My Connection to E.B. White

My second grade teacher once said she had nightmares about me. To think I could give a teacher nightmares at the young age of 8 shocked me quite a bit. She said something about my never ending, incessant daydreaming. Then one day, we were to present our book reports on a favorite story. I chose E.B White's Charlotte's Web and decided to adapt the story into a puppet show, with homemade puppets to boot. After my performance, and to the teacher's surprise, the class asked for an encore. That was the first inkling I would become a storyteller/writer someday.

Fast forward quite a few years later...I had just graduated from college and befriended (briefly dated) E.B. White's great (or great, great) nephew. One day, he presented me with an old book of E.B. White's letters. I knew it was a special book and held on to it for the past 12 years for two reason....inspiration, and on the off chance I should run into my friend again. Well, it just so happens we ran into each other...on Face Book. It was an interesting day, to say the least. I had just received interest in one of MY books from an amazing agent in NY (fingers crossed, faith in check), then just moments later received an inquiry from my old friend asking if I still had that E.B. White book. The timing was inspiring. And I knew it was only right for me to let go of this precious book, and give it back to my friend. I am gently sending the book along its way this week. It will be sad to let the book go, as I have a special connection with E.B. White. I can't say exactly what it is...maybe it's that he gave me courage to create stories, even when I was a teacher's worst nightmare. And I kind of hope there's a spiritual writer's torch that is being handed down to me...saying, "go forward...do your best...give them your all." I'll tell myself that and keep writing my best. Thank you, E.B.

~Mary