Confessions of a Book-a-holic
Confession #1: I love blog Reading Lists.
You know. The blogger’s log of all the books he’s read lately.
When I see what he reads in his spare time, I know him better. After all, You Are What You Read.
And while I’m picking through the list, I often find a couple of titles to add to my gotta-read-it list.
Confession #2: I didn’t intend to read lots of books this year.
Even though I love reading, I’m supposed to be writing and I generally don’t write when I’m reading. Somehow, when I’m in the middle of someone else’s story, mine won’t surface.
Which lead me to . . .
Confession #3: I didn’t do much writing this year.
My bad.
Therefore, my New Year’s resolution is: Read less. Write more.
In the meantime, I’ll snoop other bloggers’ reading lists, and update my own.
Here’s a link to my 2011 log, but the whittled version appears below. (in no particular order)
Top 10 Faves
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
The Robe, by Lloyd Cassel Douglas
The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands, Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Adult Children, by John & Linda Friel
How to Grow a Novel, by Sol Stein
The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver
Room, by Emma Donoghue
June Bug, by Chris Fabry
On Writing, by Stephen King
Plot & Structure, by James Scott Bell
If you are what you read, then I must be . . .
A determined writer, frazzled wife, struggling Christian, who is entertained by . . . curiously inspirational, juvenile, and/or slightly twisted stories.
Yep, that’s me.
Great post V.V.! I have just finished reading plot and structure it is awesome. The best book on plot I understood from start to finish
I wrote loads in 2009/2010 and some of that has come to fruition, but I knew I needed a reading year and 2011 was just that. My favourite read was The Doctor’s Lady, and I enjoyed lots of picture books of course and some Middle Grade too. I discovered a few authors I love reading and look forward to discovering a few more in 2012. I plan to make 2012 more of a writing/craft of writing year, so i’ll have to put reading for pleasure on the back burner for a bit. I have my Goodreads link at the bottom of my blog. Enjoy the holidays!
I’m looking forward to reading The Doctor’s Lady. Loved the Preacher’s Bride.
I think that is the hardest part for me as a writer–the curbed reading time. However, I do keep a log every year of my reading and my writing (so I can look back and see if I actually DID anything all year or not!) and I found that this year I wrote a lot AND I read a lot! In my book, that constitutes a great year!
However, I never can come up with a “favorite” read. They are all different, and I love (most of) them for their uniqueness. Like my children. (And yes, that is kind of a cop-out since I have so many friends whose books I read in any given year!) But be encouraged, VV. Reading is a necessary part of writing, so really all that reading was laying the groundwork for more writing to come. 
That’s exactly how I feel, Anne. Every book I read this year, helped me to work through plot and character issues in my novel. Even though I didn’t do much writing, I did a ton of THINKING. Thank you so much for your encouragement. I hadn’t considered keeping a writing log. Sounds like a good idea.
Censoring an Iranian Love Story by Shahriar Mandanipour was by far my favorite read this year. Usually I don’t have a favorite, but this one was all types of awesomeness- from the inner story with a censorship character, to the outer love story it was all pretty fantastic.
I do keep a list, feel free to look. As for what it says about me, it’s pretty mixed. X) http://munchingontheapple.wordpress.com/eating-what/
Thanks for the link. I see you enjoy the classics. Hat’s off to you!
I read “The Poisonwood Bible” many years ago and it’s still one of my favorites. I have “Room” on my nightstand to read. And I do keep a reading log on my blog. But I think this Thursday I’ll be doing a Year in Books post. Stay tuned …
Just visited your reading list. You’ve got a lot of books over there that I need to check out. I’ve bookmarked your list for future reference!
I am the opposite, V.V. I have to read while I’m writing. I find it hugely inspirational. I LOVED Room – one of my favorites in 2011, along with The Story of Beautiful Girl, by Rachel Simon (a lovely author I had coffee with a few weeks ago… she also wrote “Riding the Bus with My Sister.”).
Here’s to a productive 2012!
Funny you should say that. Some books really inspire me to write . . . but I spend too much time reading and never write anything.
Great list! Seems many of us devoured The Hunger Games series this year. You know what . . . I read TONS this year and didn’t write as much as I wanted to either. Hmmmm . . . I wonder if there’s something to that.
Thanks for your comments on this years and last years “holiday” posts!
Wishing you a happy new year! To more writing for both of us in 2012!
I can’t wait to read the rest of the Hunger Games series. That’s not a genre I usually enjoy, but they are so well written. No wonder everybody is reading them.
I love this post, because I, too, am a bonafide book-a-holic! And proud of it, too.
My favorite read this year has to be To Die For by Sandra Byrd. I’d recommend it to everyone! It’s the story of Anne Boleyn (one of the many wives of King Henry the VIII) as told by her best friend and lady in waiting, Meg. It was full of court intrigue, romance, and some amazing spiritual principles. I’m tellin’ you, a must-read!
I love this post too, because I’m getting lots of great suggestions for my 2012 reading list.