Habits, Ruts, and Reading Horizons

I have this really bad habit. Whenever I overhear people talking books, asking each other for recommendations, I tend to interrupt with recommendations of my own.

Don’t judge.

So yeah. Last week, I was at a soccer team meeting, and did something like that. I wasn’t even part of the conversation, but I heard one mother ask another mother for new “post-apocalyptic” books she can read. Because she ONLY reads post-apocalyptic, and she’s run out of books.

(I know, right?) So, clearing my throat, I said, “Um. I can give you a list.”

She turned to me, frowning, then handed me a receipt and a pencil, and I proceeded to fill the entire blank space with titles, including the authors. However, while I gave her the names of all my favorite dystopians, I also listed other paranormal-type books. (But I’ll get to that in a second.) After which she looked at me with admiration and said, “I can’t believe you remember all the authors.”

Yes. Yes, I do. And I listed the books off the top of my head. Because, after all, keeping up with the industry is a huge part of what I do.

I read. I read a lot. Whenever new awesome books, especially the YA ones, come out, I add them to my to-be-read list. But this week, I realized I’ve been stuck in a bit of a rut. I’ve been focusing all my energy on reading YA paranormal and dystopian, because that’s mostly what I write. And the problem with that is that I also get a lot out of reading adult books. And contemporary stories. And nonfiction. *gasp*

So, when I made that list, I deliberately recommended some books that weren’t specifically dystopian, in hopes that the reader who asked would spread her wings and broaden her reading horizon. Even just a little. And I gave her a LOT of ideas. Then I went home and dug through my books to find something that is not YA, and not paranormal. And I proceeded to read something different.

Guess what happened? Not only did I thoroughly enjoy it, the books (three!) kicked my creative self in gear. I now have a new idea percolating. And as soon as I finish drafting the one I’m working on, or maybe at the same time, I’ll get started on this entirely new thing.

And that, my friends, is the beauty of keeping an open mind, an open heart, and a diverse selection of books. And hopefully, the other lady will have a similar result.

What different books are on your shelves?

Is Reviewing Books Worth the Work?

I am so behind in my book reporting, it’s not even funny. Or maybe it is. I scheduled myself for all these reviews and stuff, and then before I finished all the books, made the mistake of taking my kids to the library where I checked out seven more. Yeah, well, two different libraries. Whaddayado? And I love to read. Seriously, love it. So. Only scheduled or important books are being reviewed this month.

The good news is I’m starting to get caught up. Well, okay, not really, because as soon as I typed that I remembered that I just agreed to do five more reviews. But they're books I was going to read anyway, so that’s okay with me.

Last month, I was weighing the pros and cons of continuing to do reviews at all. I’ve also considered starting a blog that’s dedicated to just posts of this type, so that I can narrow my focus on this blog a bit. In my experience, book reviews don’t get a lot of comments. But then I was talking to someone I know—who is not a writer, and not even a big reader—who said something that made me think again.

She works full time, has three kids and a widowed father who needs lots and lots of care, and travels out of state several times a month with her daughter for specialized medical treatment. She has a lot on her plate. But as we discussed her most recent trip, she mentioned how she’s been spending a lot of downtime in hotel rooms and how bored she gets. Recently, she decided to purchase a few books to pass the time. But she didn’t know what she wanted, so she went to my blog and read the book reviews before heading to the bookstore.

Yes, that’s right. She read MY book reviews for recommendations of books she might like to read.

Even though she’s only one person, her off-handed comment made it all worthwhile. So, while I’m still debating the pros and cons of starting a separate book review blog, I’m feeling validated in reviewing itself. I think that as long as I keep reading, I’ll probably always enjoy reviewing.

That said, I’m still getting caught up. Therefore, this week, you can expect to see both a review and a spotlight. Don’t worry, I’ll still blog about regular stuff, too. Just call me superwoman.