Saturday, December 11, 2010

Fun With Book Dedications

The above book dedication was from A.A. Milne, author of Winnie-the-Pooh, to his wife Daphne. How sweet is that?

Do you ever wonder what you'll write as your book dedication when you're published? And if you're published, do you wonder who you'll dedicate your next book to?

There's no doubt I'll dedicate mine to my husband and three sons. They're the loves of my life, and they put up with my head-in-the-cloud forgetfulness too often (missed my kids dentist appointments...twice!)

And if I were being quirky, I'd dedicate my book to the following:
  • To my Sparkletts guy. Thanks for delivering water to my home in the boonies. I guzzle it every day while I'm pecking away on the keyboard.
  • To Lifesavers. Your delicious hard candies are my constant companion when I'm writing (less white ones in the bag, please).
  • To Colin Firth. Thanks for playing Mr. Darcy, and for wearing that white shirt in the lake scene.
There you have it. My someday dedication, and my goofy ones. How about you? What would be your real and/or quirky book dedications?

photo credit: google images

42 comments:

  1. I've been thinking about this, since my memoir is in its final edits, but I haven't come up with anything as clever as this!!!
    Ann Best, Long Journey Home

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  2. that made me chuckle...in fact my mom asked who I was dedicating my book to and i had to say I hadn't thought about it really. Perhaps, Mr. Dell for providing me with my computer I peck at diligently each day?

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  3. Julie all I can really say is you have to read the acknowledgements section of GOING BOVINE. I had tears in my eyes because it was so funny. Ah Libba Bray, you are my hero.

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  4. I went with a real one for CassaStar; a dedication to my wife.
    Maybe the next one I'll dedicate to the wonderful people who created NetFlix!

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  5. Love the Colin Firth one. :) I've thought about this before, too. I don't have any quirky ones, but I will definitely have dedications to my husband, my son, and my dad!

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  6. ha ha the husband would throw a hissy fit if he does not get a dedication, he almost did when he did not get one on my thesis.
    I might dedicate to the glass of oj my laptop drinks everyday for not killing the laptop or Microsoft security office for stepping in when my 2y/o installed 3 diff types of malware on my laptop.
    This was fun Julie

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  7. Good morning, Julie. This is a very good topic since I have neglected to consider what I shall do for a dedication for my second novel, which I just sent to my publisher a week or so ago. For my first novel, I dedicated it to my two boys. I was living the dream at that moment and I wanted them to know that dreams were still possible:

    "For my two sons: Riley and Rian. 'I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.' -Philippians 4:13."

    Thanks to your timely topic, I had better start thinking about this. Dedicating it to some actress in a white shirt in a lake scene is proabably inappropriate, however. *sigh* ;)
    -Jimmy

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  8. Ahhh, I can't think about dedications without breaking into a sweat. I freak I'll forget someone or won't be able to get it *just right*. I think it'll come down to whatever mood I'm in the day I write it. Today:

    1-To the SandMan for bringing me the dreams that inspire, amuse, and make me say 'huh?'
    2-To my family for tolerating my chronic calls of "just one more minute"
    3-The blogosphere--I'd never have gotten this far without it.

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  9. These are good:) I would, of course, dedicate it to my husband who has given me this precious opportunity to write.
    I enjoy reading those in books to see who the author thanks.

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  10. I love AA Milne's and yours!

    Mine will be a long list of the people who've encouraged and believed in me, and a special part just for my husband - for putting up with me :)

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  11. An English teacher, the wife, Captain Morgan

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  12. I really enjoy reading the dedications and acknowledgements in a novel. I've thought about mine - who hasn't? Right now I would settle for dedicating my book to my sanity for not leaving me!

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  13. Such a sweet dedication!

    I want to dedicate my first book to my mom, who always encouraged me to follow my dreams-whatever they've been, and my husband, who's stood by my side as I've written the thing! :)

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  14. HAHA! Number THREE! My thoughts EXACTLY! Go Colin Firth!

    Amy

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  15. i love that dedication! very very cool.

    also, you absolutely MUST use the lifesavers one :) LOVE

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  16. I love yours and Milne's dedications. I actually haven't put much thought into this... it's a long way off in the future. But now that it's in my head, I'll be thinking of it for sure! :)

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  17. LOL! I haven't thought about it at all! Maybe I should get on that. Hmmmm, it's going to be funny...

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  18. You had me at Colin Firth! I should probably dedicate my first book to my therapist or he might try some weird mind control thing on me for revenge. Naw, It would have to be dedicated to the kids for all the frozen food they've had to endure.

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  19. I will dedicate mine to my lava lamp, for keeping me at my desk. I turn it on when I sit down, and I'm not allowed out of my chair until it's warmed up and is flowing properly. At which point I might as well stay in my chair, since the words are flowing too. Without the lava lamp, there would be no book!

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  20. Hi Julie .. just love the Christopher Robin dedication .. and yours too .. family definitely put up with a great deal .. missed dentist appointments oh dear! Fun post .. thanks and the simplicity from husband to wife .. with Christopher Robin in hand is just wonderful .. Hilary

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  21. Haha, love the Colin Firth bit. Altho I love the Matthew Macfadyen version best, oh boy!

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  22. Hey there Julie. I definitely have thought about dedications before. I think for my first book I would definitely dedicate it to my best friend Tessie Jarrett. She has always been there for me through the good, bad, and ugly of everything. Through the tears and laughs, she has always been a huge supporter of me and I truly believe without her I would be in a ditch.

    Haha funny dedications.... Oh I'm not very funny, but I try to be:P Hmmm....
    To my mp3 player, allowing me to listen to songs while I'm in the middle of the madness.
    To my book stalkers, keeping track of the ranking of my book and emailing me when chapters had dramatic endings.
    To Leal's fan club for staying excited and hopeful toward him.

    (Yeah see, not funny enough. I'll think of something when I actually get my book published, kayyy? lol)

    Have a great day, Julie.
    Always,
    Lindsey

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  23. I dedicated my first book to my sister, Mary. And I love that Milne poem! That is so sweet and romantic!

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  24. Would dedicate to my husband and son. They beleve in me, even on the days I doubt myself.

    Not sure who I'd dedicate a goofy one to.

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  25. I'm sure your kids didn't mind missing their dentist appointments too much...

    I have a husband and three kids, so I need to get at least four books published!

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  26. Haha, I'd like to thank Colin Firth for putting the blood back into Pride and Prejudice on screen. Woohoo!

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  27. lol so far I've only done real ones but fun ones are so much more fun to think up!

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  28. Julie,

    I just discovered your blog and i love it. i signed up to follow. i noticed on the blog i was reading, you commented that you love the blogs you read. would you check mine out?

    i would like some honest feedback. I work really hard, as you can imagine.

    I write non-fiction, but the blog is about how to enjoy life and have more fun. Lots of adults get too serious.

    Thanks again. i look forward to your work as well.

    Renee G.

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  29. Love Milne's, how sweet.
    Have no idea. Husband and kids are obvious choices for a serious one. Possibly the Monty Python crew for a funny one...
    gosh, would have to think about it more.

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  30. Isn't that the sweetest dedication?

    I would dedicate to my kids- the time I write is time I should be spending with them.

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  31. Ohhh! What a clever topic, Julie! I have one:

    To Johnny Depp: thanks to your face, I haven't yet forgotten how to sigh wistfully.

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  32. I think it would depend on which book. One would definitely be to my brother, another to my students.

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  33. Ha ha, Colin Firth definitely belongs in the dedication! I need to write the dedication for my sequel that's coming out soon and I find it more difficult to write that than the acknowledgements. Loved the dedication you shared with us.

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  34. "To Al Gore for inventing the internet." ;)

    Can you believe I've STILL never seen Colin Firth in that legendary white shirt? Hmm, what a nice stocking stuffer that would be...

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  35. Oh, I love that dedication!

    I dedicated mine to by husband, but I'd also like to dedicate it to wine and Red Twizzlers and cucpakes! :)

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  36. Oh, that's a lovely dedication. I like to think I'll do something creative, like that, but I'm not sure. I've still got lots of time to decide. ;)

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  37. I've never thought about it too hard. But if I were being silly, I'd thank my inner editors - Johnny Depp and Leo Dicaprio.

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  38. this is so much fun to think about --- i would dedicated mine to my husband and two kids as well.......but love your shout out to colin firth!!

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  39. I like your dedications, I think quirky is good. So is Colin Firth! :)

    I used to think about who I'd dedicate a book to but haven't even thought about it lately.

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  40. I LOVE number three. I think we can all agree on that one.

    My kids are constantly asking me which of my stories will be dedicated to whom. I can't wait for them to actually see their names in print on the page... fingers crossed.

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  41. I *do* love that dedication, and I always read it when we start that book... As for mine, well, I'm thinking I'll have to dedicate each one to the people who swooned over them and said they HAD to get published right away. There's actually one person per MS who did that! But hubs by far has been there from the start.
    And Mr. Darcy. :D j/k~ <3

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  42. Wow - how have I missed that dedication from AA Milne? So sweet! I can only hope to come up with something half as clever if I'm ever published.

    As for who I'd thank? I'll need half the book for that :) But I definitley agree on Colin Firth. Mmmmmm....

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