Happy Birthday, L. Frank Baum!

Today is the 162nd birthday of L. Frank Baum who, as author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and 13 other "Oz" books, had a profound effect on my childhood and may even be responsible for my love of writing.

By George Steckel - Los Angeles Times photographic archive, UCLA Library, Public Domain, Link

And two days from now, on May 17, it will be 118 years since the first book of the Oz series was published. I was obsessed with the book series as a kid, and still collect antique copies of the books (and a few other Oz collectibles).