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Prefer Fiction Over Life
 By HelenKay Dimon This week has been tough. I love living in San Diego, but thanks to the fires raging through my area, the last few days have been a strange mix of elation (for being safe), frustration (at being unable to “fix” the problem) and sad (at viewing the loss). Fires, fear, smoke - you name it, we’ve experienced it. The area is a mess. I was one of the lucky ones. Many people were not. As I watched the news - and that’s about all I did for the last five days - and read email loops, I witnessed account after account of people losing everything. So many folks had only minutes to pack and get out. It got me thinking: what would I take? My basic view is that things are replaceable. You get people and animals out…and run! But if I had a few minutes, what would I grab on the way out of the door in addition to live beings, food and water? Important papers, my wedding album, a few photos, my favorite lounging blanket and a book or two. The first is practical, the middle are sentimental and the last would be for comfort. I’m not sure which books I’d take. Frankly, I probably would not have the time to go through them all. I’d grab and leave. But, if you had a few minutes, would you grab any books? If so, which ones and why? I’ll pick a person at random from those commenting to win a $15.00 Amazon gift certificate. That way you can buy something you want…maybe an extra copy of a favorite book for your emergency kit :) UPDATE: And the winner is…Michele L. Congrats!!!! Email me so I can get that gift certificate out to you. 59 Responses to “Prefer Fiction Over Life” |
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October 26th, 2007 at 8:53 am
I am glad you are in a “safe area” away from the fires. There is no way I could take any of my fav books too many, lol. I would probably grab the laptop which has ebooks on it though.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:20 am
Oh boy, this is tough. . . I forget what I’ve put down other times people have asked this, but I guess now I would take my Jane Austens, the one copy of Phantom of the Opera I really like over the others, Susan Kay’s Phantom. . . then try to grab as many romances as possible off the one shelf I’m looking at right now. . . I keep all my books except the ones I just really didn’t like, but this shelf has the ones I reread a plenty. Some that I can see from here are the Amanda Quick’s, Jillian Hunter’s. . . and many others are blocked from view. LOL :)
Lois
October 26th, 2007 at 9:47 am
Oh my god what a hard question! I’ve talked about this many times before and i still haven’t got an answer.
At the moment though i’m in uni, so i have little in the way of books to save. but if there was a fire i would save my laptop (all my stories!) and then mum’s books because if i didnt she would KILL me, some of the ones i’m borrowing are signed! (some of the ones on my shelf are ones to me and signed too ;-) )
If i was at home…hmm… at last count we had over 550 books, (no joke) sooo… i dunno, with my mums help we could throw most of them out the window pretty quick! And if we couldn’t mum has them all written down and indexed so she would save that.
if i HAD had to choose… from the top shelf (have to grab those first so you don’t die of smoke inhilation) susan grants otherworldly men series… then probably the Magics series by medceedes lackey, and the Arrows. umm all of sherrilyn kenyons, and if i couldnt, just dance with the devil. by now smoke would be obscuring all the romance novels at the top and fire would probably be running up my leg, but if mum was still helping i would grab the ship who searched by anne mccaffery and her dragon song/singer books. then all the signed ones mum has (she would probably have grabbed them already) and then anything else i can get my hands on before the house gets too bad.
i said i had thought about it a lot, i’m paranoid!
October 26th, 2007 at 9:49 am
eeep, sorry for the length of that! it did have breaks but they’ve been swallowed up.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:34 am
Ideally, my entire library would be magically transported to the safety of my second home, my sprawling mansion in… Oh, right. Reality check. I have to grab the laptop because, among other things, it contains The List—all the books on my shelves as well as ones I’ve read and didn’t keep, which I would need in order to replace the ones lost (and not re-buy the stinkers). The three I would grab because they would be difficult or impossible to replace would be the book of fairy tales my mom read to me from every night (awwwwww), my decades-old copy of Johanna Lindsey’s Tender Rebel (pre-Fabio, -flower, and -castle covers… I actually have rescued this book before!), and Tender Torment (gak! these 80’s titles!) by Joyce Myrus, which is so out of print, I think I’m the only person who ever read it. And maybe I’d scoop the TBR pile into a wheelbarrow or something if I had enough time. For them to be destroyed before they’ve been read even once would bother me a lot more than losing a lot of the other “stuff” in the house.
October 26th, 2007 at 11:39 am
Definitely all the classics since I love them. Mostly juicy family sagas that I cannot live without too.
October 26th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Actually, I have quite a few signed books that I’d make sure I took with me!
October 26th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
I would be able to replace most of the books that I happen to love. The only one that I have not been able to find when I have been searching is a particular translation of The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas. I loved this book so much that it went with me when I first began my travels in places where English books would not likely be found.
Am glad that you are safe. It is hard to see so much destruction and loss.
October 26th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
I would grab my dictionary and some short story anthologies.
October 26th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
All of my Western and historicals. Just cannot live without those. My faves.
October 26th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Hi HelenKay,
strange that you asking this question today, because I had similar discussion with my parents today. In my hometown where several hundred people evacuated because a bomb from World War II was discovered and they only were able to take the most necessary stuff with them. I really wouldn’t know what I would take with me, but definitely my laptop, so that my ebooks would be safe.
October 26th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
all my harlequin blaze books i have.
October 26th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
I would grab my signed books . And some of my favorite book . I have too many favorite book to take all of them.
October 26th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
I would take a few old, precious books. Precious to me since they are meaningful and represent something unique when I read them.
October 26th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
I am happy to hear that you are safe and well. My prayers go out to your neighbors who have been tragically affected by the wildfires. As for what I would take with me, as much as I love my keeper shelf, I would have to grab some off of my TBR pile. That way, I would be taken to a world that everything is new and hopeful. Of course, they would all have to be romance, I would need the happily ever after.
October 26th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
It is great to hear that you are safe. Seeing people on TV who have lost everything is hard and does make me think about what I would do. I don’t know what books I would take since I have so many that I like but I think I would take Mrs Drew Plays Her Hand by Carla Kelly. I read it periodically since it’s about a woman who keeps reminding herself that she has to play the hand she’s been dealt in life.
October 26th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
HelenKay, I am glad that you and your husband are safe. Geez, I must be the only person who can name three books in less than 30 seconds. Yes, I am a sick and depraved woman. Just ask my kids.
Judith of France and A Journey for a Princess by Margaret Leighton and my first edition of Mists of Avalon by MZB.
October 26th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
I’d grab the book I was reading and any more at hand, my flash drive with all my ebooks on it, that I could plug into any computer and read. Then I’d make sure I had my purse so I would have my credit card to buy more books. I’m lost with out a book in my hand.
October 26th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Well if I was upstairs I’d grab the boxes with the special first editions and signed copies of books.
Then I’d run downstairs and help Ayla chuck all 550 of my keeper shelf ones outside (away from the hoses of the (hopefully) hunky fireman :D) but if I had to choose then Anne McCaffrey’s Tower & Hive series, Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar and Deeds
Of Paksenarrion by Elisabeth Moon.
Oh and I’d try and save my dictionaries as I love reading them too :D
October 26th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Yeah, after getting my kids out, I’d take as many of my autographed books as I could grab. Glad you’re all right HelenKay.
October 26th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Glad to hear you braved the fires. The books I would grab are my collection of autographed copies I have.
October 26th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Although I am an avid reader, I think the first things I would take would be family pictures. Then I would take some of my TBR pile.
October 26th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
The only books I’d grab are the ones that are out of print and/or hard to find. Like the research book I just bought from overseas that I’d literally tried to get my hands on for years. The rest could easily be replaced.
Glad you’re safe HelenKay!
October 26th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
I’m glad you’re safe! :) I honestly don’t know which book I’d take with me, I have so many that I love. I do know that I would definitely take the important papers first thing and I really hope I never have to have to go through that.
October 26th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
I have waaay too many books to take my favorites. I would probably grab my signed ones if I had time.
So glad your are in a ’safe’ area.
October 26th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
Glad to hear you’re safe!
I would grab my laptop and a few of my favorite books.
October 26th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Glad to hear that you are safe. It’s ironic that you would bring this up since I was thinking about this same thing today. I probably would not take any books with me since most of them would be easily replaced. There are too many sentimental things that cannot be replaced that I would need to take with me.
October 26th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
I have too many favorites on my keeper shelf, so I would have to be satisfied with my lap top and Ebookwise Reader, figuring the paperback copies could eventually be replaced.
October 26th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Glad you are okay! My heart goes out to those who suffered losses. I would only pack the out of print and autographed books on my keeper shelf if I had the time. The rest I figure I could replace eventually.
October 26th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
I’m glad you are okay. I’m hoping and praying that the progress that the fire fighters are making, continues.
If I was one that had to evacute once my family, pets and pictures the books I would grab first are my signed ones. If I still have a little time I would try to grab a few of my tbrs to have to read while I’m evacuated (and hopefully we can grab the kids gameboys to keep them occupied too.)
October 26th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
Glad to hear you are safe! I would try to take some of the signed ones by my favorite authors. But I would want to make sure I had gotten pictures, important papers etc. first.
October 26th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
ty for picking me Helen.
October 26th, 2007 at 6:08 pm
emial sent
October 26th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
I’d grab the books on top of my TBR pile as much as could handle. And my laptop and camera.
October 26th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
I would grab the books from long ago that I got as presents for birthdays and all the
signed ones from authors that I could.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
Since I have 7 cats I’m sure it would take all my alloted time to get them herded up!!!And I wouldn’t leave without them. I did see on the news that there is a group risking the fires to go and rescue pets that were left behind.
Hopefully I could grab my purse too (it’s a large purse) that holds cards, money, pictures, makeup, drugs, and at least one book lol.
Glad you are safe and my heart goes out to everyone.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
I honestly don’t know what books I’d grab. Autographed ones are mixed in with others and 2/3 of my collection are boxed up due to lack of bookself space. I am thinking though that I’d be sure to grab some books that I haven’t read yet (which would mean most of my books).
October 26th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Congratulations Kim H. on your book win in Helen’s other contest on this blog site!
Helen, I am so glad to hear that you are safe and well! I have a sister-in-law who lives in Calif. also. She has kept us up-to-date on the situation out there. It is so sad all the homes that people have lost. I am with you, I would just grab and go! Books can always be replaced but a human life can not.
If I did have a few precious minutes, my bible would be the first thing while yelling for my husband to grab my purse, all our pills, neccessities and go start the car! Next, I would run like a maniac for my plastic bags and just dump my families pictures into it along with my heirloom jewelry. Last, if I still had time I would just dump all my autographed books into a plastic bag and run!
October 26th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
I don’t think I would grab books… I would more grab some pictures… just for souvenirs, becuase I will always be able to buy a book again!
October 27th, 2007 at 12:18 am
Hi HelenKay! I’m glad to hear you’re ok. It’s so tragic what’s happened to all of those people and their homes. I would hate to only grab books if there was a fire. I would want to take things that couldn’t be replaced like pictures and a particular stuffed animal that I’ve had for a very long time. If I had time to take books, I would probably grab Inkheart and Inkspell by Cornelia Funke.
October 27th, 2007 at 12:19 am
As much as I love my books, I would have to grab my laptop, my wedding album and baby photos of my first son, as the rest of the photos are on my laptop and uploaded to a safe place. I would be sad to lose everything else, but as long as I have the people and animals I love, and the memories of them as well, I’d be thankful. Everything else is replaceable.
October 27th, 2007 at 12:20 am
Congrats Kimmy on your win from the last contest! :razz:
October 27th, 2007 at 5:22 am
If I had only minutes …I’d grab important papers, pictures, photo albums, jewelry and any books that I had readily accessible. I’d grab jeans and a sweatshirt too. My Comfort Clothes!!
October 27th, 2007 at 5:59 am
I’d grab my Bible first, then probably my Nicholas Sparks collection. His stories always comfort me.
October 27th, 2007 at 8:49 am
Knowing I am able to replace my books, except, of course, for my autographed ones, I would have to take those if possible after grabbing all my important papers, photos, laptop, and a few personal treasures from family.
It was so hard watching the news and seeing the horrific photos of the fires and all the homes and businesses lost; it must be devastating to those living through this awful time in their lives. Hearing of the loss of lives was the hardest, but at the same time hearing of the heartfelt help from all the wonderful people there was so great and all the fire personnel working so hard to put these fires out and save what they can. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone there.
October 27th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Hi HelenKay, I’m relieved that you and your DH are safe. My heart goes out to those who lost so much. As for the books I’d take, my autographed ones and the ARC’s that I have.
October 27th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
omg that would be tough. I’d try and and grab my megatives and pics/scrapbooks. Books I could replace no matter whether they were autographed or not. most of my keeper shelf is. I might try and get the arcs the few i have but depends on the time i had.
October 27th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
If I only had a few minutes, it would be my kids, my dogs and my purse.
Everything else is just stuff and can be replaced. It would be hard to lose pictures and other memorabilia, but you can always make new memories.
My heart bleds for all those folks who lost their homes. I’m glad you and your husband are ok, HelenKay.
October 27th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
pictures
family bible
October 27th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
picturs,,,family bible
books, would be the ones i have the is autogrpahes (got them in their own section on boko case)
October 28th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Family photos - self explanatory and the few books I have on my keeper shelf; am not much of a keeper but Linda Howard’s Sarah’s Child and Barbara Delinsky’s Three Wishes are there and they are books I will always remember - heart wrenching wonderful reads.
October 29th, 2007 at 3:38 am
I would grab my bible of all my books,then if I had time a few books on the top of my TBR list.Since the TBR haven’t been read and new it would be a good distraction when we got where we were going.
October 29th, 2007 at 5:54 am
If only I had time to transfer everything over to an e-book and secure them onto an external hard drive. And while I’m wishing, I would have someone else do that for me. The fire has definately been on everyone’s mind, and I am clear on the other side of the states. Imbetween being busy with worry and fret, I have been lucky enough to find a very distracting read, Coinage of Commitment. It is a romance novel written by a male author. I absolutely love it so far. Hope this will help as a distraction.
October 29th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
I think I would be too busy grabbing important papers, photos, etc. to grab any books.
October 30th, 2007 at 4:21 am
I hope I’m never hit with an emergency where I would have to make decisions on what things to take with me. But as everyone else has said above, you get your family and pets out first, important documents second, and if I had time and was near my book collection I think I would take a a few books that favorite authors autographed to me because I couldn’t easily replace those, while other store bought ones I could.
October 30th, 2007 at 9:37 am
First I would make sure everyone got out okay then I would go grab my garbage bags and sling some clothes in it then sweep off most of my books from my bookshelf. I would also grab the family Bibles and pics.
October 31st, 2007 at 1:02 am
My family, my dog, my bible, pictures and papers, my credit cards, computer, my few autographed books, and my Harry Potter books. Good thing I have a pickup truck :-)
Glad you are all right. My friends and family in the San Diego area made it through okay, also. Those fires are so terrible.
November 1st, 2007 at 11:13 am
I would take my kids baby picture albums since I have too many keeper books to carry, I would just hope for the best.
November 7th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Was a winner picked?