Samantha's Secret Room past times Lyn Cook

When I was nigh 10 or xi years old, inwards the early on 1970s, I read a majority (first published inwards 1963) called "Samantha's Secret Room" past times Lyn Cook.  It was a favourite of mine, for many reasons:  the heroine was nigh the same historic menses I was, she feels lonely together with misunderstood (as I oftentimes did). And it was educate inwards Canada.

The plot: Samantha lives alongside her parents, brothers & great-grandmother inwards a big quondam solid close Penetanguishine, Ontario, on Lake Huron's Georgian Bay.  There's a hole-and-corner cellar where Samantha goes to write inwards her diary together with vent her frustrations. But changes are coming for Samantha & her family: first, there's Samantha's novel friend Kim, who answers a banker's complaint that Sam ties to a shipment of Christmas trees saltation for the cities farther south.  Then there's older cousin Josh, an archeology pupil who forms a bond alongside Samantha during a visit, together with connects her to the history that's all roughly her -- including within her ain family. The floor culminates alongside a solid unit of measurement reunion to celebrate Great-Gran's 90th birthday, together with some of import revelations that convey Samantha & her solid unit of measurement closer together.

I loved this majority & accept idea nigh it on & off over the years. Samantha was 1 of the names nosotros seriously considered for a babe missy -- Daughter #2 (or #3), of course, because Katie was our #1 alternative for a girl's hollo correct from the start...!

And thus 1 of dh's cousins' wives had a picayune missy (in her 40s, afterward to a greater extent than than 10 years of union together with much speculation inwards the family... hmmm...) -- together with named her Samantha.

I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to give this picayune Samantha for her outset birthday. :) (Believe me, I ever wished at that topographic point was a majority alongside "Lori" inwards the title,  lol.)  I did an online search, together with (yay!) a paperback version of "Samantha's Secret Room" was available on expert quondam Amazon. :)  I knew she wouldn't live on quondam plenty to read it for many years, but that was OK.  I ordered 2 copies (one for her, 1 for me ;)  )  wrote an inscription on the within forepart cover, wrapped it upwardly together with gave it to her for her outset birthday.

We don't encounter a lot of Samantha & her blood brother -- she's nigh 10 right away herself -- together with I'd form of forgotten nigh the book. And then, out of the bluish final week, I got an electronic mail from her mom. (She & I accept ever gotten along good -- maybe because of the unspoken bond nosotros know nosotros share...!) (Even though she was ultimately successful inwards having a family, together with I was not.)  She wrote:

I only wanted to tell you.  When I picked upwardly the kids from campsite today - Samantha mentioned that she started a novel majority together with she held upwardly "Samantha's Secret Room"  - I only smiled because I knew it was from you.  We thus read the inscription you lot had made. 

She does dearest to read!

Needless to say, that position a huge grin on my confront for the residue of the day...!  :)  Being able to portion a majority that was especial to me equally a picayune missy alongside some other picayune missy -- passing on a picayune slice of myself into the futurity -- was thus gratifying -- fifty-fifty if it wasn't (as I had 1 time hoped) my ain daughter.  Small victories...! :)  

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