The Reader’s Journey: Calgon, Take Me Away

From Ramona Quimby to Nantucket summers—

why we crave stories that feel like home (and which ones I can’t put down)

“Oh…good story!”

That was the catchphrase of my college journalism professor, Linda Levin. If she said it after we pitched an idea, we knew we had struck gold. I can still hear her voice in my head whenever I stumble across a book or story that sweeps me away.

I’ve always loved a good story with characters I could imagine knowing in real life. Back in college, I worked one holiday season at a little shop in the middle of the mall. My favorite part? Watching people walk by and inventing stories about their lives—little dramas unfolding right before my eyes. People-watching could easily have been my part-time major.

That’s the magic of reading, isn’t it? Whether fiction or nonfiction, news or memoir, it’s about finding pieces of ourselves tucked into someone else’s story.

Growing up, I devoured coming-of-age novels at every stage of my life.

• Ramona Quimby by Beverly Cleary

  
  

• Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

  
  

• Sweet Valley High by Francine Pascal

And later? I escaped into Danielle Steel’s glamorous worlds, solved mysteries with Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone, and sipped Nantucket summers with Elin Hilderbrand. Katie Cross’s Bon Bons to Yoga Pants? Yes, please—I'll take both!

Stories have always been my version of “Calgon, take me away.” A private getaway where I could sit in the corner of a character’s world and just be.

When I wrote From This Day Forward, I found myself in Jay’s shoes. Life doesn’t always follow the script we imagine, and I think we’ve all had moments where the plan crumbles, and we’re forced to find a new path. The Flannigan Girls trilogy has been a journey, too—exploring how childhood shadows adulthood, and how we process those big, messy emotions along the way.

And here’s the thing: sometimes I want a series, where I can follow characters for years and feel like they’ve become family. Other times, I crave a standalone—a quick but powerful story I can finish before the plane lands or the vacation ends.

I’ll admit, I cried writing the last words of Jay and Emmaline’s story. But stepping back into the world of the Flannigan sisters? It feels like being reunited with old friends. Being on the other side of the page, I’ve discovered that I still feel the same emotional rollercoaster I do as a reader.

So tell me—what about you?

• Do you prefer a series or standalones?

  
  

• Do you save certain types of books for vacations or particular seasons?

  
  

• Do you like small-town series where each book follows a new character, or one central character over many installments?

  
  

Hit reply and let me know—I’d love to hear where your reader’s journey takes you.