Reading as Escape(Repeatedly)

I’m on Spring Break! Officially it began for me on Thursday but I’ve been relaxing most of the week. Needless to say, the way that I’ve been relaxing is by reading.

 Reading is my number one hobby. It’s my comfort, escape, and solace. For me, there’s something relaxing about reading that can’t be beat by any of my other hobbies. No matter what format or genre, I love being in bed with a book; just slipping into the worlds these authors create. As I mentioned in a previous post, I went to the library over a week ago and picked up a stack of books. I stayed up until after 3:00 this morning reading Catherine Coulter’s Enigma and am now less than a hundred pages into Harlan Coben’s Don’t Let Go. 

 One of my favorite parts of being a reader is getting to experience different lives, occupations and worlds. The pages of books really do allow you to live other experiences. I think that my love of books translates to my ability to see the plot twists in movies and TV shows. I may finish this book tonight or tomorrow but then I’ll definitely be diving into the next one. I’m sure that Monday will see me picking up another stack of books as I eagerly await the delivery of pre-ordered books from Amazon.

Note:The picture above is one of my favorite reads from my latest library pick up. If you haven’t had the chance to read it, please check it out when you have time. It’s a wonderful blend of history and fiction. 

Giving Up

 

As I have stated many times before, I am a long-time reader. I love reading, love books, love stories. There is no way to describe the joy I feel at having a book in my hand or the fact that I have come to feel the same way about ebooks. I can still recall the struggle I put myself through trying to finish Uncle Tom’s Cabin and how I kept giving myself pep talks about not letting a book defeat me. Thank God for growth. I no longer force it; if the book doesn’t work for me, it just doesn’t.

On Monday, I stopped at my local library and picked up a new stack of books. I probably picked up at least eight books but I’m sure it was easily ten. I finished one book and started another one and stalled.  I picked up another one and that one was quickly put down as well as I chose to start reading a title by J.D. Robb. I haven’t finished that one either because I chose to start rereading one of my favorite titles by another author.

I have no doubt that by the time these books are due in another week and a half that I will have read the bulk of them. But what I won’t do is keep trying to force myself to finish books that don’t hold my attention. There are too many great books out there for that!

Writing Plans-2018

 

Here’s something that I haven’t done in a while but today’s post is a twist on it. Each year, I usually create a list of stories that I plan to complete as part of my writing goals for the year. I haven’t done it in a few years so this year I decided to tweak it and my writing goals.This year, I am sharing the pieces that I plan to complete in 2018. It’s quite a list and while I’m not including the plots for each piece I am sharing the work that will need to be completed on each one. I also realize that it’s March(almost April) but I have taken some steps while working on this. Not big steps but I have done some work.

The Pride :(organize, complete, edit) Possible poetry manuscript to publish/chapbook.

Jeopardy :(organize, complete, revise)

The Funeral: (write)

Savage Love: (complete, revise)

Tasting Salt:(revise/additions)

Motherhood:(revise/additions) 

One of the pieces that I anticipate being the hardest is my thesis project, Tasting Salt, because it’s such an emotional piece for me. I may join a writer’s group and workshop that a bit to get some help on making revisions.

Have any of you set writing goals for the year? If so, what are they? And how successful have you been so far in working on them?