[Note from Frolic:Â We are so excited to have author Ann Aguirre guest post on the site today. Take it away, Ann!]
As a kid, I loved to read. This trait isn’t unique among writers. In fact, it’s not a stretch to say it’s one of our universal characteristics. Most writers love to read, love living in other people’s worlds for a variety of reasons. Which gets me thinking about the books I loved growing up.Â
Back then I was always at the library, constantly searching for my next fictional adventure. Trixie Belden has a huge place in my heart. I was so invested in those books and I couldn’t read them fast enough. When I bought my first house, I proudly put all of those Trixie Belden books on my shelf, hoping that one day my kids would read them. (Sadly, a flood ruined all of my books so that never came to pass.) This is kind of a secret goal (or it was) but if I could be invited to reboot / update any series, I would LOVE to get my hands on this one as a writer. (If they want me to write as Kathryn Kenny, I will! That’s how much I love these characters.)
My most treasured discovery, however, came via A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. To this day, A Wrinkle in Time is one of my favorite books (along with its lovely sequels). I identified so strongly with the wallflower heroine, Meg Murry, with her wild hair, glasses, and braces. I shared her sense of not being like the other girls in my class and I adored my introduction to science fiction. (The reason I ended up writing science fiction was because I wanted more like this, more character driven and accessible to women.) But it took Ms. L’Engle a while to find a publisher, too and I took heart from her struggle. She inspired me to keep writing and keep believing in myself.
I’ve watched all adaptations of this book and I’ve been really vocal about my love for A Wrinkle in Time, so much that when the anniversary edition was released, the editor in charge sent me an email asking if I wanted a copy. (Of course I did!) I think every young girl should read this book because it teaches that every girl can be a heroine. Every girl can lead the team and save the ones she loves. Just thinking about this book and how much it means to me has me tearing up, even now.Â
If you haven’t seen the most recent film, ignore the critics. It’s a beautiful, breathtaking rendition, and it’s glorious to see Meg as a young Black girl. I loved everything about the movie and I hope you’ll check it out and maybe re-read the book too! What are your childhood faves?
About the Author:
Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author and RITA winner with a degree in English Literature. She writes all kinds of genre fiction for adults and teens, and has published forty-two novels and novellas with Penguin, Macmillan, Harlequin and others. Before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, and various pets. She likes books, emo music, and action movies.
Find Her Here:
The Third Mrs. Durst by Ann Aguirre, out today!
Some people just need killing.
Marlena Altizer Durst lives in her husband’s shadow. He controls her every move―what she wears, the food she eats, and the friends she’s allowed to make. If she disobeys, there are…consequences. And he has all the power.
To outsiders, it seems that she leads a fairy-tale life. But nobody ever wonders if Cinderella was happy after she married the prince. Marlena has traded freedom and safety for luxurious imprisonment, and most days, that seems like a bad bargain. Death may be the only exit she’s allowed. Just like his first wife. And his second. Unless she flips the script.
Some people just need killing.
