The Enduring Popularity of Chicken Soup for the Soul Books

Why are Chicken Soup for the Soul books so popular? I think in part it’s because we all love a good, uplifting, true story. These stories, while sometimes corny, touch our hearts and remind us of the good that’s in this crazy, mixed up world.

I often submit stories to various Chicken Soup books, and have been privileged to have had four stories published in four different volumes.

In Count Your Blessings, I talked about the blessing of having a huge tree fall directly onto our home, necessitating a five-month removal while repairs were made (“A Tree Fell Through It”). Lessons we learned included remembering what matters most and being grateful for family, friends, insurance companies, neighbors and others who made what could have been a very tragic event much less so.

In All in the Family, I shared how being a sister to the dozens of foster kids my parents took in during my teen and college years (and beyond), impacted my life (“A Full House”). Watching my mom and dad relate to these often troubled kids has been one of the biggest influences on my life as a parent, .

In Inspiration for Writers, my story centered around how writing a book is like birthing a baby–and how my first book (the nonfiction Hired @ Home) arrived on my doorstep the day I had my fourth child. In the story, I tried to encourage other writers that they can find time to write, no matter their circumstances.

In Best Mom Ever! (which released this week!), I paid homage to my mother in “A Mom to Many,” returning to the theme of how incredible she (and my father) were in taking in more than 40 foster kids over a three-decade span. The dedication and love for these kids never overshadowed her love for her own children. (I will be signing copies of this book at the Fair Lakes Barnes & Noble in Fairfax, Va., Saturday, May 6. Check my events pages for more details.)

No matter which Chicken Soup book you pick up, you’re sure to put it down after reading the stories feeling encouraged, refreshed and reconnected to your fellow human beings.