When I was young, around 10-14, I read every night.
The typical novel was about a teenage girl, in angst or ready to fall in love with the boy of her dreams. I would dream during the night and think by the day about the plot, I would try and for tell the outcome. I became so obsessed with these novels, almost growing anxiety and adopting traits of the characters. The main author i'd force my dad to rush out and buy was Jacqueline Wilson, an extremely popular choice for little girls.
Here are a few of the books, and what I recollect they are about after 10 years. I could be completely wrong, but I don't want to jog my memory in anyway.
3 teenage girls that are in the midst of the introduction of boys, sexuality and loyalty.
2 girls, around 10-12, blonde girl moves away and the brown hair
causes trouble to get her best friend back.
A young girl with anxiety and no friends, along with an older girl that takes her under her wing,
have minor criminal acts and get into trouble.
No idea, I do remember it had a TV series or film, but don't remember the premise.
Getting into social side issues. An online forum where teenagers would discuss their friends, and
family issues.
The reason I want to only recollect memories of my previous obsession is so i can make an account of my growth in personality, confidence and age. From age 12 to 21.
From wanting more from the novels, needing to know what happens when girls and boys meet and the feelings they share. How a girls heart starts to beat faster when the boy she likes looks at her. At that age thats all I needed, more information about what boys think about girls. It came to the point where I grew restless of the characters in the book, not doing what I expected or wanted them to do, feel how I wanted them to feel.
So i decided at the age of 14 (i think) to write my own story, with the characters looking how i wanted them to, and the feelings to emote the way I wanted them too. I'd use my Microsoft Word 1999 to type up my story. Of course in the beginning i was stumped. What do i talk about as a 12 year old girl with no knowledge of relationships. I guess my story was loosely based on all the stories i had read over the past years, but changed to the way i wanted it to end up.
After weeks of writing the first chapters, I was so excited that I wanted to read my story. I printed out the pages, no more than 10 onto A4 paper. From what I remember I created my own front cover, along with the title 'The Secret Life of Asia Lee'.
With the printed pages I turned it almost shockingly looking back now into a zine type small booklet. I would take the book with me to bed and read over and over, correcting spelling mistake on the book, adding in scenes or ideas I could include.
Trying to remember now, the subject of my novel, it started out with a girl trying on a prom dress, everything from there is pretty much non existence.
I still haven't found this artefact, I need to find it. Its such an essential part of my childhood. I want to know if those stories have shaped me into who i am today, regarding personal relationships, love and friendship.
