My eight-year-old daughter loves to read, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. The fact that she’ll read a wide variety of books–from science fiction to classics–is even better. She also enjoys it when my husband and I read to her. Currently, she and I are reading the second Harry Potter book together, while she and her daddy are reading “Redwall” by Brian Jacques.
Not only does she enjoy reading, but she loves to write stories of her own, too.
As I watch her choose different books, I wonder which stories will stick with her for the rest of her life, and possibly even inspire future stories of her own.
My Own Inspirations
While I was not necessarily such a prolific reader when I was that age (my mom would attest to the fact that I often shied away from authors that were new to me and tended to stick to books written by Beverly Cleary and later The Three Investigators series by M. V. Carey.
As I got older, my mom introduced me to Janette Oke, and I quickly became a fan of the romance genre. We frequented the library, and I read everything I could get by Janette. However, I quickly discovered that finding clean romance books with a decent story was not all that easy to come by.
From Science Fiction to Romance
As a teenager, I was writing science fiction, determined to finish the first book in a trilogy while secretly hoping to write an episode for the latest Star Trek series. Writing romance had never even dawned on me as a possibility. But when I got tired of trying to find clean romance, much less inspirational romance, books to read, it became clear we needed more authors to write them.
It was only then that I began to consider becoming one of those authors. Could I really write romance novels?
Making the Right Decision
It wasn’t easy to switch gears from science fiction to inspirational romance, and it took several years to finish my first romance novel. But once it was published, I never looked back. It’s funny because, when I first started writing romance, I wasn’t even married. I had no idea I’d later have a little girl who read everything she could get her hands on.
I can honestly say that I love writing books that I wouldn’t hesitate to hand over to my daughter to read in a few years.
Giveaway Question:
Is there a book you read as a child that inspired you? Or did you discover a love for reading later in life? Comment below, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a digital copy of any one of my books. The winner will be chosen randomly Monday, September 9th, and contacted by e-mail. I look forward to reading your responses!
My Last Inspy Romance Post
Writing inspirational romance has been an amazing experience that I don’t intend to ever walk away from. It hasn’t just been about writing and publishing books, it’s been about discovering an amazing community–one made up of readers and writers that encourage each other.
It’s been a blessing to be a part of Inspy Romance. Unfortunately, this will be my last post–at least for a while. I’ve written in the past about our son and his struggles with severe autism and epilepsy. I need to focus most of my energy on him and the rest of our family right now as we continue to pray that God will ease his seizures and the difficulties he’s facing.
It is my hope that I will be able to come back to Inspy Romance again one day. Meanwhile, I’d love to stay in touch with all of you. If you haven’t yet signed up for my newsletter, please consider doing so here.
God bless, my friends, and keep on reading!
Melanie D. Snitker is a USA Today Bestselling Author who writes inspirational and sweet romance novels. She and her husband live in the beautiful Texas Hill Country with their two children who keep their lives full of adventure. They share their home with two dogs, a guinea pig, two lizards, and four frogs. In her spare time, Melanie enjoys photography, reading, baking, computer games, and hanging out with family and friends.
For me the first book I got for my birthday around 6 or 7 had 3 fairy tales in it and it is when I fell in love with the Snow Queen. (its nothing like Frozen). The other 2 stories were ok but it was the Snow Queen I read over and over and I still have the book. Next was Enid Blyton and The Magic Faraway tree series. I so wanted to climb that tree and have the adventures. Her Mr Gilliano’s circus series also had an effect on me. Later it was the Narnia series.
Then for awhile I didn’t read and then a friend gave me Janette Oke’s When Calls The Heart book I was hooked. Got the whole series then the Love comes softly series and then I was totally hooked on reading again
Oh I love the Narnia series. My mom read it aloud to my brothers and I, and I have read it aloud to our kids.
Hi Melanie! As I child, I got hooked on reading with the Boxcar Children. Read the entire series in fifth grade. As a teen, weekly I visited our area’s Christian Bookstore and found Christian romances. My favorite was Christy by Catherine Marshal. I will miss your monthly blogs. May God grant you strength and guidance with your son. Blessings to you and your family.
Thank you, Renate. I had forgotten about the Boxcar Children. That’s a great series!
Your posts will be missed and I hope you come back as a guest to talk about new releases.
As for your question, I was an avid reader of Hardy Boys and Agatha Christie when I started choosing my own books.. later moved onto Christian romance by Robin Jones Gunn. Those three marked my teens even though I’ve read a variety of books later on. My mom usually had to tell me to stop reading to eat, sleep, study…
I appreciate that, Priscilla! I love that your mom always had to tell you to eat or sleep because you were too busy reading.
Hi Melanie, I will miss your posts and the thoughts you share in them. God’s blessings for strength and wisdom as you focus your attention on family.
I remember loving the Trixie Beldon books as a young girl, as well as the Mandie series, then as I got older anything by Janette Oke and then whatever decent (mostly) Christian fiction I could find.
My boys love to read too- the youngest is reading the Hobbit, the oldest is re-reading through S D Smith’s Green Ember books.
Blessings:)
Thank you! I will miss being part of the Inspy Romance family.
Oh, yes! I loved the Mandie books too. I still have some from when I was a kid and look forward to my daughter reading them.
I read Little Women, and Littke House on the prairie type books. My father got me a subscription of classic children’s books that came once a month. I eagerly read everything I could get my hands on. We didn’t have a library near by but had a book mobile occasionally. I discovered Oke when I was older and read everything I could find of hers. I too ran out of clean books to read. I was so excited when I found inspyromance authors.
God bless your son and daughter and give you and the doctors wisdom.
Thanks for your response, Diana. How neat that your dad got you a subscription of classic books when you were a kid!
I read a lot of The Baby-Sitters Club books when I was younger and picked up all kinds of random facts from them. So much so that eventually my mom would start saying, “Let me guess, the Baby-Sitters Club did that?” if I knew something she was surprised about. Thanks for being a part of this blog.
Haha! Love that!
I’ve loved books since I was very young and my mom read to me. The first book I remember loving was a storybook called I love my Grandma. I still have most of it memorized.
That’s so sweet, Lucy! I love that you still have most of it memorized.
I remember my mom reading to me as a young child. Then I passed the tradition on to my sons, as well as teaching them how to read. The book the inspired me to read was Beautiful Joe, about a dog.
I think being read to as a child, and reading to our own, is one of the best gifts.
I read some books that my mom got through a subscription service, but I wasn’t a prolific reader until I became an adult and wasn’t reading something for one of my classes. I loved romances because they had happy endings. Many years ago the majority of romances were sweet. Melanie, best wishes for your future and prayers for you and your son.
Thank you for the wishes and prayers. <3
Yes, I love that most romances guarantee a happy ending. That’s exactly what I need too.
Hello Melanie. I vividly remember a summer when one of my mother’s work friends gave her a box of Nancy Drew mysteries for me to read. I fell in love with those books imagining that I was Nancy. For that summer they carried me away. It was only at the end of the summer, that the friend wanted the books back and I was heart broken but I still hold those memories in a special place. Praying for you and your family at this difficult time and that your son can find health.
Thank your for the prayers! How wonderful to fall in love with a series of books after a friend loaned them to you. I bet it was hard to have to give them back.
Little House In The Big Woods inspired me to begin my love of stories. I also read to my children when they were young.
That’s wonderful!!
I don’t think a book inspired me so much as events and people did. My mom always took us to the library to get books and I loved it! My first grade teacher inspired me too because she would have the class stop what they were doing and have them listen to me read. She would try to get them to read with expression. One of my favorite series was the Little House on the Prairie . My fifth grade teacher always read to us after lunch recess and I still remember the titles of some of the books she read.
That’s wonderful you had so many people that inspired a love of reading!
I read avidly as a child! Thankfully my parents were readers and, though we didn’t have libraries nearby (too remote), they made sure I had access to books. Trixie Belden, the Borrowers, Heidi, and The Five Little Peppers were books I loved!
We’ll miss you, Melanie.
That’s great your parents made sure you had books to read even with no libraries around.
Thank you, I will miss being a part of Inspy Romance.
I loved to read, even when I was young. My favourite series were Little House on the Prairie, the Black Stallion series, and The Chronicles of Narnia. I read many, others too, but kept returning to those books.
The Narnia books are amazing and definitely a series to read many times over!
I’ve always loved to read! I started reading on my own before I ever started to school, and by the time I was 4 or 5 I had my own library card. One book that I remember was called The Year of Janie’s Diary. I read it two or three times when I was around 10 or so. When I was in school, I’d check out books from the school library, and Mom would take me to our public library. Later, I was going once a week and picking up a lot of books at a time! When I started driving, it was once a week (sometimes more!) to the library. When I started working, my extra money went toward purchasing my own books, and the library went to the wayside. Now, I still don’t go to the library much, unless it’s to my church library. I have so many books on my Kindle to read! I keep thinking I need to go again, it’s just not as convenient.
That’s awesome you’ve been reading so much since you were so young. <3
Melanie – you will be missed! My continued prayers for your family. My favorite books growing up were the Little House Series, anything by Beverly Cleary, and the Borrowers!
Thank you for your response and the continued prayers!
Some books that stand out in my memory are The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew and The Secret Garden. Mother took us on the bus to the next town with my brother in a baby buggy ( it was the late 50’s). We would load up on books from our quaint library. I was thrilled when I could get my own card. I usually checked out the limit. When I got married in 1969, i tried to get a library card every place we lived. We were only in Portsmouth, VA for three months for a duty station ( Navy school). I got my card and could walk to the library. I checked out all available books by Eugenia Price. My aunt introduced me to Catherine Marshall. When I had my kids, I bought a lot of Jeannette Oke and George MacDonald.
Thanks for your response, Paula, and sharing your childhood memories.
During the summer between 2nd and 3rd grade my 2nd grade teacher came to see me while I was in the hospital for surgery. She brought me a big Book of illustrated disney stories like Beer Rabbit, Snow White, Peter Pan etc. I loved it and have never quit reading.
What a sweet teacher!! Thanks for sharing!
I remember reading Janette Oke, Grace Livingston Hill, and Eugenia Price’s books from the church library. I’ve loved to read as long as I can remember.
I will miss you, but I certainly understand. I’m going through daughter issues that are greatly impacting my life. I hope things do improve for you and your family and we will see you here again in the future.
Thank you, Linda. I hope things improve for your daughter soon. Hugs!
I’m reading replies and will respond personally to each. I have no access to a computer today (unforeseen) so I apologize for not doing so earlier. But I am reading on my phone and appreciate each of you!
Melanie, I’m praying for your family and your beautiful son; so sorry to hear this is your last post…
I’ve discovered a love for reading later in life…with the books from Karen Kingsbury and Francine Rivers :)
Thank you for your prayers. Both of those are fantastic authors!
Melanie Hugs and Continued Prayers For You and Your Family I will miss reading your post on here I have enjoyed getting to know you on here and your wonderful post God Bless You and your Family My favorite books when I was young was Little House on The Prairie I have all the books in the series Thank you for being such an amazing Author and Friend too me!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Sarah. <3 I will miss posting here but hope to be back one day.
I loved biographies when I was in elementary school (weird, huh?). Now fiction is where my heart is!
That’s interesting that you started reading biographies! Thanks for sharing!
I am so sorry about your son. All of your family are in my prayers. In my early teens I enjoyed books by Grace Livingston Hill. I will miss your blogs, but family always has to come first.
Thank your for your response, prayers, and support!
I was a super prolific reader – I won the summer reading contest at our local library almost every summer. Beverly Cleary and Janette Oke were some of my favorites, too, along with Laura Ingalls Wilder, Tolkien, and Jane Austen, for starters.
That’s awesome that you won the summer reading program most years!!
I can’t say that a particular book inspired me as s. Hold, but I loved to read! If there wasn’t something to read at breakfast, I’d just read the cereal box. Now, I get to see that same trait in my oldest son. It’s so neat to watch. My other two also love to read, but not in the same way my oldest and I do.
I’m so sorry to read your son is going through a hard time with the seizures. I am sure your whole family will be blessed by you deciding to cut back on things so that you can focus more on them.
Thank you for your support! That’s great that your oldest loves to read as much as you do!
I have always loved books and reading, thanks to my mother instilling a love for books in me at a very young age! Some of my earliest memories are of her reading to me, and even though I’m an adult now she actually still reads to me occasionally! In my growing up years I had a hard time finding books I really loved, but when I did find a favorite I would read it over and over again, one of those series was the Heartland series by Lauren Brooke! 😊
I started reading very young. Now, both of my kids love reading and going to libraries and bookstores.
My cousin gave me her Misty of Chincoteague book, and it really helped lead to my reading passion.