THE CONFESSIONS OF A BOOK ADDICT

A series of essays.....

 LIBRARY AND MUSIC ROOM

.....as seen through my eyes!



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

This morning I discovered a simple truth about myself. I have more books in my 'To Be Read' pile than food in my refrigerator. Plain and simple, it's just a fact, Jack.

It's the absolute truth but, I don't understand it. You know me, always preaching about taking time out for yourself through meditation, long walks in the woods, and curling up in a comfy spot and reading a good book. So, is it just that I don't practice what I preach or, is there something even deeper and more sinister happening here?

THE TOPSY-TURVY 'TO BE READ' STASH

While observing my TBR stash grow and grow in a very short time, I'm alarmed by the 'top-heavy' appearance of books and fear for the structural integrity of my small wooden desk. The scene imitates a linear brick wall artistically spray painted with the names of books and their authors. Squinting, my collection resembles a colorful cascade made of paper instead of vertically flowing liquid. My beautiful books appear to be melting onto the floor in true Salvador Dali fashion. Yet.....I can do nothing about it. Instead, more books are piled on and my fear is that I will eventually lose this giant Jenga game and the tumbling towers will decide to fall to my office floor around three o'clock in the morning! 

Why is the supply growing and the demand faltering so acutely?

Some people feel the need to add to their shoe collection on a regular basis while others are obsessed with trading in their car for a new one every two years. I can spend one hour in a book store and exit carrying four to five books, easily! Trust me when I say that the longevity of the 'paper' book will never be in jeopardy as long as I am around!

THE NEWEST ACQUISITIONS

As I sit and take a few moments to analyze the situation, I can derive several logical explanations for my predicament. I am insatiable, for one, when it comes to dynamic writing! Whether it be current or classic, fiction or nonfiction, based in history or jetted out into the far-flung corners of a futuristic world, I am there to absorb its contents with gusto and fervor.

Today's market offers us a wide variety of writing styles by awe inspiring authors that truly stand-out within their fields. Some of them, such as J.K. Rowling and Judy Blume, have successfully crossed over from one genre to another with expertise and ease. 

FOR MORE BOOKS........
JUST CLIMB INSIDE THE MIRROR!

Based on their own merits, so many new names have reached public attention and have made quite an impact within the past decade. They include, "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt; Young Adult writers, Suzanne Collins and John Green for the "Hungers Games" and "The Fault In Our Stars," respectively; "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah; "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson; the humorous 2004 release by 'funny man,' Christopher Moore, "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal," that chronicles the 'missing years' of the Messiah's life as told by Biff, His best bud. His work is reminiscent of that of Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams.

Avid readers adore trilogies. The most obvious reason, I believe, is to be able to keep the story going on for as long as possible if you enjoy what the author is writing about. As a writer, peaking the interest of your readers for an extended period of time is a strong tactic to embrace. This keeps your work, as well as your name, in the 'bright lights' for as long as possible. And, the revenue for three books is most appealing.

Also, authors often have so much to say with regards to their subject matter, that their thoughts tend to stretch-out much further than only one book might allow.

E-book authors, those who choose to self-publish their books, often use the idea of a three book series. This is a fantastic marketing strategy for these authors for several reasons. As I mentioned before, elongating your story into three parts helps to sell yourself and your stories for a longer period of time. Considering one of the strongest forums for an e-book author is the use of Social Media, this strategy assists in building interest and promoting sales among your fans, especially while you are working on the second, and, eventually, the third book of your series.

Essentially, many self-published authors will give their first novel away as a promotional ploy. I have seen contests where if you are the first to contact the author on Social Media within a particular time period, he or she will upload their book to your computer. Or, they can offer a 'free' Kindle version on a specific day with the hope of having readers like what they read for free and share that knowledge with others. Thus, building future sales and readers for their next two books in the series.

In answer to your looming question about e-books.....Yes, I do have them stockpiled on my computer's iBooks program, too. Insatiable. Would you expect anything less by now?

LIBRARY TABLE

BEDROOM

FOYER

I have enjoyed their bodies of work and have become friends with several e-book authors. Because I had fallen in love with their stories first, I asked permission to write a book review for them on my Blog so that I could share their talent with others. In doing so, I have gotten to know the strong personalities behind the novels, as well. Two examples would be Eric Vance Walton, author of "Alarm Clock Dawn," a chilling futuristic thriller that captures Corporate greed and corruption as it whittles away at our middle-class society. "Echoes of the Oasis" by A.R. Tirant, evokes the life of a young woman growing-up on the beautiful Creole islands of the Seychelles located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, east of mainland Southeast Africa. Both authors are currently working on the second book of their trilogy series. 

My point is this.....there is so much writing talent offered and so little time to enjoy all of it! In the past, I would cling to the works of several great authors and concentrate on their books alone. They included the bone chilling, 'scare me out of my mind' works of Stephen King; the life of identifiable and homespun Irish characters lovingly written about by the late Maeve Binchy; the monumental writings of the great James A. Michener whose stories would brilliantly thread generations of family members through time and turn learning about history into a cohesive and understandable experience; the intrigue and romance surrounding the Cold War was always intensified by the hand of the seamless author, Robert Ludlum. As you may surmise, my worldly adventures began long before securing my first Passport

I have diversified since the early Stephen King era....and, today, the quote "So many books, so little time!" by Frank Zappa, renowned musician and author of twenty-five distinct works of his own, haunt me every day. Yes, I am a 'Confessed Book Addict.' The signs are everywhere you look. From overflowing bookshelves to bloodshot eyes in the morning after a late night romp between the pages. 

 PARTIAL COOKBOOK COLLECTION
 

From hundreds of pastel sticky-notes stuck between the glossy pages of my favorite cookbook, "Flavors of France," part of The Beautiful Cookbook series, to sinking deeper and deeper into the political genius of Abraham Lincoln by way of the brilliant biographical writings of Doris Kearns Goodwin and her number one Bestseller, "Team of Rivals," reading can become an awesome complexity; a true value towards soothing the body and soul, exercising the imagination, and enlightening the mind.

With much persistence, I have been guided down the many paths of life via imagination and words. Each plot twist, new character, and creative storyline takes me back home. I continue to find 'stunning beauty' in every turn. I would not have it any other way.

LIBRARY CHAIR ALONG WITH
MY LATEST READ, "OF IRISH BLOOD"
BY MARY PAT KELLY

Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved