Hitting the Books

Most people might not know this about me, but I love to read. Actually, to be more accurate, I used to love reading. In recent (and not-so-recent) years I have very much gotten distracted by life. It had gotten to the point that I cannot even remember how long it has been since I have read an actual book all the way through.

I have half-read along several books with my son during the school year, so that I could better help him with his school assignments. I have read things online, short stories written by friends or that are part of fandoms that I am interested in. But I have not read a whole book in years.

During the time, it never felt like it had been that long. Now, looking back, it feels like a lifetime. Like I am starting at the beginning or something. That seems absurd, but maybe it is fairly correct. I've missed out on every single book released in the past 5 years at least, let alone all the classics I had never read before that. It makes me sad to think about.

And I am so excited to be diving back in to an exciting world, or many, many worlds, of fiction, but I am also very overwhelmed. I don't know where to start. I have always been a sucker for angsty plots. I like a thrilling, even heartbreaking read, as long as it has a satisfying ending.

And as much as I love fiction, I also love non-fiction. I love reading people's struggles and accomplishments and the lessons they have learned and the wisdom they can share because of all that. I love being able to see how much we all have in common, no matter who we are or where we are from.

In fact, I have always wanted to write a book. My sister and I have discussed it more than once. We've had a very interesting life. My siblings and I have all faced many hardships and even our mother before us. We have tried (and sometimes failed) to break generational "curses" and to be better people and leave a better example and legacy for our own children. I feel like we have a story that, unfortunately, many can resonate with.

We have never taken it super seriously, but it is something that we have always had in our heads. I would really love to look more into self publishing and how that could work for people like my sister and I. Using Sam Haskell as an example, it worked out phenomenally well for him.

Just being able to sit and write out all my experiences like that would be incredibly therapeutic, I think. I always tend to use writing as a way to vent my emotions anyway. I have done poetry when I am feeling sad or depressed or stressed out for as long as I can remember. Being able to take it a step further and actually publish something meaningful would be so incredible.

I think someday we are really going to do it. I feel like it is something we both need to do. Until then, I will lose myself in all the amazing stories that other people have bestowed upon the world. That is more than enough for now.