Hot Summer Entertainment

In my very early years, there were no libraries around. To tell the truth, children's books weren't exactly thick on the ground in back-water Arizona. My parents provided a reading library for me--seventeen books in a set of a collection of children's stories. There were adventure stories and science fiction, mystery and poetry. It was a marvelous introduction to reading and I still own that set of books--and read them.

Then after my mother died and we moved to Indiana, I discovered the book mobile (or as our British friends call it, the mobile library). I loved it. As a lonely grieving girl I found the solace of books very comforting. I used to read under the covers at night with a flashlight.

From then on I was a voracious reader. One of my cousins had a bookcase FULL of Hardy Boys and Tom Swift. I devoured them, sometimes three and four at a time when I went to visit. Always a speedy reader, one or two books was never enough for me.

Once we moved to Chicago, I lived at the local library. In very short order I read all of Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, John Irving, every mystery I could locate and all the autobiographies the librarian could order for me.

During my teen years (actually, the entire time I lived at home) we did not own a television. The little television I watched was at friends or relatives' homes. No, reading was my entertainment of choice. We didn't have air conditioning, so I packed my bag of books and a blanket and went to the local park where I kept a weather eye on my brothers while reading in the shade. Chicago summers were never cool in my memories, but the scent of fresh cut grass and the welcome shade of gently swaying trees made my summers bearable.

Sadly, most kids today miss that. They watch television or play video games or text their friends instead of daydreaming beneath a shade tree or getting lost between the pages of a book. I don't envy them. If I had it to do over, I would still take my summer over theirs.

And yes, I still read. Everyday.

Anny

I'm Reading!

Oooooh, don't interrupt me. I'm reading!

My children probably heard that a zillion times when they were growing up. Or something similar. Dinner burned while I stirred the pot with on hand and held a book in the other. Family impatiently knocked on the bathroom door while I finished "another chapter".

I've always carried a book--or two--in my purse or diaper bag every time I left the house. And vacation? That required an entire bag of books.

Then the e-book revolution came along, making the availability of books even easier. Now I can take a library along with me when I leave my home. I enjoy that convenience, but I also love reading the print books on my library shelves at home.

I grew up with books in my home. My parents had a real reverence for books and I was taught to treat all books with respect. I look at the current generation of youth and wonder if they are growing up with that same respect for books...or if the electronic book is something viewed as less valuable and worthy.

What do you think?

anny

One Minute!

That's me. Some people require total quiet for their reading. Not me. Once engaged, I can read through riots, loud TV, kids fighting, annoying women discussing their medical issues in the doctor's waiting room, the house hunk yelling for me to check the oatmeal, and any number of other distractions.

I went to college full-time while working full-time and rearing four teenagers. My course work had a lot of required reading. I read at lunch, on my breaks, in the car, in restaurants, waiting in line, in the park, in fact everywhere I had sixty seconds of uninterrupted time.

Over the years a lot of people have questioned how I could tune out my surroundings like that. I think it's just a matter of internal focus. We used to do the same while listening to the radio. Since television came along, all our focus has shifted to the visual. And that may be why a large share of the population has difficulty with focused reading. Different media.

Oddly enough, I find myself bored with most movies and television simply because they do all the work. They tell the story, provide the visuals, and control the pace of the work. I find it irritating. I want to decide what the hero/heroine looks like. I want to determine what the surroundings are like. And of course, I can read as fast--or slow--as I wish, unhindered by someone else's timing.

If you ever believe the visual is not important when watching television or a movie, try listening to one from the other room. The visual shortcuts are two-thirds of the story. Without them, the production often makes no sense at all. That's okay. I enjoy a good visual. I'll always remember those first magical moments when the Harry Potter world came to life. But. After that, I found I quickly grew bored with the rest. After all, I'd already read the stories. That was where the magic was for me.

I read every evening. Usually, I read a book I've already read in the past. Every evening the hunk will urge me to go to bed a little earlier and get some sleep. Yet I still find myself immersed in the current story, lured on by the author's words, until I suddenly surface only to discover it's after midnight.

That's the magical world of books. I just want to finish this chapter!

anny

Second Time Around

The hunk stood in my office doorway and announced he had nothing to read. I looked around at the six-thousand-plus tomes occupying our bookcases and sighed. I've created a monster. He only reads e-books now.

There's a good reason for that. He has reading disabilities that make it very difficult to read a print book. Reading on a large (twenty-four inch!) monitor is much easier for him.

In the past, he was a slooooow reader. Now I suspect the slowness was a function of his disability. Since I bought him a digital reader for Father's Day in June and introduced him to e-books, he's plowed through more than forty books. And I'm not talking about novellas, either. He read all of J.D. Robb's "in Death" series, three Mercedes Lackey books, a couple of others I had in my e-book library, and now he's devouring the John Sandford series.

What to do? I have almost all of them in hardback. I actually like to read a print book. Purchasing them a second time in digital just seems wrong...except he's reading...and enjoying it.

Too bad there isn't a way to get a credit for the print books you've purchased when you buy them in digital. I could go for that. In the meantime, I'll just be thrilled to death he's enjoying reading again--this second time around.

anny

Before Social Media

Back in the dark ages, before the Internet, computers, social media, etc., readers learned about books by word of mouth. For the young whippersnappers out there, word of mouth was when one person finished the book and raved about it to all their friends--via the telephone and face-to-face encounters. Certain authors made out very well on the word of mouth circuit--Danielle Steel, Rosemary Rogers, Kathleen Woodiwiss, and LaVryle Spencer to name just a few.

Bookstores and publishers issued brochures with information about up-coming releases. Readers followed their favorite authors with panting eagerness. And when a new book appeared in the bookstores, it was devoured with glee. It was a happening!

If a reader really loved a certain author's books, they could write a real letter to the author and generally they would receive a real letter in return--often in the author's own handwriting! In my twenties I received letters from several of my favorite authors, letters that individually addressed subjects I mentioned in my letters to them.

While I would be the first to appreciate electronic/digital books (primarily because I can adjust the font so I can actually read them without squinting), I'm not so sure the big social media circus has enhanced the rest of the reading experience.

I rarely receive a personal recommendation for books from another reader. And those I receive are all too often of the I-scratch-your-back, you-scratch-mine variety. Everyone seems to believe if they mention their book on Facebook, Twitter, or some other electronic billboard, that will do it.

With the white noise and tsunami of digital books threatening to engulf the market, I find myself withdrawing to the safety of those authors I'm familiar with and know I'll enjoy. I'm re-reading the books already on my virtual and actual bookshelves. And my dollars are going to replacing those I've read so often they're falling apart.

What would happen if we went back to the old way--passing on our personal recommendations when we finished a book we truly enjoyed? I don't know. But in this case, I really miss the old days...

anny

Devouring Words

Have you ever noticed how with some books you zip through the pages and others you read much more slowly? Some stories drag you along at a breakneck pace. Others allow savoring of the words.

I'm not advocating that either type is better. It's just an observation. I have the notion that the fast kind is sort of like eating candy. In a short time, you find yourself dissatisfied and hungry again.

Whereas the slower one is a three course meal, something that sticks to the ribs and fills you up. Over the last three or four weeks I've read both kind. And I've even read a couple that were so slow they put me to sleep.

I suppose the trick is to find the in between ones. Something to savor, but not somnolent.The fast ones don't seem to allow time to think. Then later, when you're considering the story, you wonder why different points weren't solved or explained.

Book size doesn't seem to have anything to do with what type of story it is. I've read really long books that were one adventure after another. Those are the ones almost tailor made to be a movie. I've read others that were very short but offered a lot of food for thought.

What's your favorite type of book? Short? Long? Fast? Or slow?

anny

Spelling and Reading...

Some words just escape the brain. Personally, I think most words should be spelled phonetically. Then school would be skul. Or if you insist, skool. Wouldn't that be easier? All "ool" words would be spelled with the ool. skool, kool, rool, mool... And the "k" sound would always be a "k" only. So chek, kik, sik, lik. Much easier!

I was reading last weekend with my younger granddaughter. She had no idea of the relationship between old, gold, sold. We were reading a Dr. Seuss book and she caught on pretty quickly that the words rhymed, but not that the same sequence of letters sounded the same.

This puzzles me because that was a big part of how I was taught to read. Reading is a matter of "knowing the code". So if you know "old", then you also know how to add the letter in front to make other words like mold and fold.

I wonder why they don't teach the code anymore?

anny

Speak Up!

I had an interesting experience today. I was directed to an interesting blog by a friend. I read the blog and of course the comments. The blog was a simple opinion about an e-reader. The comments--many of them were extremely negative and angry. I commented mentioning my own positive experience with an e-reader.

And found myself the target of quite a long-winded comment about my naivete. Hmmm. Until I went to that blog I had no idea that there are so many people who downright object to technology in all its myriad forms. No idea. Needless to say, it was quite an eye-opening experience for me.

I'm trying to envision a pre-computer world. I lived in that day and age. The first computers were just barely in use when I graduated from highschool. I'm wondering if we really want to return to that age. Do we really want to do without all of our gadgets like microwaves and ipods and cell phones?

Admittedly, I wish they would out-law driving while talking on a cell phone. I can't count the number of times I've nearly been run down by people who were distracted because they were talking on their phones. I also find it annoying when people in public restrooms insist on carrying on private conversations while they occupy the stall next to mine. Are they under the impression that no one can hear them?

But all of that aside, what kind of world would we be living in now without our current level of technology? I'm a little puzzled by the objections. So tell me... what do you think? Techno--or no?

Anny

In the meantime don't forget to pop over to Amarinda's Place at www.amarindajones.blogspot.com and Kelly's Blog at www.kkirch.blogspot.com for a new perspective on life. I'm also blogging today at www.TalesoftheTrade.blogspot.com about reference books. Blessings on your day!

Reading til the wee hours...

When is the last time you sat up until the wee hours reading? You know what I mean--it's so late you may as well not go to bed?



I finished Swift of Heart at 3:30 AM this morning and I'm still not quite awake. Swift of Heart is a book written by my friend/blog partner, Amarinda Jones under her alter-ego's name of Janet Davies. You're probably wondering what kind of story could keep anyone up until 3:30 AM. Well, I have to admit that it's a pretty unusual premise.



The hero, Mac, shows up after a year long absence with no word to the heroine, Stephanie, and when she demands to know where he's been, he tells her he's been away fighting a war in his home country... in another dimension. Of course, she immediately believes him and all is forgiven--not!



Anyway, I made the mistake of starting this book while I was waiting for Yahoo to get it's act together yesterday afternoon. Janet/Amarinda had a chat scheduled that she was gracious enough to share with a few friends. In case you don't know what this is, author and friends post excerpts from their books and chat about them. Maybe there are some questions and answers from authors or readers. Everyone has a good time. As long as Yahoo is working properly!



Yesterday, however, Yahoo had a meltdown about five minutes before the chat began. No posts showed up. Frantic efforts on the Hostess' part were for naught. So once I posted a few things and waited for Yahoo to fix whatever was wrong, I thought I'll just begin this book and read for a while. Reading time is precious when you're a writer so you grab whatever time you can find to read.



Uh-huh. Never start a good book when you're going to have to keep putting it down... or since this was an e-book, I kept having to switch screens to check on the chat. Then my royalty check came and I had to run out to the bank to deposit it (no it wasn't that big, but every penny counts so rush out and buy one of my books!) Support your local author.



Then I had to stop and feed the ravening beast (my husband). Haven't quite figured out why he insists on eating every evening, but there you are. Some things are cast in stone after forty years.



Back to the chat which was hopping by then as Yahoo suddenly "fixed" whatever was wrong, though I know there were a couple of posts I sent that still hadn't showed up when I signed off at 10:30 PM. That's because our hostess extended the chat so we could still chat and post.



Ah-hah, I thought. Now I'll get to read the book. Nope. Had to deal with a couple of emergencies and a long dog walk.



Midnight. Okay, now I'll get back to Swift of Heart! The computer decided it was time to run a scheduled scan. So I puttered around while that happened. I should have done the dishes, but was too impatient by that time to mess with it.



1:00 AM. Finally, back to the saga of Mac and Stephanie. By this time, I'm determined to find out how they defeat the bad guy and win. Of course, they'll have a happy ever after--that's required, but how will they get there? How many bad guys will they have to defeat? What will it take to convince Stephanie that Mac won't disappear again?



What? You think I'm going to tell you the answers after I sat glued to my computer monitor until the wee hours? Not a chance. I will however tell you where to get your very own copy of Swift of Heart.... http://www.cerridwenpress.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419908255 by Janet Davies from Cerridwen Press. Don't delay as the sequel will be out in September.

Finally satisfied that all was well with Mac and Stephanie, I toddled off to bed. This morning I dragged my sorry ass around the house, yawning and trying to remember what I had to do today. As is my custom, I booted up the computer to check e-mail and stuff. Imagine my complete lack of surprise when I discovered that Yahoo seems to have misplaced several of my chat loops--including the one from yesterday. Guess it wasn't quite fixed, eh?

Well, that's a job for later on when I'm actually awake. In the meantime, go read what Kelly did to my sexy Scrabble story at http://www.kkirch.blogspot.com/ and then stop by Amarinda's blog to read her take on the entire chat to-do at http://www.amarindajones.blogspot.com/

I think I might go take a nap.

Anny

The Secret Vice

Some people drink. Some smoke. Others, like my husband and kids, play computer role playing games. I have variously crocheted, embroidered, done calligraphy and genealogy, and written stories. But always through the years I've been a reader. Reading requires the presence of reading material.



Recently, I've met up with several people who don't quite get this fundamental fact. One woman in particular was appalled at the amount of money I spend on books. "Go to the library," she suggested. Well, for what I pay in overdue fines, I may as well own the book. Yes, I am that worst of all persons, the one who never makes it back to the library to return the book. I finally just quit going there. Instead I buy the book and then read it... and re-read it.



On one of the chat loops I occasionally visit, they had a question recently. What do you do with you books after you read them? KEEP them, of course. So I can read them again. That's why they're called KEEPERS! I have seven bookcases (make note to self--buy another bookcase soon) that are all overflowing. I read pretty fast. I read often. And I usually read most of the books I have every year. When I buy the newest installment in a series, I read the entire series before reading the newest one. At different times--if I'm on a reading jag--I have read as many as six books in one day.

It was wonderful when I stumbled across e-books. The difficulty with a print book is that it's so hard to hide. After a while the hubby notices that books are stacked on every flat surface in the room. "When did you get this book?" he demands. "Ummm. Oh, I've had that one for a while..." (since Monday, I think). So e-books were a god-send. E-books are invisible.

I keep them stashed on my computer in the e-book file. And since they are purchased with my mad money, no alarm bells go off to snag his notice. Eventually he caught on, but it seems that his major objection wasn't the money spent, but the room occupied by the print books. Since the e-books occupy no space, he's perfectly happy for me to indulge my secret vice. So happy in fact that he bought me an e-book reader for Valentine's Day last year.

Of course, that didn't solve ALL of my problems because there are some authors that still don't sell in e-format. But the odd thing I've noticed is that I've been gradually shifting away from the print books and authors. That's primarily due to an aging problem.

The print books have tiny print I can barely read. I can set my e-reader on large print so I can see it. Isn't that wonderful? And if that isn't big enough, then I can go up to the next size. There now. That's much better!

I have an idea as more and more of the population reaches the post fifties, that e-readers may become wildly popular. I hope so because then my favorite authors will be available in e-format. In the meantime, I'll enjoy the work of my fellow authors at Ellora's Cave and Cerridwen Press. Discovery of new talent is always one of the joys of my secret vice.

Anny

Don't forget to trot over to Kelly's site and see what she's done with Emmeline at www.kkirch.blogspot.com and then check out Amarinda at her best at www.amarindajones.blogspot.com