Until I began sharing my childhood stories of mermaids, fairies, and gum trees in this Then vs. Now blog, I thought Elle's Magical Shoes began my whole author experience. I see now that my life has been my writing journey. Everything I created as a child, the times my mind wandered, or the jokes I made to co-workers about visiting fictional places, I was preparing the stories that are now bursting to get onto paper. Then In sixth grade I wrote a story about a fairy named Isis who was tinier than your thumb. Since Isis was smaller than all the other fairies, they made fun of her. The rules were that she had to help a human to grow as big as the other fairies. It goes on to tell of her adventures in New York City and where she eventually rescues a boy on an island. He ends up being the prince of the fairies. They fall in love, get married, and live happily ever after. I was eleven when I wrote this. I typed the story on my mom's old black typewriter. My best friend, Vicki, illustrated it, and my other friend Laura colored the illustrations. Our book was put in the school library and comment cards were provided at the back of the book for readers to review our work. I forgot about this and how proud it made me feel until I was putting together this blog and a reel for Instagram. Now
Several years ago I wrote about a fairy named Florena, but she's sassy. No one would make fun of her. She does end up helping a human, but the plot is quite different from my childhood one. Even at that, I find some of the same elements in my two stories. When I was creating Elle's Magical Shoes I didn't even recall my silly little book, but yet my imagination held on to some of the same whimsical ideas. I guess in some ways I will never get old.
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What kind of music do you enjoy? Anything from your teens? Then I liked mostly the pop and rock music of the 80s when I was a teen. The photos below are a compilation of artists I listened to and remembered playing on the radio. I wasn’t allowed to listen to any music but my parents’ 1950s and elevator style tunes. That meant I definitely couldn’t dress like an 80s pop star, but I put together some clothes to try and imitate Pat Benatar. My friend took the photo and I made sure my mom didn’t see it after picking up the pictures at the store. Film was developed, not digital back then. I was a lot like Lane on Gilmore Girls when it came to music. Now
I like all kinds of music: classical, oldies from most eras, and most current pop, rock, and country. As a teen, I was pickier and hated country. It wasn't until the 90s that I began liking Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, and Faith Hill. I think before then my exposure to that genre was my dad's twangy oldies, which I'm still not a fan of today. The photos best explain my Then vs. Now in music. I continue to listen to and like my teenage music, but I've found some new artists in different genres I really enjoy. |
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Carla Reighard Archives
December 2023
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