New Year's Reading

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about New Year reading ...

With the New Year here already, do you have any reading resolutions or goals (challenges aside) for 2010? Perhaps a new author? Genre? Want to read more non-fiction? Write more reviews?

Although I haven't officially made any New Year reading resolutions, I do have several reading goals in mind.

I want to have my book reviews appear in more publications. I currently have a weekly book review column in The Harrodsburg Herald and an occasional review in Kentucky Monthly magazine, but I would like to do more. I'm making a list of publications that do book review and I'm going to try and find the right fit for my style of writing. Of course, I will continue to have reviews on my book review blogs - Bobbi's Book Nook and Mercer Public Library Reviews - and on online sites such as GoodReads, JacketFlap, Amazon and Barnes & Nobel.

I would also like to do more reading of non-fiction books, in particular, books about my home state of Kentucky. I am working on a book for Arcadia Publishing about Harrodsburg, so I want to read as much information as I can.

I am always looking for new authors, especially Kentucky authors. My state is full of awesome writers and it is a lofty goal to follow in their footsteps. I want to read their works and study their styles.

I don't see myself changing from Young Adult books this year. It is a deep, dark dream of mine to write a Young Adult book series because I enjoy these types of books so much. I am also looking forward to writing stories for my grandchildren.

Holiday Reading

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about reading/blogging during the holidays:

How does your reading (or your blogging) fare in the holiday months? Do you read more or less? Do you have to actively make time to read?

My reading and my blogging both seem to suffer during the holiday season - there are just so many things you can fit into one day. I still carve out time to read on a daily basis, but the bulk of my holiday reading is during the weekends. I also continue to blog everyday, albeit the posts maybe short and sweet.

I also try to make time for my other writings during this time of year - poems, short stories, essays or other articles. I usually wake up an hour earlier (with the exception of this morning when I slept in) and try to do a little writing before work. I also write during my lunch hour, many times instead of eating. If I don't find time to write everyday, I feel like something is missing from my life, so writing is always near the top of my list.

Books from my Childhood

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about your bookshelf -

What books did you read while in school? Were there any that you particular liked, or even hated? Did any become lifelong favourites?

I read mostly fiction when I was in school, so I guess this is the reason I've had a life-long addiction to fiction reading. Some of my favorites in school were:

A Wrinkle in Time

The Betsy Books (B is for Betsy, Betsy's Little Star, etc.)

The Trixie Belden series

The Wizard of Oz series (the original books by Frank L. Baum)

Alice in Wonderland

Through the Looking Glass

Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret

The Three Investigators series

Little Women

The Lord of the Rings series

Most of these books I still love as an adult. When my girls were younger, these are the first books I bought for them, and although they may not still enjoy them now, they still hold a place in my heart.

Christmas Book Wish List

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about your bookshelf…

With the holiday season now upon us, have you left any hint – subtle or otherwise – for books family and friends might buy you for Christmas? Do you like to receive books, or do you prefer certificates so you can choose your own?

My hints aren't exactly subtle - I usually give my family a list of the books I'm wanting. I try to list them in order of my greatest "wantingness" but I'm always adding to the list, so that is sometime hard to do.

I prefer to receive books because I like for my family to inscribe them to me. It more meaningful to me if my hubby or my daughters write a little something inside each book - it's that special little touch I never get tired of.

However, if it's someone I don't see very often, I would rather have a gift certificate, just to make sure I get a book I'm really looking forward to.



Some of the books on this years Christmas Wish List:

• The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell
• Dracula by Dacre Stoker
• The Laughing Corpse (Graphic Novel, Book #1) by Laurell K. Hamilton
• American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson
• Angel Time by Anne Rice
• Shadowland by Alyson Noel
• Heat Wave by Richard Castle (Yes, I know this is a gimmick book, but I love this TV series)
• Sookie Stackhouse 8-Box Gift Set by Charlaine Harris
• Witch and Wizard by James Patterson
• The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Sandman by Neil Gaiman
  
  

Bookshelves

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about your bookshelf…

Does your house have a communal bookshelf? If not, is your bookshelf centrally located so everyone has access to it?

I guess you could say our bookshelves are centrally located - we have one or more in each room of the house. Yes, that includes the bathroom! My hubby, daughter and I are all avid readers, so our home is full of books.

There are currently 4 bookcases in our living room - all crammed full of mostly my books. Young adult fiction is taking up the most room, but I also have a large number of books by Kentucky authors. The bookshelf in the kitchen is really inside a cabinet and it holds all my cookbooks. We each have our own separate bookcases in our bedrooms.

Of course, with so many books, we also have them spilling off the couch and tables, as well as several piles in different corners. In my opinion, you can never have too many books!!

Sharing Books

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about social reading:

How much of your reading do you share with others (outside of blogging?) Do you belong to a book or library club? Do you trade books with friends? Do you tell others what you’re reading?

I love to share with others what I'm reading or have read. Besides having 2 book review blogs - Bobbi's Book Nook and MCPL Book Nook - I have a weekly book review column in THE HARRODSBURG HERALD and I do freelance book reviews for KENTUCKY MONTHLY Magazine. I also post my reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, GoodReads, Jacket Flap, I'm Reading (Facebook) and Shelfari. I have also started a Facebook group for my book review blog, Bobbi's Book Nook (please come join me!) and I routinely link my book reviews to Facebook and Twitter.

Yes, sometimes my friends get tired of hearing my talk about books all the time! But I also have a group of friends who love to read and hear about what I'm reading, so it is for these people (and myself) that I keep ranting on about great books.

I also belong to a local book club at the Mercer Public Library in Kentucky - the Mercer Library Lunch Bunch Book Club. We meet on the 4th Tuesday of every month and typically have from 8 to 15 participants. This month we are reading THE RED TENT by Anita Diamant (a book I read many years ago and loved!) - I am rereading the book for the second time to refresh my memory. We get together at lunch time, bring a sack lunch, and spend an hour discussing our likes and dislikes of the current book. You get a wide range of perspectives because our participants range in age from 28 to 70+, plus, we have lots of fun.

Because most of my local friends are not readers, I don't usually swap books, but occasionally I will send a book to a friend far away. I'm a huge book whore, so I usually hold on to almost all of my books!

Note Taking

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about note taking:

Do you take notes while reading – either for your reviews or for yourself? How/where do you make these notes (on the page, post-its, scrap paper, notebooks etc)?

I am a notorious note taker when it comes to reading books, but it's because I want to remember so many things. Although I always read for pleasure, almost all the books I read end up being reviewed. I have a separate notebook I keep all the notes from books I'm reviewing. I also am a huge fan of "sticky notes" so my books are usually crammed full of them. This helps me when I'm looking for a specific passage I want to use in a review.

When I started my book review blog over 2 years ago, it was mainly going to be a way for me to keep track of the 100s of books I read every year. However, about 6 months into blogging, the book reviews began to take on a life of their own and before long, I was receiving review books in the mail. You don't know what a rush it is for a book whore like me to come home from work and find a box of books on my doorstep!

For many, many months I accepted any and all offers to read and review books, but I quickly learned this was not going to work for me. I was getting such a wide variety of books I was overwhelmed. Although I occasionally enjoy a self-help book on certain topics, many of the books I received were just that. I was also receiving many self-published books, which there is nothing wrong with, but many of these books could do with a good editor.

I finally realized I had bitten off more than I could chew - or read - so I quit requesting every new book that came down the pipeway. Now I only review books I think I will truly be interested in and my life is much happier and not as hectic.

I am currently still on a young adult book kick - mainly series books - so I was thrilled to receive a huge shipment of books last week from Candlewick Press. I did not know about this publishing house until I read Silas House's new book, ELI THE GOOD. Out of courtesy, I always send the publisher a copy of any book reviews I do, but when I check out their website, I was amazed at the collection of books I was interested in. Now I'm like a kid on Christmas morning wading through book about glorious book, so stayed tuned for many upcoming reviews.

I also have a keen interest in Kentucky authors and I try to read all I can get my hands on. The Kentucky Book Fair is coming up November 7th and I have already started making my list of which authors I want to meet and which books I want to buy. It should be very exciting.

Musing Monday - Book Wishlist

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about books on your wish list… Last week we talked about keeping a wish list. Why not pull out that list and show us some of the books you’ve been eyeing off? (Last week's prompt: Do you keep a book wish list, either on paper, Amazon/etc, or via a book database site (Shelfari, GoodReads, LibraryThing)? If yes, do you share this list with others (especially coming up to Christmas)?)

Here is a sampling of my book wish list:

1.) THE MILLENNIUM TRILOGY by Stieg Larsson
I have read THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO and THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, but I checked them out of the library. This is a compelling story I know I am going to want to read again. I would like to own the hardcovers for my home library.




2.) DIVINE MISDEMEANORS (Book #8 of the Merry Gentry series) by Laurell K. Hamilton
This one is a must have for my collection. I love the Merry Gentry series (and Anita Blake), so this is tops on my Christmas wish list. It is no secret that Hamilton is one of my favorite fictional authors. Her books are such great escapist fun that I catch myself re-reading the other books in both her series before the newest book is released. Needless to say, I own all her books.




3.) UNDER THE DOME by Stephen King
I am a huge Stephen King fan, so this is a must-have! THE STAND is one of my favorite books and this new one is supposed to have elements silimar to this classic. I can't wait to find out what's under the dome.




4.) THE SCARPETTA FACTOR by Patricia Cornwell
Kay Scarpetta is one of my favorite fictional characters. She is a strong woman in a demanding career as a medical examiner and the stories of her life are always thrilling and highly entertaining. This is the 17th book in the Scarpetta series.




5.) AMERICAN ON PURPOSE by Craig Ferguson
I LOVE Craig Ferguson!! He is hands down the funniest person on late night television. This is his second book (the first being the novel, Between the Bridge and the River), but this is a memoir. I can't wait to get my hands on this one and read it from cover to cover. I think Ferguson is a fascinating man and this book will be full of humor and interesting tales from his life.




6.) RETURN TO THE HUNDRED ACRE WOOD by David Benedictus
I love the works of A. A. Milne and I'm not sure if anyone else can ever really capture the innocence and style of Winnie-the-Pooh, but I want to give this book a try. It has been 80 years since the last Pooh book (The House at Pooh Corner) was written and for the first time a new book has been approved by the Trustees of the Pooh Properties.




7.) DEXTER BY DESIGN (Book #4 of the Dexter series) by Jeff Lindsay
This is the deliciously, evil series that sparked the hit Showtime series DEXTER. Like most book series, this one is different from the TV show and delves more in-depth into the dark character of Dexter Morgan.




8.) FIRE by Kristen Cashore
This is a prequel to Cashore's wonderful young adult book, GRACELING. A young girl "graced" with the power of ultimate survival, I was totally mesmerized by the first book and can't wait to read this newest one.




9.) SHADOWLAND (Book #3 of the Immortals series) by Alyson Noel
Not your typical young adult book, although this one deals with immortals, the main characters are definitely immortals. It's not fair to compare this series to the TWILIGHT series, because this series is a great read all by itself and it is worth checking out.




10.) U IS FOR UNDERTOW (Kinsey Millhone Mysteries) by Sue Grafton
I've waited a long time for this installment in the Kinsey Millhone series. Perpetually stuck in the 1980s (like myself), the Millhone mysteries are always a pleasure to escape to. Sadly, we are getting near the end of this series with only 5 more letters of the alphabet to go.

Reading with the TV On

Today's Musing Monday prompt: Do you listen to music while reading? Does this change if you’re reading in or out of your house? Do you have a preference of music for such occasions?

I rarely listen to music when I read, but I always have the television on as background noise. Typically, the TV is on MSNBC so I can listen to news updates with one ear while losing myself in a great book. I can't have the volume too loud because that gets distracting, but I like it loud enough so I can catch what is going on.

Musing Monday

This week's Musing Monday prompt:

How do you react to movies made of your favourite books (or even not-so-favourite books)? Do you look forward to seeing them, or avoid them? Do you like to have read the book before seeing the movie?

I'm one of those people who think a movie can never be as good as the book - however, there are exceptions to the rule.

Everyone loves the movie The Wizard of Oz - it is a timeless classic. The problem is, most of the children today - and many of their parents - have never read the original book by L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. I think it's funny that most people don't know there were NO ruby slippers in the book - the shoes were silver. Or that Glinda was the name of the Good Witch of the South, not the North. Most people think Dorothy dreamed her visit to Oz, when in fact, she actually did go to the Land of Oz. I think it's a shame most people have not read any of the 16 original books by Baum about the Land of Oz.

I loved the book The Horse Whisper, but I hated the movie - they totally changed the ending of the movie so it was unrecognizable from the book. I also had problems with the movie DUNE - as a stand alone movie, it was okay, but it strayed too far from the book for my taste. I enjoyed the book Sahara, but detested the movie. I also love the children's book The Polar Express, but thought the movie was boring. The Golden Compass, based on the book Northern Lights, should have been the beginning of a great series for kids, but the movie was lacking so much over the book.

There are some movies I think are faithful to the books, even if some detail is left out or changed. I enjoyed the Lord of the Rings trilogy and so far have enjoyed the Harry Potter movies, even though many things have been left out of both because of the length of the books. To Kill a Mockingbird was true to the book, as was The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Kite Runner, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the Tim Burton version), The Green Mile, and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

There are very few movies I enjoy better than the books, but I do have one or two favorites. Secret Garden is based on the short story Secret Garden, Secret Window and although I enjoy the story, I think the movie is wonderful and it is in my top 25 movies. Cold Mountain is a great book, but the imagery and visuals in the movie are outstanding. I really didn't like the book BLOW, but I loved the movie - maybe it was Johnny Depp, I don't know.

I love the saying:

Books - Read the Movie

I think this is what everyone should do because there is something powerful about the written word. However, I realize there are many non-readers in the world who enjoy seeing movies, I just wish they wouldn't take the movie as the whole story. So many times, the movie just doesn't compare to the enjoyment of reading the words and having the pictures form in your imagination.

Musing Monday

Today's Musing Monday prompt:

Now that we’ve come to the middle of the year, what do you think of your 2009 reading so far? Read anything interesting that you’d like to share? Any outstanding favourites?

I've read 72 books so far this year and am halfway through the 73rd. Some of my favorites are:

Skin Trade by Laurell K. Hamilton

Pryes by Derek Nikitas

The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan

Something's Rising by Silas House and Jason Howard

The Ruby Key by Holly Lisle

The Girl She Used To Be by David Cristofano

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Musing Monday

Today's Musing Monday prompt: Do you feel compelled to read prize-winning (Giller/Booker/Pulitzer etc) books? Why, or why not? Is there, perhaps, one particular award that you favour? (question courtesy of MizB)

I don't choose reading material based on awards won, simply because I've read many, many books that I thought deserved awards but never received them. Many times, my book club will choose award winning books to review, so I do read a few, but it is not a large factor in the books I personally choose to read.


However, if I do choose a book based on an award, it would have to be the Newbery Medal for children/young adult literature. The Graveyard Book - by Neil Gaiman - is the latest John Newbery Medal winner I read and I absolutely loved this book. I have a great passion for children/young adult books and in recent years, this category makes up the largest majority of my reading material.

Musing Monday

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about reading time…

Do you have a set reading time (before bed, perhaps)? Do you read more at night or during the day? Is there a day of the week, perhaps, that you set aside to catch up on reading?



I really don't have a certain reading time, because for me, any spare time is always reading time. I naturally read just before bedtime, but I run into the same problem as Rebecca - many times I get caught up in the book and have to finish reading, sacrificing sleep for a storyline.

Many times I try to read in the mornings, but this can also cause me problems. I've used the excuse, "Sorry, I overslept" way too many times, all because I just had to finish one more chapter.

The hour before I start cooking supper at night is the one hour every day I know I will be reading. The job is over, housework is done and the nightly news is on - my blissful time of day. I can read with one ear on the news, and my hubby usually gives me a 30 minute warning before he is due home. This warning gives me enough time to finish cooking supper, especially if I've gotten caught up in my reading.

I always carry a book with me, so I can capture snippets of "waiting" reading time: in traffic, in the doctor's office, at kids' activities, at the train tracks (I live in a small town, which is totally cut off when a train blows through town), or any other place I may have to wait.

Reading is like everything else, if you love to do it, like I do, then you will carve out any little niche in order to catch some reading time.

Musing Monday

This week's Musing Monday prompt:

How much time (or how many pages) do you give a book that you aren't really enjoying before you'll set it aside? If you're reading it for a book group discussion, or for review, will you give it more of a chance then, say, a book you're reading for your own interest? Why, or why not? (courtesy of MizB)


It is a rare book that I do not finish. I will typically give a book at least 100 pages before giving up on it. Many times, the best part of a book doesn't happen until the middle, so if I keep reading it sometimes turns into an enjoyable read.

If I'm reading a book for my Book Club, I will give every effort to read it before giving up on it. I have only given up on one book for the Book Club and that was CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO HEAVEN by Fannie Flagg. To me, this book was pure torture to finish and then once I got to the Book Club, I found out I wasn't the only one who did enjoy the book. It was surprising to me, because I thoroughly enjoyed Flagg's FRIED GREEN TOMATOES AT THE WHISTLE STOP CAFE.

Also, as a book reviewer, I receive numerous review copies and I find that many of the "self-published" books are the ones I don't finish, although I have found some true gems from the self-published world.

Because I respect writers and authors, I will try to give a book my fullest attention. If I truly don't like a book, I am loathe to give an extremely harsh review, so I will try to find something good about the book and then tell my readers it is not a book I would recommend.

Musing Monday

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about gift certificates ...

Do you give gift certificates to book stores as presents? If so, do you give for actual stores or online stores? Do you like to receive them yourself?


With the exception of my youngest daughter, I don't usually give gift certificates to book stores, because most of my family and friends aren't very big readers. I really don't even give my daughter many gift certificates, because she enjoys shopping in discount or used book stores.

But I do love to receive gift certificates for myself - especially from Amazon and Barnes & Nobel so I can order over the Internet. I'm looking forward to having grandchildren and I hope I can pass on the love of books to them. Maybe my grandchildren will love getting book gift certificates.

Musing Monday

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about early reading:

Do you remember how you developed a love for reading? Was it from a particular person, or person(s)? Do you remember any books that you read, or were read to you, as a young child? (question courtesy of Diane)

My parents have never been big readers like me - in fact, I'm probably the only one in my immediate family who did read. I can remember Mom reading to us from the Bible when I was 6 or 7, but I don't remember her reading us any other books.

Two people were instrumental in cultivating my love of reading: my babysitter and my grade school librarian. When I was 8, my babysitter let me read one of her own daughter's favorite books and I became hooked. That book was Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion. At the same time, my school librarian showed me her favorite book - "B" is for Betsy - and this is the first book I can remember checking out of the library.

From that time on, I have always had a book close at hand. I eventually read all of the Trixie Belden books before persuading my Mom to buy me my own copies. By 4th grade, I was a librarian assistant and it was a thrill to handle all those wonderful books.

When I was pregnant with all 3 of my girls, I read to them while they were still in the womb, and I continued reading to them until they were almost teenagers. Even with this much exposure to reading, my oldest 2 daughters don't like to read. But my youngest is just like me and she has a veracious appetite for reading.

Musing Monday

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS prompt:

Have you ever finished a book, then turned around and immediately re-read it? Why? What book(s)? (question courtesy of MizB)


Please don't laugh, but this happened to me with the Harry Potter books - I told you not to laugh!

I discovered the Harry Potter (by J.K. Rowling) books before they were truly famous in the United States. I had already bought and read numerous times, the first 3 books before the 1st book became such a HUGE success. Of course, by the time the 4th book was released, there were Harry Potter parties all over the country on the night the books were released.

As a child, I re-read each Trixie Belden(by Julie Campbell Tatham) book over and over again until the next new book was released. A Wrinkle in Time (by Madeleine L'Engle) was also another book I continued to go back to again and again, as was Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret (by Judy Blume). I also continually re-read The Betsy Books (by Carolyn Haywood) and The Three Investigators (by Robert Arthur).

As a young woman, A Pirate' Love (by Johanna Lindsey) became my favorite book and I read it so many times, the front cover finally came off. Also, Ashes in the Wind (by Kathleen E. Woodiwis). I also moved on to Stephen King - Salem's Lot and The Stand are still 2 of my favorite books and I occasionally re-read them, kind of like "comfort reads."

In my 30s, I moved on to The Bean Trees (by Barbara Kingsolver) and Feather Crowns (by Bobbie Ann Mason). I truly wanted to write like both of these wonderful authors. These are 2 books still in my collection and I still occasionally go back and re-read them.

Now in my 40s, I think I'm reliving my childhood because I've returned to young adult fantasy books. Most recently I have re-read all the new Fablehaven books (by Brandon Mull) at least 2 times before returning them to the library. Because I'm on a limited budget, I haven't been able to add them to my home collection, but they are on the top of my "Want to Add" list. I've also recently read The Graveyard Book (by Neil Gaiman) twice in a row - I was afraid I missed something and I wanted to absorb every detail.

I also enjoy the supernatural writings of Laurell K. Hamilton and I catch myself re-reading each one of the books in her two bestselling series just before a new book is released. I'm currently re-reading the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series in anticipation of the June release of Skin Trade. I'll re-read the Merry Gentry series this fall, just before the release of Divine Misdemeanor.

Dracula (by Bram Stoker) is the one book I have carried with me from my childhood to adulthood and it remains a favorite book in my home collection. I have re-read this book so many time, I can recite passages from it and it occasionally drives my family crazy.

So, yes I am a re-reader - maybe not immediately after reading the first time, like with the Harry Potter books - but I do have books I return to over and over again.

Musing Monday

Today's Musing Monday prompt:

How many books (roughly) are in your tbr pile? Is this in increasing number or does it stay stable? Do you ever experience tbr anxiety in the face of this pile? (question courtesy of Wendy)

Oh man, the question I have been dreading! My To Be Read (TBR) pile - or actually piles in my case - is so huge, I'm afraid to try and count them. I have a pile in my living room, one in the kitchen, one in the bedroom - and believe it or not, one in the bathroom. Hey, don't fault me, it's a great place to read!

Since I retired from my RN job, I have been more frugal about buying books, usually opting to only buy from my favorite authors, or books I've read from the library that I enjoyed. However, the number of review copies of books I have received over the past year is HUGE!! In addition to reduced reading time, I'm totally behind on book reviews.

Probably the largest of my TBR piles is the used chair in my living room. Of course, the reason it is unused is because it's full of books, but that's besides the point. For some reason, I'm one of those people who likes to have my books in sight, or at least at my fingertips, so my TBR "chair" is right next to where I normally sit, so current books are within easy reach.

Of course, my love of reading has rubbed off on my youngest daughter, and the TBR pile in her room is growing by leaps and bounds. She works a weekend job just to be able to support her book habit. Oh my, I've created a mini-me - and I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing!

Musing Monday

Today's Musing Monday prompt:

Do you read non-fiction regularly? Do you read it in a different way or place than you read fiction? (question courtesy of Diane)


Although I don't read as much non-fiction as I do fiction, it is still a regular part of my reading diet.

I do read non-fiction in a different way because it is easier to skip around and read chapters out of order. Half of the non-fiction I read consists of gardening books and I'm usually looking for something in particular. The rest of the non-fiction I read is usually research for a story or essay I may be writing.

Probably the best non-fiction I've read lately is Team of Rivals by Doris Kerns Goodwin. This was not just another book on Abraham Lincoln – this book focuses on Lincoln’s leadership style and his insightful understanding of human behavior and motivation. Very interesting.

Typically whenever I read non-fiction, I've always got a pen and notebook handy because I'm notorious for taking notes and writing down quotations. I also tend to read them at home in my chair, whereas fiction books I can take outside or in the car.

Musing Monday

Today's Musing Monday prompt:

We were all warned as children to 'never talk to strangers', but how do you feel about book-talk with random people? When you see people reading, do you ask what it is? Do you talk to people in the book store or the library? Why or why not? What do you do if people talk to you? (question courtesy of Dena)

I'm not much for social situations and I typically don't spend a lot of time shopping, so I rarely talk to anyone when I'm out. It's not because I'm stuck-up or anything like that, I just have a tendency to be introverted, so I don't bond well with others.

That being said, I do prattle on about books to my on-line friends. It is much easier for me to cypertalk with people than to be face-to-face. My very close friends know about my problem, so they don't give me a hard time. It is usually the "new" acquaintances I have a problem with.

So if you see me in the library or bookstore, don't be offended if I turn and run in the other direction - it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with me.

.