Full Circle

When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time in used bookstores. If you're reading this, I'm sure you had a similar experience. There was one in particular Twice-Loved Books that was close enough I could ride my bike too. It was a big old house that the owner had converted into a bookstore, every room filled almost to the brim with all manner of interesting treasures. Unsurprisingly, the fantasy, science fiction, and horror sections were all in the basement. I would come in on Saturday or Sunday morning, allowance in hand, and over the course of hours work my way from one side of the basement to the other like some genre trogolodyte. 

I'd usually only have enough money for two or three books, but I must have perused hundreds. Even at only a dollar or two a piece they seemed the most luxuries astounding of luxuries--something that would be mine and only mine, at least until I sold it back to Twice-Loved for a quarter or two in the hopes of earning enough to buy another.

Yeah, it was quite a racket, but I was hooked. Still am, in fact.

The reason I'm going on about this is that without Twice-Loved, and more importantly, without that basement full of genre fiction, I'd never have become the author (or the person) I am today. I grew up with Bradbury,Bradley, Norton, Burroughs, King, Howard, LeGuin, Tolkein, Macaffery, Lackey, Feist, and scores of others. Their worlds were mine to explore, to devour, to love.

The value of giving kids and young adults good genre fiction really can't be understated. As readers, and lovers, of genre I feel like it's our duty to be almost evangelical in the pursuit of new audiences, which is why I was so incredibly honored to be part of an anthology aimed at doing just that.

The Young Explorers Adventure Guide is just great, any way you slice it. 20 Stories from some of the best mid-grade genre fiction writers in the field, and also me (somehow). I'm not trying to get you to buy a copy, I'm just excited about the prospect of some kid spending his or her allowance on something I've written. Which is why I picked up a few dozen copies, then turned around and sold them to used bookstores in my area.

Self-serving, yes, a bit, but I make no excuses. My goal is to hook another generation and keep this crazy thing of ours going for years to come.