Books Are My Drug

Sadly, when it comes to reading a good book, I have very little self-control. I am transported to another place and don't want to leave until the conflicts are resolved. My housework and laundry sit waiting, my sink is full of dishes, the kids don't get fed, I stay up until the wee hours of the morning, and basically become an irresponsible mess. Therefore, I really don't read much as I would like.

But, I love to read. I love a good story - in almost any genre. For example, I don't care for westerns, they would be one of my last resorts to read. However, my brother-in-law convinced me to read one of his favorites, a Louis L'Amour novel titled Last of the Breed. Devoured and loved - but it wasn't a typical western. A great book that, like usual, I became completely absorbed in.

There are only a handful of books that I have picked up and walked away from. What was it about those books that I couldn't get into? They were books that just didn't engage me as the reader. Is this a bad thing? Does it mean it wasn't well written? Probably not, for me, it just didn't click. As a writer, I want to tell a good story, have it be well written, and I want everyone to love it. Will everyone love it? No. It's just the way things are. Not everyone will have the same opinion or feel the same way about a book. Just like in life, we all experience things differently. We look at the same mountain and my heart may warm and fill with nostalgia while someone else's would revolt.

So, ignore the critics, write what you love, write your story, but most of all, Write On!