I admit I am not a writer, I am a reader. I am a most enthusiastic reader. I am amazed at people that can set pen to paper or finger to keyboard, and bring a BOOK to life.

I just don’t read a book, I enter by the front page and exit at the last. I live that book, good or bad, and experience everything the writer wants to share. A book is not only an experience, it’s also a lesson about something. I finish the book wiser with more depth then I began the book.

While it would be wonderful to be a real writer, I don’t despair about not being a writer as I’m the next best thing, a person that will read those written books. If no one reads a book does it even exist? Well, even an unread book is of value to the author. Any author will gladly claim that they grow and learn while writing a book.

I’m the person that is that ear I the forest when the tree falls. I want to hear the sound, after the writer has cut down the tree.

I have a good friend who checks in on me and understands how hard this virus and lockdown have been for myself. High risk people don’t even get the risk of wearing a mask and shopping or going out to eat. “If we eat outside we should be safe!” doesn’t apply to me. It’s not the risk of dying, which is quite real, it is the immense amount of resources and care I would require. I don’t want to use up so much equipment and a bed in the ICU, plus the attention of so many specialists, if I do acquire the virus. It’s not fair, as already I take up a lot of time and resources with my chronic illness. My friend knows a small check in is her way of saying “I’m glad you haven’t got IT, and I know it’s hard to be an serious lockdown.”

Now did I mention my friend is an author? One thing authors have in common is rejection. I will admit that Monica Dickens wrote her first book in 2 weeks and it’s never been out of print since, but her following books were subjected to editors giving advice or rejection.

There is also no editor in charge of all who will reject your work. You can send your work on to countless people that will also be glad to reject it or comment on how they think it should be improved. It’s rather like the Poodle in “Go Dog Go”. Her “Do you like my hat?” rejection is funny, but also you wonder why she just doesn’t smack the dog with her paw and say “Well I LIKE IT!”

No one can pay another person back for friendship, it’s priceless. But, one of my favorite things to do, is to make a junk journal book for a friend. I try to include bits and pieces of what I know about them, and also how I am inspired by their friendship.

This book ,for my author friend, is to inspire her to keep writing. I know she will keep writing, but it must hurt for a bit after a letter saying “There is a book in here somewhere.”

I imagine most authors need a day or two or a glass of wine or two, to gain back their inner need to WRITE, and get back at it. She’s more than proven to others that she is a great writer, with her own voice to share. One little sentence in a letter is not going to stop her.

I decided to send her a book full of quotes for writers. This is a very easy way to fill the pages of a junk book. You need a topic of theme, if you aren’t good at just doing page after page of collage type work. My theme was “Quotes for writers from writers.”

I haven’t done a book since the virus lockdown started. I’ve done a lot of cards to send to EVERYONE. I was truly happy to focus on doing a book, just doing something for myself to gift to a friend. It’s a truly personal book.

I’m happy to share some of the pages here. They aren’t perfect, Also why do I always glue in one page upside down? It happens. I just leave it. I call it my Australia page. But if you have a friend that doesn’t need any THING, but would enjoy a book to inspire them in whatever they do, give a junk book a try! Costs very little, and the time invested I find pure joy.