It's Friday - yea!!!!!! I am tired this week. Guess it's all this book launch work - or maybe the real work (ie day job). Or maybe it's just knowing I need to do laundry. Regardless, I'm glad it's almost the weekend.
I got a great blog post yesterday from blog reader, alexandra, who is an aspiring writer and a high school student. Impressive, right? I thought so. Here's what she said:
"I just read Rumble on the Bayou--one of the best books I've read this year " - alexandra
So my Friday has started off with a bang.
Several of my friends have been chatting around the loops and blogsphere lately about stress and what you do to relieve it and what you read at those times. I think the topic is a good one and deserves a bit of discussion.
When I am not in rough draft mode, I read up new releases like mad, trying to get as many as possible in before I have to be in "creative mode" again. When I'm writing a rough draft, I don't like to read anything remotely close to my genre because I don't want it to influence my voice. Also, I am usually so focused on my work that I don't want to spend the energy it takes to focus on another single title work, so I usually skip them altogether when in rough draft.
So what do I read - depends on the day. If it's a regular day - normal stress and anxiety, I pick up category books during rough draft stage. It's a new read but a low-key one, especially since you can narrow down exactly what you want to absorb by category line. Usually any line with a cowboy on the front does it for me. :)
If the day is high stress and I don't even want to think about anything new, I pick up the Laura Ingalls Wilder books and reread for probably the 100th time since childhood. I love these books. The times they lived in were so much more basic - you worked to live, period. And their appreciation for the smallest things always makes me rethink my life and get happier with where I am. The books are both comforting and humbling all at the same time and I think sometimes I need to "take it back to basics" and remember what is important.
So what about you? Do you have different books for different stages of your life? If so, what are they?
Musings of a Louisiana Liar
Everyone knows what "they" say about opinions, but we all have one anyway so why not publish it - right? Welcome to my somewhat limited and sarcastic view of the world.
Coming October 30, 2007
UNLUCKY
My debut!
RT Book Reviews TOP PICK!
2 comments:
It helps to read a genre totally different from what I write. It's a tough balance, though. I love paranormal and since that's what I write, I find myself falling behind on new releases when I am in draft mode. I still buy them, but they just stack up and I feel I need a second set of eyes to catch up.
Argh, Jaye, don't remind me about the second set of eye - I have a pair on order as we speak. Finally had to break down and get reading glasses. I'm getting old.
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