And a new spring of fascinations has exploded. I can't wait to share them with you!!! So I begin the list of the ages.....
1. Sherlock Holmes
Yes, I surprised myself with this one. For my freshman year, I flipped through 'The Book Tree' to find suitable books to read for my literature course. My eye caught the title 'The Hound of the Baskervilles,' and my interest was immediately and completely piqued. A devil hound? A brilliant detective? Usually not my type, but I was intrigued. I remembered a few years back when my family listened to the audio book 'His Last Bow'. I loved the humor and lovableness of Watson, and the dry but witty sarcasm and charm of Holmes. I was about 11 or 12 at that time, and didn't really appreciate Conan Doyle's genius.
I decided to take the risk and borrow the book from the library, not quite sure what to expect.
Picking up 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' was a totally new experience for me. I had never cared for mystery books. But a few pages in and I couldn't put it down. I read late into the night. The end was so brilliant, genius, and unexpected I was shocked, surprised, and pleased. (Rule of three, anyone?)
And so I launched into Sherlock Holmes fandom.
As of yet I have read The Sign of The Four, The Valley of Fear, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and A Study in Scarlet. Currently I'm reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Return of Sherlock Holmes. I go back and forth, eagerly drinking in Holmes' deduction habits and attempting to apply them. (Notice how I said 'attempting'...)
{I recommend the books, but be wary of The Valley of Fear, which was sprinkled with language. I was very disappointed with this discovery.}
NOW..... go immerse yourself in the world of Sherlock Holmes.
You know my methods, Watson.
2. One Year Adventure Novel
Sometime in the summer, while I prepared for high school, we received a box of curriculum cards in the mail. Each card had a picture and description of a curriculum for homeschoolers. My mother flipped through them and picked out the ones she was interested in. One of those cards had written across it: One Year Adventure Novel.
I read the card and I knew I wouldn't want any other English course. I would be taught how to write an adventure novel in one school year!
Three times a week, I would watch a video lesson, read my section in the Textbook, and take out the workbook to write my Adventure novel. I would learn character development, chapter structures, writing compelling material, creating a plot line, and so on.
I begged my mother to buy the course for me, and to my surprise, she did. I received the package in the mail late January (we forgot to buy it until then) and I began in February. Within a few days, I had finished 10 lessons. I was hooked.
Ever since I could remember, I had been writing my own 'books'. When I was 8, my mother taught me how to clean a bathroom. I thought (and still think) that it was tedious work. To pass the time, I made up my own little world in which the hero (me), learned how to be a maidservant in the castle of Castleblanca. (I had learned this name from a Cyberspace game I had played online). The hero and her friend Abigail received training on how to clean bathrooms. After an elaborate story line which included a contest to marry the prince, factions in the castle, and the evil witch who tried to kill the hero, I decided to put my story on paper. It never turned out.
For years now I have created story upon story upon story, but never getting past the second chapter. I wrote them in my mind and talked to myself while I cleaned bathrooms, folded towels, and washed dishes, but they never sounded right on paper. After starting the OYAN curriculum, I have never been the same. I can write with confidence and say....."Wow! I wrote this?!"
PLUS, there is an amazing community of teenage writers just like me on the online Forum. They are one of the funnest bunch I have ever some in contact with. Most of them are obsessed with Doctor Who, BBC Sherlock, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, superheros, writing, and reading. And while I have never seen Dr. Who or Sherlock in my life, the others are my fandoms. Everyone is so nice and they give amazing advice. We are all a big family; we even adopt each other. I have both a 'sister' and a 'brother'. As a newbie, you are assigned a 'Mentor' who will guide you through your beginning stages of the Forum. I love OYAN. It is very addicting.
www.oneyearnovel.com
(To Be Continued)
