There are days when I think: why do I blog? And then I start reiminiscing about some of my posts and it's like "Oh, yeah. Nothing better than "hearing" myself ramble in print". Doesn't matter much if it's interesting or not, it's just something I can do because it's all about me.
But another reason is that none of my "real" friends - you know, the ones I hang out with at work or at their house or at the bar - read romances, and this is a nice little place to chat about my favorite type of books, even if I'm just talking to myself. I need that outlet, because I am obsessed with romance novels. Seriously addicted.
But happily so. I have been to the bookstore twice in the last two days, and each time I left with a book. I seem to be in my contemporary phase, having purchased ones by Jill Shalvis and Sasha White. Now the point is, they're romances. These are the books that I love more than any other, and I have shelves packed beyond capacity to prove it. I'm looking at my Linda Howards, my Suzanne Brockmanns, my Janet Evanovichs, and I am remembering bits and pieces from many of them with great fondness. I LOVE them, sometimes so much I want to be sucked right into them. My heart has ached with the desire to be a part of these worlds, yet knowing outside of my imagination, it can never be realized. But the hope doesn't go away, and I continue to look for the next unforgettable love story, the one that will capture my attention and hold on tight.
On Tuesday, I went to a B&N that was out of my jurisdiction - in fact it was quite far from home - just because I felt the need to be in a bookstore. Oh, how wonderful the smell of books is! I didn't look at one romance. Nope, instead, I wanted to see what I was "missing". I randomly meandered through the aisles, stopping here and there, or actually going down a full row and grabbing every book that caught my eye. I must have been there an hour, and it was one of those experiences that makes you happy just because you're doing what you love best, which in this case is looking at books. I had no plans to buy anything, and I didn't, yet I reveled in the texture of the pages, the smell of the ink on the page, the hint of Starbucks coffee in the air. The music department was playing a hypnotic mix of music, some jazzy, others catchy yet soulful ballads, and in that hour, there wasn't anywhere else I wanted to be. I also learned that as much as I think I should be reading intellectual and thought-provoking fiction, it is just not my cuppa tea.
Where am I eventually going with all of this? Nowhere specific, other than to say that loving to read is a beautiful thing, and it doesn't matter what captures your attention, what calls your name, as long as you're emerged in a good story, it can truly be a little piece of heaven on earth. For me, it's the romance novels, and has been for over 20 years. I know that it is a love affair that will never die, because it is too much a part of me, and I will gladly nurture it for the rest of my life.
How do you feel about books?
Labels: reading books
posted by Stacy~ at 3/22/2007 08:52:00 PM
Hey Stacy, I started blogging for the same reason-no one I knew really read romances. But blogging has filled the empty place in my heart. LOL
byNow how do I feel about books? Considering I've been liked a starved woman now that I can actually buy them again!! LOL I've been to the bookstore twice in two days, and the thrift store. Hmm...my tally was 15 books. Ooops.
Anyway, I love books. :P
I am hopelessly, unapologetically addicted to books, and like you, love to be pulled into their worlds ...
byYou said that beautifully, Stacy. Its perfect and exactly the way I feel. I sometimes wish I could be sucked into the books I read too, the characters become my friends and I hate to see the book end.
byjust copy and paste, baby ;)
byBeautifully said. I too love books and love romance novels. And the romance in UK stores generally sucks--it is almost (make that totally) worth being thousands of miles from hime just to be able to browse a whole romance section in a store. Not that I don't LOVE amazon, because I do :)
Couldn't have said it better! I have to say I thought I died and went to heaven when I first got online back in 1999 and found the chats and message boards for romance readers. :)
byAlthough, I have to say, I'm slowly bringing 2 of my 3 sisters over to the "dark side" lol I keep getting calls from them, "Will you please send me a box of books? I'll take care of your babies, I promise!" ROFL And the only reason I share my books/babies with them is because they're blood. :)
I love my books and not many of my local friends read them either, so I love having people online that I can talk to and that share my love. People that I can gush with over certain books and will wait with me while i pull out my hair waiting for the next Suzanne Brockmann or JR Ward book. I am increasing my scope of friends.
byI blog because like others have said, my 'other' friends (can't say 'real' cause other bloggers have also become my 'real' friends) don't read romance like others have said. And since romance books are what keep me sane many a time in this mixed up crazy world, I adore books!
byEverything you have just said is my opinion also. But i have a problem. I live in croatia in capital city zagreb. problem is that i dont have the choice of books you have. I have already read all foreign romance novels that were publishied in croatia on croatian language. So I started to read books on english but there so little book on english in our library that I have already read it all. and i dont have a place to buy it.
bywhat I meant to say is that there isnt much romance novels.There are other sort but I enjoy reading only romance. I JUST CANOT STOP READING THEM. I AM IN PHASE OF JANELLE DENISON BOOKS sorry for my not so good english
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