I sit here wondering what to write for my November blog post. A plethora of gratitude and “ten year” then and now posts abound on the ‘net…yup, we are wrapping up a decade! Yikes! Thanks for the reminder of how time flies! That just hit me last week when I saw all these 2009/2019 comparison photos.

I decided to share what I’m reading this month. People ask writers what they write, but also what they read (and gosh, WHEN do we read? That’s another topic). Something I am grateful for this year has been the reciprocated support of other authors. Boosts, cheer-leading, reading, reviewing, likes, retweets, emails, and big heartfelt hugs proliferate in the circle of author love. Two years ago, I knew a handful of authors and writers. Enter the publication of my first book in 2017 and I jumped deep into the pool of author support. What a pool it is, too. So much love.

That said, I read. You can’t take the reader out of a writer. I do admittedly read with a different eye now. I’m more critical, harder to please. Once you learn the ways of the craft (and honestly, you are always learning…), it’s hard to undo the inner critic. Reviews are gold to budding authors so when I read, I review. It really only takes two minutes, two sentences to support an author. How do I read? E-book, print, and audio. I love all three channels of consuming books. What do I read? All genres. Romance is my go-to, but I love suspense, mystery, women’s fiction, YA, and just about anything.

What am I reading? The answer always is: several books.

First up, audio books.

What’s in my Audible account? I must preface that I usually read/listen to my audio books from the library in CD format because I used to commute to work and reading in the car was perfect. But enter a few audio codes and great Audible deals, and this new little app has blown me away. Portable! Easy! I am currently halfway through Christine Grabowski’s MG/YA fantasy, Dickensen Academy and just began Julie Howard’s Crime and Paradise (darker/suspense/women’s fiction). I am LOVING the narration in both and the talent of these two authors. Voice artists are amazing people.

On to paperback.

I always have a few sitting around for me to on the couch, in the car for school pick up line, or when I rode the commuter rail into Boston for an author event at the state house. I heard about Barbara' O’Neal’s book in the Women’s Fiction Writing Association community on Facebook. I’m not a big fan of present tense, but I find more and more talented authors sucking me in. Ms. O’Neal is no exception. Her talent and wordsmith-ing is enviable! I read a sentence and sigh at the beauty. What a story!

I’m also reading Sharon Healy-Yang’s mystery, Bait and Switch. I love the amount of research that must have gone into this 1940’s whodunit. I met Sharon at a local author’s event and we swapped books. What a find!

Lastly, but never least, e-books.

I’m wrapping up reading with an advanced reader copy of Ciara’s Homecoming Christmas in the Deerbourne Inn series. I’ve just finished reading the last few books, too and a couple more romances, bringing up my total to over a dozen in this new Wild Rose Press series. If you are looking for a shorter novella (my new fascination), this is a good series to dip into.

I’d love to hear from you. What’s in your reading queue this month?

Back to this then and now thing…I don’t share family photos too often on here (if I do, it’s usually under my Magazine Rack section detailing our travel adventures). Here is my 2009 vs. 2019 - ten years, the then and now. My, how we’ve grown. My, how time has flown by in a blink.

SPEAKING OF READING…

A final teaser for those of you who follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or in my newsletter. I have a few FREE deals and exciting reading adventures coming up in December. Stay tuned. Subscribe to my quarterly newsletter and you’ll be the first to hear about and score some freebies.