There I was, a nine year old boy in the attic of a very old country house at the end of a dusty Kansas road. Well, it wasn’t actually the end of the road if you had the right kind of vehicle. The kind that could drive down the rocky incline, through the shallow creek, and up the other side where the dusty road continued.
But let’s get back to that boy in the attic.
That year was, I think, the third year my brother and I went to live with my mom and stepfather in Kansas for the summer. They had moved from my step-grandparents’ hotel, in old Kansas City, Missouri, to the middle of nowhere in rural Kansas.
They rented a very old house that, these days, might be called “off grid.” It wasn’t totally. Because it had a telephone, electric lights, and indoor plumbin’. But it certainly looked off grid. Even had an old worn out tire swing on a fibrous old rope hangin’ from an old limb in an old tree. Least that’s how it looked to me.
One of those hot Kansas summer days I went exploring up in the attic. I had seen the odd looking door up past the second floor and finally decided to sneak in and see what mysteries I could find.
As you might guess, everything in there was dusty. Some old chairs, a strange-looking lamp, and even a few toys. My nine year old mind imagined how the kids who played with those toys might’ve looked. And as I thought about that, I rummaged through a beat up old box and found a dusty, hardcover copy of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
I opened it up and started reading the first few pages. And I was hooked.
And I don’t know long I read, but I was deep into the story when I heard my mom call out my name. So, I took the book and went downstairs to find it was time for lunch. I showed her the book and she said she didn’t even know it was up there. Then, she told me to be sure and finish it. Because she figured I’d enjoy the adventures.
Yeah, to say the least.
Little did I know, at the time, how much that time in the attic would influence my life. I believe it jumpstarted my lifelong love for words and stories. After that I became an eager reader of writers such as Edgar Allen Poe, Walt Whitman, and Herman Melville. And poets such as Robert Frost, T.S. Eliot, and Rudyard Kipling.
Eventually my main focus was poetry and short stories. And I always carried my trusty Bic pen and spiral notebooks with me wherever I went.
All these years later, I’ve created a collection of rhyming books and short stories that I hope can help young kids find a love for reading and writing. And have a laughing good time as they read and listen. And speaking of that, be sure to listen to my FunderCast because many episodes feature readings of those poems, stories, and even some songs.
My guess is, if you (or your kids or grandkids) enjoy Dr. Seuss books, you (and they) will enjoy mine, too. But it’s only a guess unless you let me know like these parent and grandparents did:
- Please keep writing! Pajamas & music go together like no other ~Jennifer Warne
- Thank you for walking in the spirit. stay powerful! ~ David Hein
- I truly enjoy your writing. I’m looking forward to listening to the Podcast. ~ Andrea Struble
- My kids still get a smile when they hear your music for them. Thanks Tony! ~ Bob Enyart
- Very well done! So well that I’m going to share this with my kids. ~ Cristina Miller
Of course, I love feedback like that.
And if you ever buy a book from me and don’t feel that way, remember my money-back guarantee. I guarantee you won’t get your money back.
OK, thanks for riding along with me during my trip down memory lane (and in the attic). If there’s something special you’d like me to write about, that you think kids will enjoy, let me know. And I’ll see what I can do.
Sunday morning isn’t like the other mornings.
Maybe most will never know the reason why.
But I hope you find the fondest kind of memories
When another Sunday morning has gone by.
In the meantime, your email address is all it takes to get encouraging, regular issues (like what you just read) of my FunderFlash Journal. It comes directly to your inbox so you spend your valuable time reading instead of searching. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to 2 of my Christian books for kids and 2 songs, right away, that grownups AND kids can enjoy.
Stay tuned,
