Update on 2023 Reading Goals

In my 2023 Reading Goals post, I wrote that my main reading goal this year is to Read Off my Shelf.

Or rather shelves as in plural.

Okay, honestly, it’s 2 entire bookcases.

There, I admitted it!

Yes, I have 2 bookcases full of books just waiting to be read.

I finally went through and catalogued all my books. I have, give or take a book, 754 756 books in my house. I say give or take because it’s likely I missed one or two or five, because while the majority of my books are in one of 6 bookcases, I do have books stacked everywhere. Like pretty much on any available surface. Including the floor.

Out of the 756 I logged, 319 321 are TBR (to be read). I figure that less than half is not a bad radio of read-to-unread. Of course, I won’t mention how many of the 756 books involves multiple copies of the same book. (I’m not looking at you Good Omens (5) or Pride and Prejudice (4)). Hey, it’s not my fault that publishers make special editions or that the British versions have a different, and often more awesome, cover.

Anyway, on this fun year-long journey of trying to read off my shelf, I figured some accountability might help. Especially since I have pledged not to buy any new books until I clear 50 off my TBR shelf. (We all know I’ll fail at that, but it’s good to have goals.)

I’ve set up a separate page for the Read Off My Shelf Challenge so everyone can easily track my progress. As I read them, I’ll mark them off and add the date read.

Let’s see how many I can get through this year!

Thoughts On the New Year (Or Why I Don’t Make Resolutions)

In the days leading up to and immediately preceding the New Year, everyone talks about making resolutions, choosing words of the year, or setting goals. For the past three days, I feel I’ve been bombard with questions like “What are your resolutions?” “What’s your word of the year?” “What are your goals for 2020?”

ENOUGH!

Continue reading “Thoughts On the New Year (Or Why I Don’t Make Resolutions)”

How I Finally Got On the Audiobook Bandwagon

This year started off rather stressful. As a result, I was in a major reading slump for the first 6-weeks of 2019. I finished exactly 1 book and that was on January 1.

I had my Goodreads 2019 reading challenge set at 78 books (1.5 books per week).

By February 15, I was 11 books behind with no relief in sight.

If you know me at all, you know that reading is a major part of my life. I love all things books. I love literary places, literary nick-knacks, literary prints, bags, shirts, and literary references. Bookstores are a second home (and maybe my primary if I ever get around to developing my bookstore idea). And libraries are my haven.

So to go over a month and a half without reading, well let’s just say it didn’t help the funk I was already in.

Continue reading “How I Finally Got On the Audiobook Bandwagon”

Where I Enter a Short Story Writing Challenge

A couple months ago, I saw an advertisement for a writing contest by NYCMidnightThe Flash Fiction Challenge. It cost a little money to enter, but winners receive prizes (first place receives $5,000!).

Like the impulse buyer I am, I immediately signed up. Who can resist a writing challenge? But I promptly had buyers remorse. I’ll never win. What was I thinking? And then I proceeded to forget about all it.

Until two days ago.

Continue reading “Where I Enter a Short Story Writing Challenge”

#BackpackEurope: Week 1 Wrap-Up

On Monday, I started the Backpack Across Europe Summer 2018 Reading Challenge. This reading challenge, hosted by the awesome folks over at The Reader’s Room, is all about exploring Europe via literature.

The challenge has rules, special events, and travel obstacles making it like a virtual board game with reading. As you know, I opted to “fly”* into Heathrow on Monday and my literary journey started with English author Emily Brontë’s classic Wuthering Heights. Continue reading “#BackpackEurope: Week 1 Wrap-Up”