Some of my best friends are Characters
March is National Reading Group Month so I thought I'd celebrate by introducing you to some of my favorite people…of course they are characters, but in my mind they are as real as the lady living next door. I've known many of them for years and love them for just who they are. Sometimes when I visit them for a second or third time, they surprise me. They do something I hadn't noticed before, or perhaps I just didn't understand as well the first time around. Luckily 
my husband isn't the jealous type, because I've fallen in love with Atticus Finch at least a half-dozen times. And Rhett Butler, Yankee scoundrel that he is, takes my breath away.
When it comes to women you can love simply for being themselves, I can readily identify with Della Grinstead from Anne Tyler's Ladder of Years. Who of you can honestly say there weren't days when you felt like walking away and leaving it all behind. I say, good for you 
Della! And there's Teddi Overman in Beth Hoffman's Looking for Me. I've rescued many an old chest of drawers myself Teddi. And Scarlett, say what you will about her conniving and scheming ways, but she's a survivor–no whiny self pity from that woman. How could I possibly talk about the Women I admire without including Abigail Lannigan of The Twelfth Child and Olivia Westerly Doyle of Spare Change– those two are the sauce on your barbequed spare ribs for sure.
Who am I most like? Probably Olivia. Sometimes I think I know exactly what I want and then find out it's just the opposite that makes me happy. Is that not an Olivia Doyle thing? Oh and like Olivia, I'd defend my loved ones to the death. Maybe that's why she's on my best friends list.
And then there are kids… I've got one hands down favorite, plus several more. My number one favorite is and always
will be Ethan Allen. That kid stole my heart and he's special in more ways than I can count. My other favorites include Luke Chandler of John Grisham's Painted House and Mark Sway from The Client. I think if Mark Sway ever meets Ethan Allen, there could be a whole lot of mischief going on.
Now that I've introduced you to some of my favorites, how about sharing some of yours with me. Leave a comment giving the who and why of your favorite and you'll be entered in our National Reading Group Month Giveaway. At the end of the month the winner will be notified and will have their choice of any one of my books – in e-book format or in paper. What better way to celebrate National Reading Month than with a FREE BOOK.
If you'd like to visit the National Reading Group Month website Click Here
