Writers and readers alike can relate to having a to-be-read pile of books at any given time. Years back, mine would consist of maybe three or four books. Often I got them from the library, which meant I had to take the bus to one of the library branches and browse the card catalogue and shelves to find my next reads.
My TBR list first started to grow once we got a mall with a large bookstore. Now my pile was never less than a half dozen books, all stories I couldn’t wait to read. And the best part of buying the books, instead of borrowing them, was that I could keep my favorites to re-read any time I wanted. And I did.
My book buying habit escalated when an Indigo bookstore arrived. It was bigger than any other store in town and had the addition of journals and notebooks and treats and gifts. A Starbucks was attached, pairing two of my favorite things: reading and coffee. The selection was so much greater and my wallet emptier, and it was bliss. Often my TBR pile would have ten books, but no matter how many I read, the towering pile never seemed to get smaller as I would undoubtedly purchase just as many to replace them.
Fast forward to online shopping. Yep, now I can browse unlimited titles on different sites and have them all conveniently shipped right to my door. It doesn’t replace the joy of spending a Sunday afternoon wandering through a bookstore and picking up title after title, skimming back cover blurbs and sometimes even first chapters. But it definitely gives me access to many more titles and instant buying.
The picture I chose for this blog post is my TBR pile that currently sits in my office. I have at least five more TBR books in my bedroom, two biographies and a craft book in a cupboard, and two suspense fiction novels and one craft book that I’m currently reading on a shelf next to my desk. That adds up to 28 books that I’ve either started or am excited to start. This TBR pile has morphed into my own little library.
Now I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m also guilty of reading more than one book at the same time. For any of you who happen to be fans of the show Gilmore Girls, I can definitely relate to Rory trying to fit four books that aren’t text books into her school bag. And when her mother questions why she needs all four books, her explanation rings so true with me. One is her bus book, one is her lunch book, if she’s not in the mood to dig through a novel, she chooses the book of short stories, and if she’s not feeling like fiction at that moment, she makes sure to have a biography or a book of essays for her non-fiction fix. Yep!
Usually, when I’m reading multiple books, there’s a good reason. Like, I just had to start the new suspense book I got by my favorite author, even though I’m only part-way through a horror novel. And I love craft books. I find them so inspiring when I’m writing. And like Rory Gilmore, sometimes I just feel like a biography. I actually have Kelly Bishop’s book (she played Emily Gilmore, Rory’s grandmother) and a memoir called Hunger by Roxane Gay that I haven’t started yet.
When I’m writing suspense, I like reading suspense. When I write horror, I like reading horror. If I’m working out character arcs, I might read a craft book on characters. Perhaps it’s a book that highlights the revision process. No matter what stage I’m at in my own writing, there’s a book for that.
And then, especially during the summer, there can be an outside book. Some call them beach reads. It’s usually light hearted romance or cozy mystery or something set at the beach, or at a cottage. But it’s usually what I call a fast read. Nothing too complicated, yet still very entertaining.
And I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in my obsession with books.
How many books are in your TBR pile? Comment below.