Let’s be clear. I’m a romance reader first and a romance writer second. And there is nothing I like more than talking about romance novels I love.
I think you know about my mail-order Romance of the Month Club from my local indie bookstore, WORD — It’s a super fun book of the month club where every month I choose six of my favorite romances in paranormal, historical and contemporary genres. The books range from brand new releases to classics from the past. Members choose a book from the batch and it’s mailed to them, then followed by a live chat where we talk about the books and why they are awesome. Join us!
This month, to honor Girls Who Wear Glasses, I’ve chosen six books with bespectacled heroines…including The Fireman Who Loved Me–the debut contemporary from Jennifer Bernard. I loved the book–it’s fun and sexy and did I mention it’s about a firehouseful of sexy bachelors? Well, it is. And the heroine is a smart, sexy, bespectacled beauty. You should read it. And when you’re done, read the most recent book in the series…Sex and the Single Fireman.
Anyway…I asked Jennifer to join us for GWWG month to talk about her favorite lady in lenses…and she made me so happy with her choice!
**
At the age of nine, I put on my first pair of glasses and discovered that my mother’s shirt had flowers on it. I could see! That was good. But shortly thereafter I realized I’d acquired a new identity. Overnight, I’d become a Girl Who Wears Glasses. And that was bad, because in those days glasses weren’t cute or retro or designer or quirky or hipster. They weren’t sexy.
My glasses were horrid gray cat’s eye frames. Any slim hope I’d had of becoming the glamorous, adored queen of my school was officially DOA. My social life was doomed before it ever got started.
Thank goodness for that Girl-in-Glasses guru: Harriet the Spy. Harriet wore black frames without lenses – she didn’t even need them! She wore them because she chose to. When she wanted to be invisible to others, she put on her glasses. They were a tool, her way to declare herself someone who looks, not someone who wants to be looked at.
I didn’t particularly want to be a spy, but I did want to be a writer, and Harriet showed me the way. You watched people, wrote about them in your journal, then scrambled for a backup plan if their feelings got hurt. Excellent training for my future career, in which I accidentally named the ex-wife of my hero, Captain Brody, after my sister. (“But it’s such a pretty name! That’s the only reason I chose it!”)
The point is, being a writer means you’re in the business of seeing. Nowadays, when I want to be seen, I often put on my contacts. They’re a tool to keep me from being categorized according to the shape of my eyeballs, which just seems silly. Harriet had her tool, I have mine.
But whether I’m wearing my glasses or my contacts, I will be forever grateful to Harriet the Spy for helping me come to terms with being a Girl Who Wears Glasses – on my own terms.
**
Thank you so much for joining us today, Jennifer! I loved Harriet, too!
Your turn reader, what was your favorite book when you were a kid? Tell Jennifer and me in comments, and one lucky winner will not only receive her debut The Fireman Who Loved Me, but also a copy of Harriet the Spy! (US Only)
February 14th, 2013 at 9:36 am
Thank you so much for this post! I wish that I had a book like “Harriet the Spy” when I was a kid…it would have made getting glasses at the awkward age of 13 much easier on me. Some of my favorite books when I was a kid were Judy Blume books like “Blubber” (I was also chubby–great to go along with the new thick plastic glasses frames!)
February 14th, 2013 at 11:00 am
I loved the Nancy Drew books!
February 14th, 2013 at 11:10 am
LOVED “The Secret Garden”
February 14th, 2013 at 3:03 pm
Ramona Quimby Age 8- and then the rest of the Series- I didn’t realize it at the time, but I really identified with Ramona b/c I too was the pesky little sister! Now I’m getting ready to read them with the pesky little sisters in my life and to my son the big brother.
February 14th, 2013 at 3:09 pm
What a sweet story. Thanks for sharing,
February 14th, 2013 at 3:53 pm
I loved Dr. Seuss books and the Baby Sitters Club. When I got a little bit older I really got into RL Stine’s Fear Street series.
February 14th, 2013 at 4:02 pm
I’m loving all these memories of wonderful books from our childhoods! I too devoured Nancy Drew, loved Ramona. Judy Blume was like a goddess to me. How fun to reminisce like this! Did anyone else become obsessed with E. Nesbit’s books?
February 14th, 2013 at 4:03 pm
it was the little engine that could
February 14th, 2013 at 4:44 pm
Anne of Green Gables and all of the books in the series. I remember my sister and I spent 1 summer reading all the books. We could not put them down.
February 14th, 2013 at 6:36 pm
Ditto on Nancy Drew! (and the Girl With Glasses) I wore them my whole life. As a senior in high school I finally achieved my dream of contacts & it sure helped. Yep, back then glasses were not cool – but it sure was great to be able to see! :o)
February 14th, 2013 at 6:45 pm
I’ve worn glasses since second grade, and tried contacts briefly but my allergies made them too uncomfortable. I’m glad glasses are more “cool” now, but I don’t mind if they help me blend in with the crowd either. I also loved Harriet the Spy, wrote down notes in my little diary which was probably great practice for a budding writer.
I’ve read the first two books in the Firemen series, and they are awesome!!! Everyone go check them out! :-)
February 14th, 2013 at 10:27 pm
Amelia Bedelia! :-)
February 14th, 2013 at 11:44 pm
When I was really young I loved Dr. Seuss, especially Sam I Am. :D Later it was: Amelia Bedelia and all the Little House books.
February 14th, 2013 at 11:52 pm
Nancy Drew–I have some that go back to the thirties
February 15th, 2013 at 1:18 pm
I LOVED The Chronicles of Narnia!!! I was swept away to another land – I always wanted to find that wardrobe so I could escape there too!! I also enjoyed the Little House on the Prairie series and Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. :)
February 16th, 2013 at 10:35 am
i love charlotte’s web the most and narnia. Those stories inspires me to be myself and believe in my own dreams and hopes. Just so like the saying believe in yourself , everyone else is taken.
February 18th, 2013 at 11:12 pm
Harriet the Spy was definitely one of my favorite books as a kid, and it was also from her that I first learned how to gather details and observe things. But one of my favorite books as a child was Anne of Green Gables!
February 27th, 2013 at 2:56 pm
The first book I remember loving as a kid was the poky little puppy. I actually found a copy at a used book sale the other week and bought it to give to my sister when she has her baby. Thanks for the contest.