INTERVENTION NEEDED? OR JUST TIME.....

Well I think it is official....I AM A BOOKAHOLIC"!  I just cleaned my library, took everything off the shelves, dusted and sorted the books and put them back on the shelves.  I think I may have an addiction to books.  But then perhaps not so much.  Perhaps that is what writers do....buy books to read to see how others write.  There are so many styles, so many thoughts and stories, twists and turns, dialects, and renderings.  That makes me think of a passage in a wonderful book I am reading by Antonia Fraser  Must You Go?: My Life with Harold Pinter.  It is written primarily from her diary and in one part she speaks of talking to a writer who "reveals that he writes fiction and non-fiction quite differently, typewriter v. hand-writing." She goes on to say "I love hearing details of writers crafts. As cannibals eat the brains of clever men to get cleverer".  I love that thought because that is a big part of why I read all kinds of books and books on writing.

But perhaps I do need an intervention.  I have counted them and I have 1 paperback book I am reading A Yellow Raft in Blue Water: A Novel,68 new books (some used, but new to me) that I have not yet read, 12 more books on writing, some started, some read, some not yet read, 4 borrowed books--not yet read, 4 borrowed books read and not yet returned, 15 new e-books....yes, not yet read and 3 e-books I'm reading.  And if that were not enough I have an envelope full of snippets of notes on probably 50+ books that sound interesting and that I hope to read some day.

I get up in the morning usually between 4:15 and 4:45 and go downstairs to walk on my treadmill for 45 minutes to an hour and I put my book on my treadmill book stand and read while I walk.  It is pure heaven....I do love to read.  But then I often wonder....if I wasn't reading so much (or during any spare minute I can squeeze in from time to time) perhaps I would (and should) spend more time writing on the book that I hope others will be reading and linking to on their blog.  Some day (heaven only knows when) when I am able to retire....it is my firm conviction that a part of every retirement day will be spent at my desk (or somewhere) writing.

For now I will try to find snippets of time and walks on my treadmill to read and try like hell to not buy anymore books until the ones I have right now are read.

There is a quote by Madonna on reading that I just love:  "Everyone probably thinks that I'm a raving nymphomaniac, that I have an insatiable sexual appetite, when the truth is I'd rather read a book".

And Lady Montagu has a quote that every husband will love:

"No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting.  She will not want new fashions nor regret the loss of expensive diversions or variety of company if she can be amused with an author in her closet." 

Read....it does the mind good!  We're expecting a possible (worse case scenario) of a foot and a half of snow on Wednesday.......pull out your books!