Hi, all! First, I must apologize. I missed my regularly scheduled blog date last month while in the OMG-I-will-never-finish-this-story mode combined with moving out of state. Thankfully, I did finish the story in question and now I'm mostly unpacked. Since I'm out from behind an overdue deadline and all the joys of moving (i.e., tabulating what's lost, broken, or doesn't work the way it was supposed to), I can finally begin to catch up on all the things that had been backburnered. My inbox has been a scary, neglected place, for starters, and I have some interviews to complete, but in addition to that - and starting Vlad's novel this week - there's something else I'm anxious to catch up on.
Reading.
It's true that I spend most of my days reading one thing or another, but writing/revising my own words, business and personal emails, blogs, Tweets, etc., just aren't the same as sitting down and getting absorbed in a novel. When I'm in the later stages of finishing a book, or behind on a deadline, as was the recent case, my reading-for-enjoyment time is cut to almost nil. No matter your field - office worker, entrepreneur, SAHM (and anyone who doesn't consider that a job has never been around kids) - many people with a looming or overdue obligation will trim entertainments first from their schedule. That's normal. But something I've realized is that once the imperative obligation is met, adding reading back into my schedule is essential. Reading, for me, is about more than entertainment. It's the source of emotional and creative recharging, and this was true even before I became a writer.
So with the knowledge that all work and no reading makes Jeaniene a dull girl - not to mention an emotionally and creatively burnt girl - I've started to make a dent in my TBR pile. Over the weekend, I glommed through DEAD RECKONING by Charlaine Harris. Next up is MAGIC SLAYS, by Ilona Andrews (go ahead and hate me because I have an Arc, lol), and then UNHOLY GHOSTS by Stacia Kane. After that, who knows, but considering the size of my TBR pile, I have a lot of options.
What's next on your reading list? And does anyone else finds themselves burned out and cranky if they don't fit reading time back into their schedule?
- Jeaniene Frost
20 comments:
Happy to hear you're getting settled.
I get really grumpy when I don't get to read. My TBR pile is huge but I can't stop adding to it. I just LOVE books! I'm currently reading a YA EONA and then will begin LAND OF PAINTED CAVES. It amazes me that I began Auel's series back in 1980!
I know the feeling girl. Which is why I added book reviewer to my platform. I have to read and I'm forced to be picky so my juices are recharged and my platform is built too.
I find reading helps me relax and unwind, that is why my bookcase is in my room close to my bed. The last thing I do before going to sleep is turn on my reading light and read a few chapters. My TBR list is long, right now I'm on a Kim Harrison novel and then on to Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harrison. Glad to hear Vlad's book is in progress, can't wait to add that to my TBR list.
I love to read. It is my relaxation and my escape. If I am grumpy or irritable, my husband will tell me to "go and read" because he knows that is what I need. When people complain that I spend too much time reading, I respond by saying that at least this is a healthy way to escape the stress of the day! Hopefully, something I can impart on my kids.
Here's to great books, stories and their writers!
I try to read at least a half hour every day. I really miss it if I can't fir in some reading time. I plan to start The Bird of the River by Kage Baker after I finish my current book.
When I get bogged down with writing a book and the horror of looming deadlines, I find that it's easy for me to forget how badly I actually need to read for relaxation. And after getting my newest list of deadlines, it may be a while before I get to read again. My TBR pile is actually a TBR mountain, but right now I am dabbling in reading historical romances as a way of escaping.
I haven't read in too long. And I feel my creativity is burnt out, really. So I've just started reading P.C. and Kristin Cast's "Awakened" in the "House of Night"-series. I love that series, but, not to be a kiss-ass or anything, "Night Huntress" is my absolute favourite.
I have about thirteen books I've bought and thought to myself I must read, but because my studies are taking so much time, the books are just standing in my shelf collecting dust. Big shame on me.
I love reading!! When I find life starting to stress me out, I pick up a book and live in their world for awhile. Right now I am reading Torn by Amanda Hocking.
I read whenever I can and where ever I am mainly before I sleep it helps me to relax.. At the moment I am reading The Demonslayer series Deamonfire, Hellfire and Starfire by Kate Douglas..Then onto Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris and others that have just been released...
YEAH VLAD!!!
I'm currently reading Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill and next is Dead Reckoning (Mother's Day gift) and after that ..... I have a HUGE TBR. But Magic Slays is already pre-ordered so I'll be digging into that at the end of the month.
Lol...I won't hate you because I already read my arc of Magic Slays and I can tell you it was good...I do a lot of reading on weekends but the last couple of ones have been bad so I'm a little crankby about that but I do have both Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill to read and Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris to read for fun and a bunch of other books too...lol
Can I just say...OMG VLADDDDDDD I love you man.
Okay now that's out of the way. I am going to start a new book today from a brand new author. The book is called Hounded by Kevin Hearne. It's a UF which I don't usually read but it sounds good so I giving it a try.
After finishing the Fever series by KMMoning which was time consuming as well as and emotional roller coaster, I will devote some time to my beloved Midnight Breed series and the I have made my promises to Hounded and Enclave.
Personally, I get downright grumpy when I don't have time to read. I almost feel that reading is my way of meditating out of the real world. I internalize everything that goes on in my life to the point that I can NEVER get my mind off of work, etc. When I'm reading, I can escape from it all and my brain can take a vacation into whatever world I'm in when I'm reading that book. It is truly the only way for my mind to be distracted away from all of the nagging worries that are continuously crammed in there.
I have a Nook, so I try to keep a good backlog of TBR books, but I find that I get wrapped up in a series and usually have to read every book in a row to be happy. (When is the next Cat and Bones booking coming out again????) that said, Alexandra Ivy's series is my current obsession. And I wait with baited breath for the next book in the series from authors: L. A. Banks, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kim Harrison, Gena Showalter and list could go on and on....
I don't care what kind of day I'm having, or how busy I am, I just have to read at some point. That's non-negotiable!
The next books I'm looking forward to are the new Sookie and the new Chicagoland. And the next Lynsay Sands, and Gail Carriger and Jeaniene Frost and Lara Adrian too!
I just recently bought a Kindle, so of course I'm amassing a collection there as well. But for my favorite writers (like the ones listed above and so many others) I'm sticking to paper. As much as I love my Kindle, there's just something about the permanence of actual books that appeals to me.
And so, I await my shipment from Amazon...
vlad has a book soon! shut up! i think that made my day! i have a bunch that i want to read still but currently im reading the new cassandra clare book from the mortal instrument series. next is devious by lisa jackson. and then i want to read charlaine harris new book. i also want to start palmela palmers books too.
~ kristin
Hi Jeaniene!
I agree with you 100%. For me reading is not only a form of entertainment but a necessary way to unwind and escape from the stressors of life and reality.
Reading has helped me get through some of the most difficult times in my life. It has helped me maintain my sanity and helped maintain hope during those difficult times. So thank you Jeaniene for Cat & Bones!!! They were my salvation during a difficult time in my life and helped me believe in hope and possibilities. :)
Right now I want to catch up with the Lords of the Underworld series by Gena Showalter, read two new books from a rising indie writer, Tina Folsom (Scanguard Vampires - Book #4 - Yvette's Haven and Venice Vampyr - Book #3 - Sinful Treasure) and Book 2 in the new Sweetblood series by Laurie London - Embraced by Blood. :)
I agree totally with you. While I'm waiting for my date with Vlad, I've been reading the Game of Throne books by George R R Martin. I'm in book 2 now and have to say since I'm not a subscriber to HBO, I can't wait to see the series on NetFlix, should be really good.
Sorry I'm late commenting... I am a BEAR if I don't get to read. You described perfectly why that is-- it does recharge me emotionally. It's my version of "Calgon Take Me Away":)
I growled just a bit when you said you had Ilona's new one- Jocelyn's next release is always one I'm MORE than ready for too.
I almost never had time to read for fun as a stay at home mom. I used to only read fiction (other than kids' books) when a new one came out in two series that I had started, The Wheel of Time and Harry Potter. I gave up Wheel of time, finished the Harry Potter series. Got back into reading when several friends said I had to read the Twilight series, then read Charlaine Harris' Sookie series, then Kim Harrison's The Hollows. I learned after kid #3 that I had to make time for reading. Just to have some time to myself to relax and enjoy a book is vital to my mental health. Night Huntress is one of my favorites along with Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series. I am anxiously awaiting Magic Slays on 5/31. I recently finished 3 books from series I like a lot, Dead Reckoning by Harris, Mona Lisa Eclipsing by Sunny Chen, and Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill. I liked Karen Marie Moning's Fever series a lot and am reading her Highlander series now as it ties in somewhat. Liked her Fever books better though.
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