I’ve loved reading for as long as I can remember. As a child, I’d visit my local library to borrow the maximum number of books for my age. On one of those visits, I noticed a woman checking out her own pile of books. I was so jealous because she could borrow more than me. And I’ve never quite forgotten that blatant injustice of my youth.

Then as a teenager, I continued to read pretty much anything I could get my hands on. I’d sometimes read into the early morning hours and fall asleep holding my book. I guess you could say that books were my refuge. Books also allowed me to travel beyond my own reality. Thanks to books, I could travel the worlds of so many different people through time and space. The possibilities were endless.

So, I treasured each and every book that I owned. Books were my prized possessions. I also had a bookshelf near my bed to keep them close. Their spines gave me comfort during those times when I needed it.

All this came to an abrupt halt when I started university. There just wasn’t any time left to read for the pleasure of it.  I had Angie who needed my attention. And when I wasn’t tending to my beautiful daughter, I had textbooks to read, notes to study, and papers to write. The only novels I read were for my French literature courses.

By the time I finished university, I had fallen out of reading. I still read on occasion, but nothing like my days as a child or teenager. It didn’t even register that I had given it up. Life went on. And life was busy.

Then everything changed a few months ago when I created my Goodreads account. I was suddenly surrounded by books again – albeit virtual books. I was in cyber heaven. I could explore the world of books to my heart’s content. Since creating my account, I’ve added 11 books to my TBR list. A list that’s growing faster than my time to read.

Right now, I’m mostly adding books by other indie authors. But I do intend to start adding books by some of my favorite traditionally published authors as well. I’ve already added A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

I started adding self-published books by way of support for my fellow indie authors. When I started actually reading, I was blown by their work. I just finished a book that kept me enthralled from beginning to end. Imagine my delight when I discovered that it was part of a trilogy! I will also be reading the other books in the series as you probably guessed. Although I want to finish another book that I’ve started and a couple more by other indie authors first. There aren’t enough hours in the day, wouldn’t you agree?

In reference to the book that I just completed, I wrote my very first Amazon review. It can be difficult for indie authors to secure reviews, so I wanted to show my support through words. As I go forward, I’m hoping to write a review for all or most of the self-published books that I read. Why not?

After I wrote my review, it occurred to me that I could also use my blog to support other indie authors. Again, why not? So starting next week, I’ll be adding a book review category to my blog. Each book review will feature a self-published book from my Goodreads shelf.

I still have a physical bookshelf by the way, but I rarely buy paperback or hard copies anymore. The bookshelf in my living room holds some of my favorite books from years gone by and part of my mother-in-law’s collection. She passed away some years ago, but her books will always have a home here. Mrs. Baker owned a collection of books from many different genres. Her collection is based on what were her favorite authors.

I don’t really have a preferred genre either, so my reviews will feature a wide variety of books. And because I love my Kindle, it stands to reason that I mostly buy Kindle editions these days.

Speaking of Kindle, did you know that you can now borrow Kindle books from many public libraries? I didn’t until recently. Kind of cool if you ask me. I suspect it’s a trend that will continue to grow as digital books gain in popularity. That said, I don’t think hard copies will ever go out of style.

Now back to the point of this post. As previously mentioned, I’m adding a book review category to my blog, so next week’s post will feature Ours, Yours, and Mines by Carmel McMurdo Audsley. So I hope you’ll stay tuned!

Until next time, be kind to yourself.