One of my very first and fondest memories of my introduction to the wonder of books is of curling up in an armchair on my father’s lap while he read me Pat the Bunny. (Point of clarification: For my entire childhood and a good part of my adulthood, I thought “Pat” referred to the bunny’s NAME.) 
I discovered the library in early elementary school and read every book, fiction and nonfiction, that had to do with anything horse related. I poured over the Scholastic magazines they passed out at school to choose which one book my mom would let me buy. In late elementary school I received the entire boxed set of the Chronicles of Narnia one Christmas. I promptly turned to the window the same armchair I’d once curled in with my dad and didn’t come up for breath until I’d read the whole seven books cover to cover. I was exposed to a good, wide understanding of story genres by borrowing my father’s Reader’s Digest Condensed Books from his bathroom. I read anything with words, from the back of cereal boxes to seven-hundred-page fictional tomes in a wide variety of genres, from history to fantasy. I was the kid in the corner with my nose in a book, extremely shy and introverted, as I am to this day.
And then, on a circular wire rack in a five-and-dime in John Day, Oregon on a family reunion, I discovered romance novels. Harlequin Historicals, which back in the day were sweet stories that swept me away into faraway lands. And I fell in love with love. I carefully followed Janette Oke’s career as she broke ground for inspy romance, and jumped into the writing fray when Multnomah started their Palisades inspy romance line and they bought my first novel, Beloved in 1998.
I think I always knew my path, and I’m so grateful inspy romance, this blog, and every reader, are here today.
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~~Love Courageously~~ Publisher's Weekly Bestselling, award-winning author of 30 novels, Deb Kastner enjoys writing contemporary inspirational western stories set in small communities. She feels especially blessed to be able to include faith as a natural and genuine part of her characters' lives. Deb lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and a pack of miscreant mutts. She is blessed with three adult daughters and two grandchildren. Her favorite hobby is spoiling her grandchildren, but she also enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music (The Texas Tenors are her fav), singing in the church choir, and exploring the Rocky Mountains on horseback.
Hi Deb Until you just said Pat the Bunny is not its name I would have thought it was Pat (name) the bunny. I hadn’t read it or hear of it but its like Spot the dog (his name is Spot)
I fell back in love due to Janette Oke here When Calls the Heart series was the books that changed things. As a child I read a lot but then around 18 I stopped reading for several years.
I Hadn’t seen your first book but do remember the Palisades line. I have a couple that are now in the Church Library and I think a couple went to the town library. I discovered the Heartsong presents books and Promises Promises (I think that was the line) they were like the Heartsong presents but not for very long.
Thanks for sharing your story to published author. It is also good to see you back. I hope you and the family are doing better health wise now.
Oh, I have you beat by a bit! lol!! I started reading books I picked out at the library by age 4, and had my own library card at about 4! I’ve been reading since!! I started reading Harlequins before I was a teenager, if I remember correctly, as my oldest sister would check them out at the library, and I’d read what she checked out, then started checking them out, too. Jane Peart was one of the first CF authors I read, along with Jeannette Oke. Zondervan came out with their own line of books that were the size and length of the Harlequins, which I stopped reading in the ’80’s because that’s when most of them got into the trashy stuff. I would still read Betty Neels because her books were still clean. I still love her books!
I can really relate to loving reading from childhood like that, it was the same for me.
I have never read any Jeanette Oke but I’ve heard people talk about them a lot here. I love Betty Neels though!
Thanks for the well wishes, Jenny. My health has been up and down, mostly down, for several months, and writing has been next to impossible. I’m anxious to get back in the saddle.
I don’t remember the Zondervan line, but I do remember the 80’s, when all of the sudden romance novels changed. I love Betty Neels!
Janette Oke did romance authors a huge service. Before her, there was slim to none in the way of pickings for fiction readers. She let publishers know readers wanted romance!!
I remember the Scholastic books, but rather for my kids. Although, I loved looking at their order form. And, I too, love Janette Oke. Another good one is Beverly Lewis who introduced me to the Amish romance.
Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
fun post
Ha! I read Betty Neels, as well. She was an author you could depend on to be sweet and clean. I was so delighted when I discovered Christian romance!! My first ones were historical, Lori Wick and Janette Oke, then I found CCR, and Dee Henderson’s CRS.
I so appreciate all you wonderful authors who have brought us to where we are today.