and said, "You'll love this book. It's a three hankie one."

Three hankie? Oh, dear. Was it too girly and weepy?

On the plane, I began the book and quickly, became engrossed. I found it to be thoroughly engaging. I totally immersed myself in the characters' lives, and when over, did need a tissue. That's rare.

Ms. Binchy passed away recently at age 72. Most of her books are mainly based on small towns in Ireland and London. She wrote sixteen novels and short stories. Light a Penny Candle was published in 1982 and became a bestseller. A Week in Winter will be published this year. From Mail Online, I found she sold 40 million books and loved champagne. (Me, too!)

Goodbye, Ms. Binchy. And thanks for a lot of great reads.
Maeve Binchy


Have you read an author who passed and really miss reading their work? Who would it be?



Vicki Batman is cradling a newly popped diet Coke and studying her latest work in progress, a holiday story, with no title. Find her at: http://plottingprincesses.blogspot.com or at: http://vickibatman.blogspot.com . Coming Dec 5 from MuseItUp Publishing  is "Twinkle Lights." http://museituppublishing.com

5 comments:

Janie Emaus said...

I loved her, too. And didn't know she had written so many books!

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Janie! Yep, she had written a lot. And like many authors whose work we read, some we like better than others. But overall, we have a good feeling. Thank you for visiting HBW today.

Pat Marinelli said...

The late Stephen J. Cannell. I miss his Det. Scully series.

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Pat. And who could forget Rockford Files?

Pat Marinelli said...

Right Vicki. He had many, many TV series. My favorite was Wiseguy. OMG and the A-Team. My kids loved that.

I met him twice. The first time he told me not to let my dyslexia stop me from writing. At the time I didn't realize he was dyslexic. The second time my sister took me to a local book signing. I didn't know he was going to be there. My sister told him he was my birthday present. After I turned 50 shades of red, he laughed and insisted we take pictures. He's the only author--after 19 years of writer conferences--that I have. Now that he's gone, I'm so glad I have the pictures.