Avoiding Reality

I have bills to pay, dinner to figure out, a three year old in need of a bath today and what I am I doing? Idly flipping through my recommendations on Amazon looking for more books to read. I just got a Kindle in May and it has only about six books on it. Definitely not enough. It's way too easy to spend money on that toy, though it doesn't take over my house the way the paper books do . . . Anyway, isn't writing and reading just another way to avoid reality?

I have a niece who reads probably about as much, if not more, that I did at her age. We talk books all the time. I've gotten her hooked on a few writers--that's a rather fun feeling, I admit. However, I remember one conversation we had. Like most teenagers she wishes at times that she was anywhere but where she is. Remember that time? I do. It's when I spent most of my time in other worlds--ones I created or the worlds of the writers I loved. I remember back then thinking about how cool would it be to be able to visit Pern, meet the Herald Mages, or see the Orb of Aldur.

Years later, I realize there's really no way I want to live in the world of the books I love. Think about it. Life stinks in those books! Something's always going wrong. Sure, the dragons of Pern are cool, but who wants to deal with the threat of Thread every how many days--a living organism that spins out from the rogue red star and devours all carbon based life forms in its path? The Hunger Games--awesome book, miserable post-apocalyptic world. Most fantasy novels have some sort of all-powerful baddy stalking through the world. Or some schmoe is looking for the all powerful doodad to make himself the all-powerful baddy.

Is there a book world you'd really like to live in? When I was younger I thought it would be wonderful. Now, I rather like my boring little reality. After all, it's so much more fun to be on the outside of the story messing up the lives of my characters!