Why does this novel matter to me anyway?

I found writing the novel ‘Longing for Home’ much more than a way to explore the experiences of my ancestors. The immigrant experience is one of being a stranger, being the person on the outside. Through Irena’s experiences I dealt with my own feelings of searching for a place to belong, a home. I was always the new kid as a child, but beyond that I’m a little odd, so I never quite fit in. I’d like to think that my experiences are not singular experiences; that we have all struggled to figure out where we belong in our family, our group of friends, our workplaces and our society as a whole.  When I was a child the library saved me. I read voraciously, looking for other kindred spirits pressed between the bindings of my books. When I was in elementary school Laura Ingalls Wilder was my friend.  Who else made friends with book characters? I’d love to hear your experiences.