Writers Read: Julia London

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Julia London

Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today best selling author of more than a twenty romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular Desperate Debutante and Scandalous historical romance series, as well as several contemporary romances, including American Diva, the very popular tie-in novel to the daytime drama, Guiding Light: Jonathan’s Story, and Summer of Two Wishes.

She is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a four-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction.

London's latest novel is One Season of Sunshine.

Last week I asked her what she was reading. Her reply:

I just finished reading Shirley Jackson’s Life Among the Savages. You may remember Shirley Jackson’s "The Lottery," the short story that was required reading in most public schools, or at least it was when I was a kid. I had never read any of her work other than "The Lottery" and was amazed to find such a delightfully amusing book. It’s a memoir about her life with her children and her husband. It was written in 1948 and has the Ozzie and Harriet appeal.

This book was my bookclub’s pick for May, in honor of Mother’s Day, and I could not have been more pleased with it. It reminded me of my own childhood, in the days before video games and cell phones. We had television, of course, but it didn’t monopolize us. We played outside. We ate food fresh from the garden. We invented wild games and stories, and we were loved. There is nothing remarkable in this book, no platform, no agenda. It’s just a feel good book about family.

Shirley Jackson wrote several books in the vein of "The Lottery," but wrote two non-fiction books, including this one, as well as Raising Demons. It is fascinating to imagine this woman, who clearly had a grand sense of humor, writing something like "The Lottery." I can imagine her writing the horrible stoning scene, then tromping downstairs to make supper for her children and listen to the events of their day, and converse with her daughter’s imaginary friends. It’s a wonderful book for anyone who has ever had young children in the house.