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Influences
Copyright 2004 Christina M. Guerrero
I’ve been influenced by the Bible, Charlotte Bronte, Daniel Defoe and Shakespeare, and by modern writers
such as V.C. Andrews, Jonathan Kellerman, Stephen King and William Styron, but before I
had ever heard of them, I was deeply affected by four books I read as a child.
I think of these books often when I’m writing and remember their plots, characters and themes as I construct
my own stories.
* The Search for Delicious, by Natalie Babbitt, takes place in a kingdom looking for a definition of
“delicious” for its official dictionary. Over something as simple as a definition, fights start, violence begins,
and war becomes imminent. Ms. Babbit describes a troubled yet lovely rural kingdom that still delights me
well into my adulthood, and which sold me on living in the countryside rather than large cities. I also cherish
this book because of its hint of a medieval setting, and for the beautiful subplot of Ardis the mermaid.
* Two Against the Tide, by Bruce Clements, is a haunting story about a brother and sister who take an
“unplanned” vacation with their aunt to her home on an island, where odd things happen. Other than the
mildly disturbing concept of young teenagers being kidnapped, the story is well-written. The children are
taken care of, they meet interesting people and they learn to handle bizarre events happening around their
aunt’s home. It’s an unusual coming of age story.
*The Forgotten Door, by Alexander Key, is my third favorite book of all time. I could read this over and
over and never get tired of it. Jonathan wakes up on a hillside and gradually realizes that he accidentally
slipped through a door on his home planet and landed on Earth (in the countryside, of course), where a kind family
adopts him. Unfortunately this gentle boy and the honest hard-working people who are trying to protect him
become targets of others who are filled with hate and a desire to betray the family. The final scene always
puts a huge smile on my face.
* The Brothers Lionheart, by Astrid Lindgren, is my second favorite book of all time (the first is Sophie’s
Choice by William Styron). I could step into this story and never come out. It’s about two brothers, and
their strong bond during life on Earth, and how the bond continues after they die and enter a world called
Nangiyala, a beautiful rural (sensing a theme here?) land that is menaced by nasty dragons and the dragons’
evil followers. The boys have many adventures and do their best to bring peace to Nangiyala. The final two
scenes are heartwrenching and bittersweet. I wish Astrid Lindgren had written a series featuring these
brothers, because it’s always so hard to say goodbye to them.
All four books are special to me, and have sparked my imagination since childhood. Their themes of fighting
against hatred and prejudice; learning to find ways to avoid or escape abusive situations; loyalty; and
personal responsibility have haunted me for years. I can only hope that my stories will be cherished and
remembered as these have been.
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