Part 2: To Be Read or Not to Be Read...

Continued from yesterday....(see the post that began this here )


7. Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?

Yes, because I picked up that habit when I was a book reviewer for magazines. When I did my column, I had to read around 10 books for every 3 I reviewed. I can read really fast if I want to. I like to mix up the types of books I'm reading at one time, too. Nonfiction, fiction and various genres. I also am a huge magazine reader. I read the newspaper cover-to-cover, too.

8. Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?

Nonfiction usually requires a different part of my brain than the fiction, and sometimes with nonfiction I take notes or underline or highlight or even put post-its into the text. Fiction I just read, unless I'm working on a manuscript for someone or analyzing it for a contest.

9. Do you buy most of the books you read, or borrow them, or check them out of the library?

Ok, here's the horrible thing about me--I don't belong to a library because I live in an area where I can't get a card. (ARRGH!) I can have a library card for my alma mater college, but I rarely go there, as it is a journey and parking is awful. I get many books sent to me as ARCs (advanced reading copy) because of what I do, and I buy tons of books as well. I'm a junkie, it's true. My husband hates it.

I sometimes wish I lived in Gas City, Indiana because I've heard they carry a lot of the books I like to read at their library. I sometimes win books on blogs, too. But because I get so many books, I don't usually enter unless I haven't been able to get the book they're offering.

10. Do you keep most of the books you buy? If not, what do you do with them?

I either have to keep the ARCs or destroy them. I keep the ones(ARCs) I want to study. I do have way too many books and I lend many to others, give them away (either in person or on my blogs) or I donate them to that dratted library where I can't get a card, or to church libraries if they are Christian books. I've actually started a new wing in one church. ha

I, of course, keep my favorites! (And any unread ones that I am still hoping to get to!)I went out and bought the Little Women set of dolls by Wendy Lawton but I was unable to find Marmee, which was a heartbreak for me. I did love that book, of course.

11. If you have children, what are some of the favorite books you have shared with them?

Oh, my. My boys are now ages 23-17. My oldest loved Go Dog, Go! I also was a teacher so of course, I shared many books with my classes. I took children's literature in college and read well over 100books in that class. I wanted to be a children's author.

Shel Silverstein was my favorite by far and I used his poetry and stories for many projects.

Lord of the Rings, Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The Outsiders, To Kill a Mockingbird when they were old enough, Narnia books, Ol' Yeller, Frank Peretti books. I have four boys and read incessantly to them when they were young(I bought whole libraries of books,) but when they got older I tricked them--I would start a book and stop reading in the most exciting part. I'd tell them I didn't have time to read any further and they'd practically tear the book out of my hand to finish it themselves. It's an ol' Indian trick I used as a teacher with my sixth graders. The librarian once asked me what in the world I was doing in my classroom because kids would tear into the library requesting the very book I'd just returned. Ha!



12. What are you reading now?

A Ginger Garrett ARC called In the Shadow of the Lions.

It's for review (a magazine) and I also have 3 more stacked up to read before August 15th.
Surviving the Fitness Game by JoAnna Ward
The Mommie Diaries edited by Tally Flint
Murder by Family by Kent Whitaker

Also, for my personal reading, Walking on Water by Madeleine L'Engle.


I'm trying to get to Joel Rosenberg's Dead Heat. Love his books.

I also want to read Sharon Hinck's Restorer series, and Jill Elizabeth Nelson's series. I am also getting Cathy Hake's latest series, the Heartsong Mysteries line, and Sharlene MacLaren's series. I read Cathy Hake's Bittersweet and Sharon's Loving Liza Jane, both historical romances which I loved both and was hooked on new authors.



13. Do you keep a TBR (to be read) list?

No, but I have a rather HUGE TBR pile. Sigh. I have them and just stack them in baskets!

14. What’s next?
I just finished Writing for the Soul by Jerry Jenkins and picked up The Mind of Your Story by Lisa Lenard-Cook.

I'm finishing the rather large pile of Heartsong Mysteries. I'm really interested in their line, but had not had time to read but one of them so far (Suspicion of Strawberries by Lynette Sowell, which is set in my home area in Tennessee.)

I'm nor even mentioning the legion of recipe books, food books, diet books, fitness books and fashion books that I read just for fun.

15. What books would you like to reread?
I reread these books occasionally: My Life and Hard Times by James Thurber, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, On Writing by Stephen King. I don't usually pick up novels to reread because there are so many new ones to read. I sometimes will flip through one to give examples to manuscript clients.


16. Who are your favorite authors? This is probably a trick question. Ugh. I love, love, love to read.

Besides the books I've mentioned above I have a fondness for picking up these authors each time they release something else:

Lisa Wingate
John Grisham (his legal thriller books)
Siri Mitchell
Joel Rosenberg
Dee Henderson (where are you, Dee?)
Jill Elizabeth Nelson
Sharon Hinck
Brandt Dodson
Ginger Garrett
Lynn Austin
Susan Downs' and Susan Warren's Heirs of Anton
Sharlene MacLaren

and I love Indiana authors:
Cara Putman
Ramona Cecil
Colleen Coble
Diann Hunt
Denise Hunter
Janet Dean
Brandt Dodson
Rick Barry
Rachael Phillips

And new authors:
Camy Tang
Mary Connealy


and my favorite children's authors:
Wendy Lawton
Andy McGuire
as well as the ones listed on my Kids Who Grew Up to Write for Kids list above.

Any Heartsongs and Love Inspireds (especially the historicals)
Heartsong Mysteries and Love Inspired Suspense



Your turn! Do this meme on your blog and leave a link in the comments! (Or comment on a question with your own reading habits here.) I will certainly listen to your comments on your favorites!