Finding Time to Read

This week marks the celebration of Teen Read Week 2018. The goal is to get teens and kids to read, and this year’s theme is “It’s Written in the Stars: READ.” As I’m sure you can imagine, the goal is for teens to find books written in the science fiction or fantasy genre, but they are also encouraged to find any story that is “out of this world.”

I think this is an amazing celebration, and I’m more than happy to encourage readers in any way possible. As an author with stories of her own, that encouragement will come in the form of free books. If you’d like a chance to win some free signed paperbacks (open to U.S. shipping only), then comment below and let me know which book of mine you’d like to read and why. Winners will be chosen on October 14, so leave a way for me to contact you.

The vast majority of my books are written in the young adult (YA) genre. I have a few middle grade and adult stories, but YA is really where my passion lies. I enjoy creating characters that are a little naïve and angsty. It gives them a chance to grow and make discoveries about the world they live in. They are allowed to have their flaws, and that really appeals to me.

It’s been a long time since I was a teen, but I remember it was tough to find time to read for enjoyment. Between school, homework, and sports, I didn’t have a lot of downtime to just lose myself in a book. If I wanted to read, I had to make time.

The books that appealed to me the most when I was growing up where those written by Christopher Pike. He was one of my all-time favorite authors, and his stories weren’t overly long. If I wanted to, I could read an entire book in one sitting. If I didn’t have that kind of time, I could fit it in to multiple sessions. But in the end, the books were quick, easy, entertaining, and fit into my schedule.

I’ve tried to incorporate the same elements into my own stories. I want them to be entertaining, quick, easy, and not burdensome. Don’t get me wrong: there’s nothing wrong with incredibly long books and series. They can be quite entertaining and keep a reader engrossed for long amounts of time. Personally, I prefer something different.

Reading is an important part of life. It teaches us so much and gives us a chance to unwind and relax. Everyone should make time to read, especially teens and kids. It will benefit them later in life—and it’s a lot of fun to do.

I Have to Make Time

A couple of weeks ago, I was filling out an interview for a blog site. One of the questions asked what books I was currently reading, and—sadly—I had to answer that I wasn’t currently reading any books. Things had been so crazy busy, I honestly didn’t have time.

I felt a small bit of my soul die when I typed that. After all, I’m a reader; I always have been. I love being able to escape daily life and go to another place. I love living experiences through other people’s eyes. That’s also why I write. Unfortunately, I haven’t had a lot of time to do that either.

After typing those words, I told myself that something was going to change. No one was going to give me time to read, I had to take it for myself. So I did. And let me tell you, it makes a world of difference.

So, to answer the question of what I’ve been currently reading, I’ve been revisiting my teen reads. You may recall a blog post I did about finding inspiration in reading these texts, well, I’m still looking for it.

It seriously brings back a lot of memories and makes me feel so good to read these books. It gives me ideas for my own. It gives me the chance to escape. And because they are short, it doesn’t take me long to breeze through them. I’m just really enjoying my reading time again.

The most recent book I finished was The Eternal Enemy by Christopher Pike. At the back of the book are pages that recommend other authors. I’ve always known they’ve been there, but I didn’t pay too much attention. For some reason, one author drew me in. Have you heard of Richie T Cusick? I hadn’t, although she apparently wrote a bunch of Buffy books.

Anywho, I decided to check her out, so I picked up The Lifeguard. I’m not finished with it quite yet, but I’m really enjoying it. I’m definitely going to check out her other books.

It’s no secret that my life has been crazy busy lately—mainly because I keep telling you about it. It’s tough, and I’m trying to find a balance, but I’ve realized that I have to make that balance; no one is going to give it to me. I’ve started with getting back into reading, and the next step is getting back to writing. I think it will help improve my mood that much more. And trust, it’s been a super sh*tty mood.

What have you been reading lately?