Tuesday, November 9, 2010

I Blame My Dad

It started with Jurassic Park.  I watched, heart pounding, as the Velociraptors chased the characters from scene to scene, mouths turned into ugly, hungry grimaces.

A few years later, we were back.  This time to watch Practical Magic.  The scenes flitted from curses of magic, to death and grief,  on to abuse, and murder, and back to magic again. Though romance weaved in and out of the story, the fantasy element twisted it into an atypical romance and brought the true theme back to the forefront: Sisters.  I watched, spellbound, as Sandra Bullock's character tried to save her sister.  After that, my interests changed dramatically.

I was addicted.  GodzillaThe MummyThe Lord of the Rings trilogy.  (After I read the books numerous times, of course.) I wouldn't, no couldn't, watch my mother's boring love stories anymore.  I preferred accompanying my dad to his action movies.

His influence also extended to books--he introduced me to John Grisham, Mary Higgins Clark, Michael Crichton, Terry Brooks, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Louis L'Amour.  My world was turned upside down.  Rather than play out my own boring life, I preferred to live vicariously through the characters in these books.  We were partners in crime--or at least in reading criminal novels.   He suggested all sorts of books, never shying away from those which had controversial themes (To Kill a Mockingbird, for instance) because he wanted me to think for myself.

A dangerous thing for a girl like me whose thoughts never seem to stop.

So, is it any wonder that I can't read/watch romantic themed movies and books?  With a mind as imaginative as mine, those are too slow and cumbersome for my tastes.  I crave the suspense of Let Me Call You Sweetheart, the injustices of A Time to Kill, and the post-apocalyptic themes of The Wishsong of Shannara.  These are fast-paced books that make me think--long after I finished reading.

Thus, under my father's tutelage, I developed an aversion to all things categorized under romantic.

Thanks, Dad.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

8 comments:

  1. I LOVE Michael Crichton, I've read most of the books I can get of his from the library. It's been awhile since I've read one of them, but every time I do I am amazed at how much he knows about each subject he writes about. And the Jurassic books are SO much better than the movies... those are probably the only books that can actually get my pulse racing. So well written.



    My dad had 5 girls, no boys. But when I was 12 I started watching the Utah Jazz with him and became a big fan. That was our thing together. And I still love the Jazz - actually watched the game tonight at the gym and had the hardest time not cheering out loud when we won. And I'm so grateful to my dad for teaching me all about sports. It makes my husband happy that I know what I'm talking about. :)

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  2. That's so funny because before I met my husband I was just really into indie films and he was into action. I scorned romance movies thinking they were super lame. Now, we both enjoy what each other watches, and we esp. like to watch romantic comedies together. (Strange compromise, huh?)

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  3. I freaked out during Jurassic Park. I was so scared. I'm not much for romantic crap either. ;)

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  4. Jurassic Park terrified me as a kid. =) I imagined dinosaurs raging into my room at night . . . it was pretty bad. The funny thing is, I hadn't even seen the movie! My imagination just took off on its own, after having seen the posters and ads for it.

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  5. I have the perfect book for you, though I'm only about 2/3 of the way in...Pride and Prejudice and Zombies! It seems that you want to want to read love stories but are bored by the lack of imagination and plot, so I think this might be the best of both worlds for you. So far, I am really enjoying it.

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  6. And I write romance every free hour of my day . . . Sigh.

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  7. Lord of the Rings totally rocks. It has all the elements of life and love. I am glad you wouldn't have it any other way.

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  8. Terry Brooks is great, love Tolkien. Am a huge fan of Stephen R. Donaldson, the whole Thomas Coveneant Series.

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