Old Friends

I am in the process of moving and am working on packing my library. This is where an ebook reader would be so nice. But I do still love my books. :)  Unfortunately, I have way too many. Though I am weeding through some and handing them over to my local used book store for recycling, there are many...MANY more which I am keeping. What I find interesting, though, is how my tastes have changed over the years.

I've always been a lover of science fiction and fantasy. That hasn't changed. Somewhere along the line, I also became a fan of romance. As I go through my old books, some ancient favorites jump out - Kathleen Woodiwiss, Beatrice Small, Victoria Holt, Agatha Christie, Robert Heinlein, Frank Herbert... and many more. At one time, I absolutely adored historicals. I still do, but not quite as much as I did years ago. I still like a good suspenseful romance, but find my tastes have blended, as have many genres.

It seems that more of my books these days lean towards the futuristic, fantasy and paranormal romances, thus blending my loves of science fiction/fantasy and romance. Which probably explains why I also love to write in those areas.

I also find it fun to just go through the books. It's like meeting an old friend on the street, one you were once best friends with, but lost touch with over the years. Though the books may go into storage, I know they are always there for whenever I want to revisit them.

What Do You Do?

When people ask me what I do in relationship to a job, I tell them I am a writer. I've penned several novels, short stories, newspaper and magazine articles, non-fiction works and even blogs - and been paid for my work, so I count that as making the claim true. Can I live off my earnings as a writer? Not even close. Which is why I also have another job, albeit a part time one. To be honest, I can't make a living off either one, but both supplement my darling breadwinner of a husband. But back to my life as a writer...

Though I live a rich fantasy life through my own stories, it is my part time job that really broadens my literary experience. You see, I work in a bookstore. Yep. I get to spend three days a week going through other author's books. And I can't imagine a better place to be. Along with my two bosses, the owners of the store, I get to go through catalogs and see what's coming out; get to read ARCs (advanced reader copies) of books that are yet to be published; get to indulge my passion for the written word.

The store is a small, independently owned one in a small, conservative town, so we are limited in what we carry, but we push those limits as much as we dare. We carry both new and used books and it's always interesting to see what people buy, and what they bring back for trade.

If there is a drawback to this job, it's that my TBR pile has gotten so large, it's insane. And yet, I keep bringing home more books. Part of the job entails writing up reviews of the ARCs we receive. Over the past year, I've read some rally good books that I never would have picked up on my own. I've also struggled to finish some - wondering why in the world the publisher chose that particular book.

I have looked at the publishing world from so many angles - as a writer, an editor, a librarian, and now, a bookseller. I believe it gives me a unique perspective into this world of wordsmithing.

And I'm so glad I'm here. :)

Do yourself a favor - go to a small bookstore and browse the shelves. Who knows what you may find there.