A Place and Time for Reading (a discussion on time-management)

I've mentioned before my recent step up to a full-time librarian position.  This has been goal for some time.  I'm thrilled, no doubt. 

But who knew it would be so difficult to get any reading or blogging in?  Others may have, but it's been a reality check for me.  I guess this happened before.  I've had other jobs that were just short of "full time."  But I didn't notice it as much.  Or, more likely, I conveniently forgot.  Whatever the case, here's my thoughts/revelations...

I used to say, when I was a student (even in grad school), that people who said they didn't have time to read just didn't MAKE the time.  I still believe that, but in a whole new way.  I now understand that you may need to schedule reading in.  Like set aside specific times.  And that sometimes you may have the actual time to slip some reading in, but not the energy.

So how do you manage your reading (and blogging if applicable)?  Do you have a set time you read (blog)?  Do you grab every chance you get?  Or do you not get much quantity reading in, but focus on quality reading (blogging)?  What do you juggle in your schedule ... family, illness, school, work, activities/hobbies...?

Please, let me know.  I'd love to get some new perspective.

And if you're interested, I have some VERY guesstimated number-crunching...

Once upon a time I read between 300 - 400 books a year.  Some thin ones, some bulky ones.
That number has decreased over time.  I'd say last year I was around 150-200? Give or take? 

So far in 2013, I've read about 28-30 books based on the number of MG through Adult books I've blogged about.  ::sigh::  I miss reading.

Couple things - Thoughts? Opinions? Plus, 1 book read since the last post...

1) What do you think of the mini-review thing I've been doing. This is a change I made as part of my attempt to keep blogging in my life w/o becoming overwhelmed by it.  It was supposed to be just a line or two, and I know I've been getting a bit longer with some, but do you like? Dislike?  I know it's simpler on my part.  I don't think I'll be going back to providing all the details I was.  I could add cover images again, though.  And I've been mostly linking to Paperbackswap, but I could link to somewhere else.  I hesitate to do Amazon, but maybe Goodreads even thought I'm not on there?  Or somewhere else?  I'd love to hear any thoughts or suggestions.  I'd like this blog to fit me AND my readers.

2) I have a surplus of books that I'd like to read.  I'm reading Reckoning by Lili St. Crow next, and then I need to read something for the Vintage Mystery Challenge but after that?  Another cozy mystery (I've been doing a lot of those)?  A fantasy?  A romance? I have some of several genres and themes and formats.  I'm flexible.  Too flexible - that's my problem now.  So suggestions?  What do you prefer hearing the most about?

3) Since posting on Thanksgiving Day I've read Shoe Done It (Accessories Mystery, Bk 1) by Grace Carroll (personal copy - received through paperbackswap.com).  After surprisingly enjoying the Haley Randolph Mysteries - a series with a huge focus on handbags - I hoped this first in series would work for me too.  It had it's pros and cons, but the biggie for me is that the protag Rita Jewel is annoying.  It might be easiest to give an example...

Her boss has this designer dress that a customer requested but changes her mind on.  The boss turns to Rita and tells her how it will work on her, and "pay when she can."  Rita then tells me, as the reader, see how generous she is?  How can I refuse anything she asks?  Umm, yeah.  She's so generous she talks you into buying a pricey dress you don't need and weren't looking for to get it out of her shop where she knows her other customers aren't gonna want it either.

Anyway, the story didn't drag, and I was generally interested.  But that door-mat trait (cuz sorry, that's what I get from that scene) doesn't gel well with me.  I'm still debating about whether I'll continue with the series.  I'll have to see how things work out.

I thought I didn't care...

I've run into a problem.  I started this blog thinking to record my readings and thoughts.  I continued this blog finding it a source of social interaction scarce in real life, particularly when it comes to interacting around books and a love of books.

But I became complacent about my blogging.  In fact, I let my blog sit for a few months. In that time I kept my "followers" but from what I can tell (comments, Google Stats) I lost my actual readership.  Little readership = little social interaction.

I suspect I already know some things I could do to help with this problem:

1. Giveaways - I've always been hesitant to do these.  I do have some ideas.  In fact, I have one I've been "planning" on for months.  But I keep holding back.
2. Memes -  I was much more active in these when I started.  Two problems with memes, though.  a) I find myself losing time on the days that my favorite memes take place and miss my chance, and b) From what I've seen, memes mostly just draw readership to the meme post itself, not the overall blog.
3. Interviews -  I've actually had another blogger suggest this in response to a post I did last year asking about doing giveaways or not.  But I let nerves get to me.  I never requested any interviews (though the giveaway mentioned in number 1 would do best with an interview).
4. Commenting -  I've seen over and over that commenting it a good way to get people to your own blog.  The problem is being authentic and actually having something to say.
5. Reviewing very recently published or not yet published books - Who doesn't want to read the most current info, etc. out there?  But I haven't really tried to get any books from publishers/authors for review.  I avoid the pressure of doing so.

You may have noticed in the list above that my biggest downfall is fear/nerves.  That's something I'm just going to have to learn to get over, but until I do...

Anyway, do you have any methods I should be adding to my list?  Have you had any of the same problems?  Or do you have any advice for working past those nerves?

De-Cluttering Personal Challenge

A library in the area had a display of books on organization.  Looking back, my guess is it was aimed at those with New Year resolutions.  All I know is that I was drawn in, and ended up checking out The Clutter-Busting Handbook: Clean It Up, Clear It Out, and Keep Your Life Clutter-Free by Rita Emmett.  So I've been reading it and feeling inspired.  I don't really expect my life to become clutter free.  However, I do hope to at least make the one area of my life where I am clutter-central (my books) a little more manageable.  This will mean, for at least part, donating.

So... do you have any ideas about where I can donate?  I do have some obvious (to me) options... the local library, the local Goodwill, or a Reading Tree box.  (I'm afraid online giveaways aren't really an option... packaging and postage cost money I can't really afford.)  But do you have any more creative or personal ideas?  I figure the more personal and creative, the more motivated I might be to actually give the books up. =)

A Reading Slump (Discussion/Question)

Do you have reading (and or blogging) slumps?

If you haven't noticed from my blogging I'm in a reading/blogging slump.

When do you get reading slumps? ... What causes them?

I've been in full-on avoidance of pressure mode and that (unfortunately) means vegging in front of the TV and little else (oh, and sleeping, but I'm blaming the nasty cold I got for that).

I read one book this past week (The Tale of Despereaux: being the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread by Kate DiCamillo, Illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering). That isn't normal for me.

Please pardon me while I make a brief detour. The discussion will eventually get back on track...

Now to update on my last discussion/question (THANKS for all the advice/responses!), I ended up going back to B&N on Tuesday (following my post). That was sooner than I planned and meant I didn't get the opportunity to research. While there, I remembered one book I do still need by a favorite author of mine (Robin D. Owens). Unfortunately, they didn't have anything by her in stock. I'll be buying Heart Change online. But I've been waiting until I can get the rest of the series (currently boxed up at my brother's house).

Which brings me back to the question on hand. I'm sure I can get out of this reading slump once I have a series I know and love on hand (and I may sneak some other comfort reading books while I'm at it). Comfort reading can pretty much always get me out of a slump.

How do you get past reading slumps?
(And doesn't that sound like some horrible disease?)

Who ever thought spending money on books would be hard?

This is another question post.  I would LOVE some input... comments, advice, whatever...

I'm in a weird spot.  If you've been reading my blog, you probably know I am unemployed and flat broke.  This means, other than a standing order for JAK/JC/AQ books (which has since been cancelled), I have not purchased a new book (non-textbook) in at least 6 months, maybe closer to a year.  All books coming in have come through PBS, purchased used at low prices (under $1), checked out at the library...  Even the B&N gift card I got for my Birthday (back in Sept.) went toward spring semester's text books.  I simply haven't been able to justify purchasing a book new.  Which brings me to the following...

I helped my mother with some stuff around the house in exchange for some spending money ($10-15).  Today she offered to up the amount received if I took it in the form of a B&N gift card she had (along w/ helping out w/ a few additional chores).  So I went to B&N with a $25 GC and 10% coupon (received in my email)... and bought nothing.  That's right. NOTHING.

It was so overwhelming!  How do I choose one WL item over another?  I don't want to purchase my first new book in ages if it's not a keeper, but I don't want to waste this opportunity purchasing a re-read either.  And what about all the fascinating looking books I discovered just walking through the store? Choices, choices, choices! (Another option is to use the GC to renew my membership, but then I won't have any money to spend, so what good would the member discount be?)

So question(s): Have you ever found spending money on books difficult? (Please keep in mind, this was in the form of a GC for a bookstore so bills, food, clothes, gas, and other such necessities aren't reasons not to spend it.)  If you had so many choices and limited resources, how would you decide?  Oh, and I worked for this and am keeping it for myself. ;p

My ma also got a GC for Olive Garden (she got to choose from a list as a fift from the company she works at for Secretary's Day, if you were wondering), so she has said we'll go to B&N (again, for me) sometime this week (b4 my coupon expires) and go to Olive Garden afterwards.  I need to have some idea of what I'm getting by then...

Blogs and Giveaways (or Not)

This is NOT a giveaway post.

It does have a point (in a meandering sort of way).

Please (at least) check out the end. I would love comments and opinions...

I mentioned (in a comment) on my post about book hoarding a little while back that I hoped to hold my first giveaway on this blog this April.

Last year I held one through the eHarlequin community. I worked all year since then to increase my offerings. In addition to a number of category romances (large-print included), I can now offer some general (paranormal, contemporary, and maybe a couple historical) romances, some mysteries, and a few children's chapter books.

All are are Christmas books ... the giveaway would be called "Christmas in April" ... You can see what I did last April (and details about why Christmas and why April) here.)

Anyway, I had great plans, and by the time April came around...I couldn't (can't) afford the giveaway. My only other opportunity for 2010 being in August (I think. If I remember correctly, at least one state holds the event the giveaway was based on in August). It doesn't feel right, but if I'm able to financially by then, I'll do it anyway.

In the meantime...

What are your thoughts on Book Blogs and giveaways? Do you prefer them? Can you do without?
I know many book blog readers just want to discuss (and discover) books (and socialize with people of like interests).

But I also know giveaways can really build up readership. (Though I'm not sure mine would have had that effect anyway. The giveaway I planned is very themed and heavy on the category/series romance.)  Have you held giveaways before?  How did it go?  What positives and negatives did you encounter?

To Read or To... [Fill in the Blank]

Sleep?
Study?
Write a paper?
Take an exam?
Clean?
Deal with finances?
...

The list goes on. I've been very busy this week. Which means I've been struggling to balance the reading that I need so much and the various obligations I have. So the question I have is simple (or not).

What are your priorities? How do you find balance between reading and life?

What Kind of Reader Are You? Part 1

Some common reader questions. My answers can be found at: What Kind of Reader Are You? Part 2.

Are you the type that plans what your reading ahead of time? Or are you more the spontaneous type?

Do you read more than one book at a time? If you do, are they all different genres and types?

Are you a hoarder, do you have keepers, or are you a one-time-only reader?

Do you finish every book you read, do you set aside books you just aren't getting into or enjoying, or will you only have a DNF (Did Not Finish) on rare occasion?

Do you read series books in order? Do you read series book one after the other? Or do you break them up? If you break them up - after how many and with what? A different author, a different genre....?

Are you a slow reader? Or fast? Or "average"?

Do you read a book in one sitting, or spread it out?

Do you plan when you'll read? Or pick up a book whenever you have time available? Do you always have a book on hand?