Today’s topic is:
Do any of your characters have a favourite toy from their childhood? Do you?
None of my characters still play with toys, although Amy in ‘A House Without Windows‘ tends to cling on to a book, ‘The Island of Adventure‘ by Enid Blyton, as it teaches her about the outside world.
The only thing I have left from my childhood that I used to play with (and still do sometimes) is a Chess board and pieces, probably because my childhood was a long time ago. My father taught me to play Chess from an early age, and it used to annoy my mother that Dad and I could sit silently for hours and just concentrate on the game. Mum liked to talk, but Dad and I were not particularly sociable.
I’m adding a guest post here that I wrote about my Chess set back in 2017 for Chris, the Story Reading Ape. Since writing it, to my delight I found the board and pieces, and the box still has that certain smell that reminds me of my dad.
Chess is a marvellous game for instilling concentration and forward planning in children. Dad taught me well, although I never beat him. However, when aged 12 I did win a game when I played one of my uncles. I will remember the proud expression on my dad’s face (and the incredulity my uncle’s) for as long as I live. In later life I went on to win against my husband and sons too, but after a while they all refused to play Chess with me any more. It became quite apparent to me that men do not like to be beaten at anything by a mere woman!
Do any other blog-hoppers’ or their fictional characters have a favourite toy from their childhood? Click on the blue button below to find out:
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Stevie Turner 
I don’t have any toys from my girlhood, Stevie, but I have a number of books. I also have all my mom’s old Broadway records that I used to listen to repeatedly.
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I was better than average at chess, but not by much! 🙂
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When I was in gr 6, I learned to play chess/ But I play it like it write – complete panster. Drove everyone mad trying to figure out my next move. But it was usually based on something like – ooh – those horsey needs to move. I’ll put him there.
Tweeted.
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Lol!
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Uh-oh…looks like your fearless leader has lifted some recent prompts from elsewhere. As Jackson says “My favorite toy from my youth is the one you can’t brag about playing with.”
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Lol – Too much information there, Phil!
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That was from Jackson who claimed he got it from his Grampa. Along with the recipe for rabbit chili.
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One of the characters in my serial, ‘Little Annie’ loves a doll. But it is a possessed doll!
I never got excited by chess, but had a friend and colleague who was a regional chess champion in the 1990s.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Trust you to write about a possessed doll! Chess is a great game, but I haven’t played for a while now and so I’m probably a bit rusty.
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That is a great memory!! I still have Ted, my teddy bear. He never left my side when I was a child and he came along with me to Spain. I’m not sure if it has been mentioned in any of the books, but Amanda still has her teddy bear as well, although hers is not nearly as old and or as weathered. Perhaps I should make a point of mentioning it in the next book.
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Look after him, he sounds a bit fragile, lol.
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That’s a great character detail, Stevie. I don’t think I’ve ever done that. Hugs on the wing!
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Thanks Teagan!
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