Friday, November 18, 2011

On Book Reading ( and why I wish there were more than 24 hours in a day)


Happy Friday!
If you happened to catch it on Twitter then you already know I’ve been battling a sore throat. Since SUNDAY!! Bleh. I’m ready for it to be gone.

But this downtime has led me to catch up on some things—mostly reading—but it also gave me some great ideas. (I’m now hoping to start a Christian Fiction Book club in our church!)


Thank you to the oh so clever and talented Jessica Patch for her patience in answering all my book club questions!!

Anyway, why am I telling you this? Well, because after looking at my TBR pile in my bedroom (thanks to RWA Nationals and all the free books they sent me home with) and after looking at my TBR list on Goodreads, I realized I need a book club like I need a third eyebrow!


There are probably worse problems in life to have, but yes, I do have a serious case of “too many books to read and not enough time in the day” syndrome.
So I want to apologize to all my bloggy friends (who have traditionally published or self-published) and whose books I have not read yet. I might have BOOK A.D.D.


I see a blogger mention their book or a book in general and I say, “’Ooh, goodie! Must add to my Goodreads TBR pile!” I see a free download on Amazon and I click “download” thinking, “Can’t wait to read this one!” I win a free book and say, “I am so on this one!” Then I look at my nightstand and think, “Hmm…did that pile grow a foot since July?”


Ooops. See? BOOK A.D.D.
So…
I’m sorry if I BOUGHT your book and haven’t read it yet.
I’m sorry if I had INTENTIONS of buying your book but it’s still sitting in my Goodreads TBR pile.
I’m sorry if I WON your book (or a book off your blog) and I haven’t read it yet.

*sigh* I really want to support as many friends as I can, but maybe I need a better system of organization since half have a tendency to get buried on my Ipad or lost on a reading shelf. Or maybe I need more time in the day. I’m not sure.
Maybe I shouldn't stress over it. (I think it’s the anal part of me that really likes a nice orderly reading system)

Help. I can’t see over the books. :-)

What about you? Do you find yourself stressing over so many books out there and so little time? How long do books sit in your TBR pile at home or on your ereader?

25 comments:

Linda G. said...

YES!! And sometimes I feel so guilty about it. Ugh. I wish I had a time stopwatch, so I could press a button, read for as long as I like, and then pick up time exactly where I left off. That would be heaven.

Anonymous said...

Hmm, I like the time stopwatch idea. That would be lovely. Someone get HG Wells on the phone. I could use one of those too!

I think reader ADD affects most writers. I have it too.

Old Kitty said...

Books are you friends and are very forgiving and most of all book are there for life! You have all the time in the world for them. They're a very patient bunch! :-)

Hope you feel better soon! Take care
x

Jennifer Shirk said...

Oooh, would LOVE a stopwatch on time in general!!

Unknown said...

I recently started trying to fit in two books a week but I haven't even gotten to my printed books yet i'm so behind with my review request list. LOL. The things we commit ourselves too as if we don't already have enough on our plates.

Joanne said...

I think you need to have a reading weekend to catch-up. Just crash for two days with that pile of books and dive in :)

Wendy Paine Miller said...

Yes, and this gets tougher the more authors I meet.

We are getting ready to head out of town and I just finished a book so I went to the library and came back with six (in case some didn't gel).

I tend to read several at a time. Oh yeah, I'd say I have book ADD.
~ Wendy

Liza said...

In my perfect world, I'd be writing half the time and reading the other half. Oh, and I'd be doing it all from my beautiful house overlooking long dock leading to a placid lake.

Robyn Campbell said...

Hmmm. Lots of baths. Hubby says I'm squeaky clean. Ha!

You're about time. Oh, that we could just have a few more hours. *sigh*

(((hugs)))

Connie Keller said...

I keep up with my reading (most of the time) only because I read while I run the treadmill. Once you learn to run without bouncing (a running coach once told me "bouncing" wastes energy), reading is pretty easy. Plus, it makes the running so much more fun--and the time flies by.

Linda Kage said...

Apology accepted. Lol!!

I have the same problem. The more authors I find, the more my TBR pile grows, like, exponentially!

But as long as I keep my pile away from any green glowing sewer goo, I don't think it'll form into a mutant being and blow up my house or anything. Well, let's hope not anyway.

Diane said...

Too many books, too little time. Can't wait to get to Heaven and read and watch every movie I've ever missed! :O)

Glynis Peters said...

Oh I feel guilty all the time. Especially since I got a birthday Kindle! The temptation to download so many free books and samples is overwhelming!

Hope your throat is better soon.

Nancy said...

I get most of my books from the library. I get three to 10 at a time. I have been known to finish off 2 or 3 in a week. Of course, these are mainly children's books and run about 300 pages. I read when I should be doing something else. I have been known to end one book and begin right then on another one. (Not too often.) Mostly, I like books around because then help me get sleepy. And if the book is a real page turner, I'm in trouble and stay up wayyyyy too late.

Cindy R. Wilson said...

I know exactly how you feel! I have so many books I've won, bought, whatever, that I haven't read. I want to support authors, I do, but I don't have enough time in the day. It typically takes me...months (that's not specific just because it's actually worse than that) to get to a new book I bought or won. AND I'm already part of a book club. One of these days I'm going to have to find that balance. But in the meantime...I'll do what I can.

Jessica R. Patch said...

You are so very welcome! Can't wait to hear about all the fun discussions you will have with your club!

Oh yeah, at times I get seriously overwhelmed at all the books and little time. I want to cheer all my friends on, but I can't get to them as fast as I'd like.

I think they understand, as they're in the same boat I'd guess.

Feel better soon! :)

TheBookGirl said...

Oh yeah, I feel stressed about it, but somehow that doesn't seem to be enough to stop me from periodically adding to the pile, lol.

Every year I challenge myself to read a certain amount of books that have been on my shelves for more than a year. In 2010, that number was 12, and I did it. In 2011, that number was 2 (nothing like lowering expectations), and I did that. I would love to challenge myself in 2012 to read only books I have in the house in until I run out, but I know that will never happen (either completing the challenge or running out of books!).

Jill Kemerer said...

I have sooo many books I want to read. Slowly but surely, I'm getting there, but I feel bad too for not being able to read all of my friends' books. :(

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

I read entirely too many books, and always have. (Tough.) BUT, except for Tawna Fenske's book, I haven't read any of the books written and recommended by my blogging pals. (Shame on me.) Once I get that Kindle for Christmas, I'll have a ton of catching up to do.

Sarah Tokeley said...

I'll be honest, I have had the occasional fantasy where I get laid up in bed for a week with something that means I can't come downstairs, but I feel well enough to read :-)

Jessica Lemmon said...

OMG! You are ME! ;)
Between working on my own writing, winning books, meeting authors and buying THEIR books, I have so many books, I'm a little twitchy. I echo all your apologies, especially to the ppl whose books I haven't bought but want to, I'm just too overwhelmed!!!
And the book club idea? Ack! I'd just buy more books...wouldn't I? *whimper*

Nas said...

Yep, that's me as well! Reading and reviewing books- no time for pleasure reading! Apologies to those authors whose books I haven't yet bought or read but want to.

Sharon Ricklin said...

I feel your pain...

I was gone for a few days...5 to be exact. San Diego wedding/family reunion. It was great fun, and I even brought a book along to read on the plane. (I got to about page 12 and kept getting interrupted, so gave up)

It's not only the books sitting all over my house, filling my book cases, and my computer... it's also the hundreds of blogs I have to keep up with! Yes, I said hundreds. (perhaps I follow too many?) Or perhaps all those writers out there are writing more blogs than books) I mean, who has the time to blog more than once a week and still keep up with writing, reading, and you know, life??

Looking up at my google-blogger notifier right now...after sitting here reading for over two hours...I am now down to only 238 blogs to catch up on!!!

We need 48 hours in a day.
Who's with me?

Sharon :)
http://color-me-read.blogspot.com/

Sarah Forgrave said...

Too funny about that Rockettes show. I remember touring Radio City Music Hall once and meeting a Rockette in person. Apparently those kicks are their trademark. :)

Suzy Bos said...

Well, I'm rather picky about what I read, but I think I have found a new author to love! I like how you describe yourself as a writer of "sweet romance". Sounds right up my alley!!