Sometimes a book inspires me to action
Wisdom as prompted by Illustration Friday‘s weekly art challenge.
This challenge got me thinking about those books that I read
that inspired me to fill my fridge with enough produce to make a five-pound bowl of parsley salad. Or buy running shoes. Or a tent. Or art supplies. Or the sequel to the book. Or follow the author or illustrator on every social media platform (it’s not stalking if they put the icons on their website).
All in an effort to stay in the zone
of inspiration
and
discovery
(which a lot of times is pretty cool and rewarding)
but occasionally means
gaining the wisdom to know that I will never be a champion of parsley salad.
What are you reading? What book inspired you to take action?
Right now I’m reading Running Like a Girl, but Alexandra Heminsley. I have no plans to sign up for a marathon, but I may have researched running gear. Just a tad.
xo
Coleen Patrick 
I love your illustration Coleen! I know you are an outstanding photographer, but I didn’t know you are an artist.
I am reading Listen Slowly by Thanhha Lai, about a girl visiting the Vietnam and the homeland of her family. Ironically, I’m planning some trips, but not to Asia. 🙂
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I’ve definitely planned a trip or two after a book! Sounds fun. And thanks, Patricia. I’ve been posting some of my drawings here every now and then, but more so on Instagram and Tumblr. 🙂
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Cute illustration, Coleen! I am searching for inspiration too.
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Thankfully there’s so much to find, right? 🙂
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Before I even finished Holly Lisle’s Memory of Fire, I knew I’d buy the next two books in the series. And did, as soon as I finished. Usually I wait a while before picking up the next in a series. But this one’s that good.
Your fishing worm is cute. 🙂
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Thanks, Jennette. And good to know about the Memory of Fire series! 🙂
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I read a book over a decade ago about red meat and animal processing, and I haven’t eaten red meat since! Just got so turned off by it. I guess if I read the same about chickens, I’ll be a vegetarian. 🙂
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Health/food industry books usually have me making changes! 🙂
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I don’t know about taking action but I read a physics book recently that inspired me to take notes. 😉 Cute worm! Your parsley salad comment made me giggle!
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Yay for giggles. 😉 And am impressed with they physics book!
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Well, right now I’m reading Gone Girl — but I don’t plan to take action based on it! 😉 I read North and South by John Jakes and that inspired me to start writing full-length novels. Not necessarily historical fiction, but prior to that I wrote only short stories and novellas. Once I tried my hand at a novel, I loved it!
I love your illustration!
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Thanks, Kate! Reading Gone Girl got me to go see the movie, haha.
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I mostly read non-fiction and fiction for middle school kids. I just finished No Promises in the Wind by Irene Hunt about a boy who feels he must leave home to make a better life in 1932. He learns important lessons about life in his journey, and so did I. I switched to the American Crisis – about FDR and the Great Depression, it too, is interesting. Enjoy your weekend and week ahead.
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Thanks, Clay. I like non-fiction for life lessons/journeys too! The running book has got me thinking a lot about mental toughness.
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You are an amazing illustrator Coleen. Love your book worm. So cute! I am currently in-between books at the moment. Although I must say if the book is good, it can be the source of my inspiration. And then of course, there is you. 🙂
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Thanks for the smiles, Karen! 🙂
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I just love bookworms, too, Coleen 🙂 SO cute!
I have to say that, other than the Bible (obvious type of inspiration there), there are only three that pop to mind, though I’m SURE with all the books I’ve read, there have been more.
First: HARRIET THE SPY. I read this when I was in 6th grade and was immediately inspired to buy a notebook and be a “writer spy” lol It lasted a couple of days, I think 😉 But honestly, I recently reread it (last year) and, as an adult, didn’t like the book I loved as a child. I REALLY don’t like Harriet! She’s way too selfish and self-centered for me.
Second: I think I was maybe 20ish when I read a health book based on a Christian approach. I really don’t remember (and I just looked here and can’t find it, so can’t give you the title!) all that much about Christianity so much as the harms of things like sugar, smoking, alcohol and such. I just remember it making such an impression that for all of two weeks (?) I eliminated sugar, was eating well and actually felt great! Problem was it didn’t last. Had I kept that lifestyle I have a feeling my health and life would’ve been markedly different *sigh*
Third: The Harry Potter Series. After each new book was released, from Goblet on, I was always VERY inspired to WRITE! They still do that to me. Amazing writing and storytelling always does 🙂
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Thanks, Donna! I can see the Harriet the Spy action. I did that kind of stuff as a kid a lot. Especially if the book involved magic!
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Very clever Coleen, good to see the worm off the hook for once. I am a huge book worm and usually read several books at a time. I have just finished Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. Massive inspiration from her words. Gives me the permission to create without thinking about if it will make me any money. When I create the things that just come to me I usually do better than when I try to think about what might sell. Have a wonderful creative day.
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Great post, Coleen. Love the illustration. It’s no secret that I’ve always been a fan of Anne Rice and that she was my inspiration to become a writer. However, the first book I was ever given… (and incidentally I still have it) was Mathair’s copy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I fell in love with the fantastical realm of Narnia so much so that every closet/wardrobe/dresser drawer was my opportunity to run away to Narnia. hahaha
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Great illustration. In part inspired by your drawing, I have been adding (very crude in my case) illustrations to my journals. It seems to help cure the disease of serious-ness. Not only because my drawings are unintentionally funny, unintentionally, but also, I think drawing must activate some happy hormone or another.
I’m reading Jung! Well, trying to. Very slow going and very dated. Life might be too short. And “The Search for the Lost City of Z.” Interesting, but not mind blowing. BUT I just finished and loved Janna Levin’s “Black Hole Blues” which traces the dozens of people (hundreds in the end) who worked independently and together to develop technology allowing us to “hear” the sound of two black holes collapsing. I know it sounds boring, but it isn’t! Kind of gossipy actually.
Happy summer, and thanks for the invitation to talk about books. Back to the brain food.
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