As an avid reader, I have discovered that people interrupt. Some people don't even notice you are into your book or don't bother to care that you are reading. Let's talk about whether a physical book or an ebook gets more interruption and why.
Courtesy of Pinterest
I did a thing! I have done an experiment for four months. After two months of logging interruptions when reading a physical book, I switched to reading ebooks in public (and logged those interruptions). Here is my data and theories on why we are interrupted and what form of book prompts more interruption. Please note that this experiment was less consistent than I'd hoped (as my work schedule dictated when I was in the breakroom).
Let's define interruption, though. In my case, it was defined as an unnecessary, unasked-for social interaction with unnecessary information. What is unnecessary? I'll show you.
Necessary: the house is on fire, we're talking about my published novel, dinner is ready, time to clock in, the dishwasher is broken, my relative died, my friend's relative died, something broke, a friend I like to talk to is speaking, a pet died, etc....
Unneccessary: The air conditioning feels nice, any small talk that has no relevant information, the weather (unless it is hazardous weather and we need to take shelter now), social media I had no interest in seeing, etc....
The above is an example of my definition of necessary. If that doesn't illuminate things it comes down to one question; is what you said important information I need to know or are you just trying to fill silence? Also relevant, "are you a close friend?"
The few regrets
I have one regret about this experiment, and that is logging it in months and not days. If I had logged it in days I could say for certain that I evenly tested both reading methods, but since I logged in months, I can't be sure. If you do this for yourself please log it in days and make it even on both sides.
The other regret is that it got in the way of my TBR in a major way. I have now picked up three books at a time (ebook, audiobook, and physical book) because of this fact. I don't like doing this for one reason, and one reason only; my reading speed is cut in half when this happens. I want to not have a pile of shame (pile of unfinished books) so I finish them one at a time ideally. Do I mix up plots like others say they do? No, I don't. Many people think that is the reason for this personal rule of mine, but it is not.
If you take this on be prepared to find out how much you like or dislike reading from a screen. I did. I prefer physical books and found out how much I disliked screen reading for a prolonged two months. This is why I decided to take on my TBR pile and the ebook at the same time. I don't like it. I'm not doing this again.
The results
As you can imagine I have come to the conclusion that physical books are interrupted more than ebooks. When reading an ebook from a phone you sometimes get ignored, like you blend in with everyone else. A physical book, though? You get immediate attention. My personal theory is a combination of fear of silence and social norms. We see people on phones all the time and are used to excess noise. For this reason, a quiet break room is uncomfortable and a book is not seen as normal. The reader sticks out and quickly gets seen.
My best advice for reading in public is to be aware of who interrupts you (maybe stay out of their zone until you want to stop), find a corner out of sight to hide in, and wear headphones. It is irrelevant whether there is a device playing sound or whether the device has been dead for ten years. Headphones connected to anything clearly indicate you are busy. If you want to read in public throw on an obvious set of headphones (whether they actually work or not is also irrelevant). For the best reading experience sit on your couch or your coziest chair, make some tea or cocoa (depending on season), and don't read in public spaces that aren't designed for reading. Libraries and coffee shops seem to be the best public places to pull up a book and stay awhile. Most other places are not - especially break rooms with chatty coworkers. Some people just don't understand you are busy traveling through your book world.
Common interruptions
One of the common interruptions I found was a polite greeting and the expectation of acknowledging someone when you see them. This was not asked for and got logged. It is, however, not the worst interruption. In some, it lasts two milliseconds. In others, you start to get a little annoyed because they expect more than a wave or a curt "hi". Maybe they get annoyed at you. I didn't log a wave that wasn't verbal, by the way, because that was barely a social interaction at all. How do we deal with it while reading? Wave, don't verbalize. Or you can verbalize that you are currently wrapped up in your book and would like to quietly enjoy it. Depending on the person it can go many ways, but at least you didn't yell and give them a death glare.
Before we jump into the other type of interruption, let's talk about why the acknowledgment happens at all. We like to be noticed as humans and have been taught by society not to ignore the presence of a person. Studies show people like being noticed. Multiple sources on Google come up with the social etiquette of not ignoring people. We're taught to. It is literally because we are trained to do this. According to an article on Tipsfolder.com, the person entering the space is supposed to greet those in the room. That same article says that if someone is ignored the other person in the space should begin talking. I think that is also not helpful when you are trying to read. Put simply, society trains people to say hello when they see a human. Watch yourself do it if you don't believe me.
Another was the small talk and the need to fill silence. I talked about the fear of silence before. Click here to read my blog on the fear of silence. The small talk that rips you out of your novel because someone expects you to respond and start a conversation is the worst. Read in silence for one more minute and you'll find they might say something else to you. I do not hate people. Let me make that clear. I do, however, like to enjoy my book with little to no interruption. If it becomes clear that someone will not stop chattering at you -despite one word, curt answers, or no response, and no eye contact - just put the book down and make the choice to stay and converse or leave. It highly depends on who is talking to me. Do not use this moment to ream someone and be incredibly rude. Be kind. You can quietly excuse yourself to another area if the option exists.
We need to discuss the repeat offenders here. I know you know what I mean, readers. The ones who decide your eyes trained on an open book is the universal sign to ask twenty or more questions. They almost never figure it out on their own, either. I once had someone repeat their question louder when I ignored it to see what they'd do. I ultimately decided to close the book and surrender. What do you do about this? Headphones. Try headphones. I have no other answer for this and am prepared to shove on a set of headphones in the breakroom from here on out.
Why People Interrupt - the research
Let's dive into the many reasons people think it is okay to interrupt your reading. One of them is literally that they think you can stop at any time. Another is because they are bored, can't read the social cues very well, or just want your full attention. Many people who love to chit-chat project that onto their companions and don't know you don't want that. Some people consider books a sign of boredom. We live in an extrovert-focused world. It is truly best to find quiet, hidden corners if you don't want any interruption. If you want some comedic ways to really lower those interruptions in public places here are some suggestions for you. I'd make sure you won't run into these people again before you actually embark on the more ridiculous ones.
An explanation for the ones who don't understand
If you read this and think "Why is reading a book a focused activity?" or "Big deal, you have a bookmark" this section is for you. The first thing I need you to do is read this article about mentally picturing book images. It talks about how the storyline of a book plays like a movie and we mentally imagine character voices as we read. Would I interrupt you during a movie? No, so why should you interrupt me while I'm watching a movie in my own head. Those who are not avid readers don't seem to understand this concept at all. I know one coworker who has to chatter on and on every time I see them. I know several, but one of them will ignore the book in my hand. I see her and slip the book back into my backpack because I know I'll never get past the page I'm on.
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While we do have bookmarks, you may be interrupting an epic battle or a romantic scene. In the real-life case of me reading Goldfinger, I was interrupted constantly as James Bond was almost cut in half by a saw. It was infuriating. If you have never experienced a good book you'll never understand this fully. I challenge you to pick up a book in any form and see how much your mind forms a mental movie. If you don't know what you like take a movie you like and find the book inspiration for it. That's the best place to start. Start with the movie genres you love and go from there. Librarians are great people and can help you find a great book to begin your reading journey. Talk to one today.
The Overall Conclusions
Many readers have this specific issue while publicly reading. It can't really be avoided by anyone. My best advice is to read in quiet libraries and your own homes when you don't want to be interrupted. At the end of the day you decide where to sit. If you have to hide in a nook go for it.
Another conclusion I've come to is that reading from your phone is probably a great idea when you want to blend in. If you would like to know the ratio of unwanted, unnecessary interruptions here it is. There were 10 interruptions while reading physical books to 2 interruptions reading on my phone. Rule of thumb, though, you will still want to hide in an unnoticed corner when you plan to read a lot in one go in a public place.
Thank you for the people who gave their opinions on interruptions - Daniel Amiot, Janice Vanhorne Lane, and Tyler Barrett.
I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have four five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page.
Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him?
Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.
I am considering an e-reader, so naturally, I decided to blog my research on whether I should get one or not. Easy blog topic and it'll benefit anyone debating the same thing. Let's get into it.
Courtesy of bestereaderreview.org
For reference, I don't think you can get a Kobo e-reader and a Kindle e-reader in the same e-reader device. They are brands competing, thus it makes sense they'd make Kindle tablets so they won't play your Kobo books. Not fun. Not helpful. Can't Kobo and Kindle just be friends? The short answer is only on your laptop and phone. Not on anything else, as far as I know.
The reason I am looking for an e-reader is eye strain. I want to enjoy my Maggie Sullivan mysteries without getting tired of staring at a laptop screen or phone screen. All the same, I know that if I wanted to get an e-reader the Kobo and Kindle books aren't friends. It means I might have to get two if I wanted both. The real decision might be deciding on a Kobo or a Kindle branded e-reader. We're going to discuss the pros and cons of going the e-reader route, then talk about the difference between Kobo and Kindle e-readers.
Why E-read?
The pros of e-readers include adjusting the lighting on your device. Wherever you are, you can still avoid the glare (though a physical book may or may not be better for the beach sun). The main benefit is taking a book with you during your travels without filling your backpack with books. You can have so many series on your device that you've lost track of your library numbers, yet still, you have plenty of space for all the flight snacks in your bag.
Annotate much? Well, you can quickly find your underlined passages and bookmarks in a flash. No flipping pages while daylight burns. You just go to bookmarks and begin there. You go to your notes and can quickly show your friend your favorite part. You can annotate on an e-reader.
New authors are often self-published. Just look at me. I self-published on Kindle and Kobo. The point of this paragraph itself is to say you have access to the self-published in droves on your e-reader. You can also find out-of-print books from Project Gutenberg (which brings older books back into the mainstream) and download them, even if collectors won't give them up nowadays.
Ebooks are cheap. That's right, cheap. If you want a book for free you can also find that, too, especially classic books that are not brand new. Classics are often free. Pick them up and read them. You'll like a lot of them. In most cases, ebooks are so much cheaper than the physical printed book. If you have no shelf room for them it is not a problem. One e-reader takes up only inches on your desk or bedside. Instant delivery of a book means no waiting for the Amazon package. You have it now. You can read it now.
Do you have a visual impairment and need text that's huge? Simply adjust your e-reader so you can have the large print edition of every book. If you read at night a backlighted one is your best bet. No lamp needed!
The Cons of E-Reading
The cons? Eye strain in backlit devices. Requiring battery to read a book. Sometimes glare in the sun. It can be a bad decision for your eyes. Also, those who like the feel of pages lose that joy of turning pages and smelling the pages of their book. That book will also not give your home the same feel as a cozy library.
If you tend to lend books to others don't go this route. It discourages sharing books because it requires lending your e-reader to someone. Those cost money. If broken it will cost you a bit. Ebooks can't be autographed or easily given as gifts. It may also threaten the bookstore business.
Courtesy of ivanbrave.com
Not all books are available digitally. Also, not all books work in this format. I recommend having all forms of books, really. If you have no battery life to a device it is good to have a backup. When the power goes out a traditional paper book will never fail you.
Kobo or Kindle?
Someone before me compared different models of e-readers, including their prices, their purposes, and their downsides. Click here for details on multiple models. Be aware Kindles don't play Kobo books. You can't get both your Kobo and Kindle libraries on the same e-reader. If they were not competitive it wouldn't be so, but it is.
Kobo and Kindle e-readers are both good. According to many, though, Kobo tends to be better. I'm going to give you the pros and cons of both as best I can. Keeping in mind that different models do slightly different functions and budget is a factor, do your own research. Their model functions are pretty similar. The space you buy is what you have, for reference on storage.
Kobo can support library lending. While Kindle can do this too, it is only in the US. Kobo doesn't have that limitation. Every Kobo e-reader has Overdrive built in. Kobo also supports many formats that Kindle does not. It lets you use and sideload EPUB, MOBI, CBZ, and CBR. The only thing here is that Kobo is less known than Kindle, so more people might Kindle publish (meaning less of a storehouse to search). Kobo has a subscription service. Canadians can find these in stores. Kobo e-readers have grippy backs and are not smooth. I had one once. It feels good on your hands. This one is more generous on storage than Kindle, 8 G on most models. Kobos give you a great personalized experience, but not the extras of Kindle. Kobo requires WiFi or a USB cable to transfer books.
Courtesy of elpais.com
Kindle e-readers are mostly for Kindle stuff. If you don't have any Kobo books go Kindle. In the US you will be able to get books from libraries. Kindle has a subscription service, too. It will have slightly more books to choose from than Kobo. Most people will have to go through Amazon to get one. If you don't care what your e-reader looks like and don't want fancy, Kindle works. Most Kindles are 4 to 8 G with one exception of the 32 G e-reader. Kindle readers can enjoy many extras, such as dictionary and Wikipedia use, as well as character information. Whispersync gives the Kindle the edge because a book can be transferred anywhere.
Do your own research on this. Canadians and anyone outside the US may want to lean toward Kobo. Anyone in the US can flip a coin. It all depends on what you want from an e-reader and whether you want extras or not. I'll let you browse the Kobo and Amazon websites for what you want. Meanwhile, I might do the same.
I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have four five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page.
Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him?
Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.
Today I'm going to be suggesting my favorite mystery and spy novels. Here's to the suspense junkies! Let's get started.
These book suggestions are my favorites. I read these all year long. I love them. If you do not, that is okay. If you share my opinion, great. Any suggestions for other mystery and spy series I might like can absolutely go in the comments. I can't wait to read your suggestions!
James Bond
James Bond, the beloved 007 that's inspired so many films, was originally written by Ian Fleming and was then continued by other authors. The books haven't stopped. We could make many more films and not run out of material. It isn't a stretch to say the films may not stop, either.
Courtesy of technadu.com
Why do I love it? The action, the adventure, and the plot twists. If you do the character of Bond correctly he should be a very scarred (inside and out) man. He should be intense, too. Daniel Craig is probably the closest I've seen. If we combined Daniel Craig and Sean Connery we'd get the Ian Fleming version of James Bond almost perfectly. The only warning I'll give on Ian Fleming's Bond books is that Bond is kind of sexist. Given it was written in the 1950s I can ignore that. It isn't all that shocking when you look at the author himself. Otherwise, it is action and more action. The books are not the movies. There are scenes in the movies that shouldn't be there (cough cough, Pussy Galore and Bond in the barn, cough cough) and weren't in the book at all.
How many books are there? Well, let me hand you this handy, dandy link. There are a lot. They have also been reprinted with intros in some cases. Keep your eyes open for more books. I don't know if the series will end just yet.
In Death Series by JD Robb (aka Nora Roberts)
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Let me warn you now. If you want clean romantic suspense I'd go elsewhere. This is the life of Eve Dallas, a woman cop in the far-out future. Three books in she marries a rich, Irish man (Rourke). They have a healthy sex life, he helps her out with her cases, and he also happens to own a lot of buildings she needs access to. This goes in the more intense side of suspense, meaning we're dealing with serial killers and darker crimes. Some of it is heinous. I read these books so quickly, in less than a week.
Why do I love it? No, it's not the sex. It is the storyline and the character of Eve Dallas that take the spotlight. Her relationship with her husband and her friends is prevalent. She is also a workaholic who gets lost in her work. Rourke does his darndest to get her to slow down and eat during her day. Sometimes his methods are not what I'd choose if I were him, but he does it out of love for her and care for her.
Do you want to catch up on the saga? Strap in. The series is so long that I'm not caught up. Here is the current list (as of this year at least) of the In Death novels. The whole list here!
The series has not ended, so please do your own research if you are reading this blog post in 2024.
Women's Murder Club
This may include sex at times, but it is far more brief than In Death novels. We follow the life of a policewoman named Lindsay Boxer. She eventually gets married and has a child with her husband, Joe. This is mostly serial killers, again. Some crimes may be heinous, just like the In Death series. I found out this actually had a TV series in 2007 and 2008. Lindsay and her friends work through cases and plot twists abound.
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Why do I love it? Again, the main character. It is in the same vibe as In Death, only with less sex. You see that Lindsay is a mother, a cop, a wife, and a woman who loves her dog. In the first book, her dog saves her from attempting suicide by staring at her with big eyes. You see her struggles, her grief when a boyfriend is killed in action, and her life with her and Joe and her child. You bond with her. I consume these books in mere days. It helps that chapters are short and give you the impression you're making progress.
This one you have a chance of catching up on. Here is the link to the list of books. There are currently 23 main ones and 3 side novels. If you start now you can get all caught up.
This, too, is not an ended series. Anyone reading in 2024 needs to look up the updated list.
Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple
Agatha Christie is amazing. You cannot change my mind. Her work lives on though she has passed on. This woman once disappeared for 11 days. Look it up. The way she did it had them dredging the lake in case she'd drowned herself. One night she left her child with a relative and drove away. They found her car by the lake empty. She'd been found after 11 days at the Statler Hotel under her husband's mistress' name. Soon after she left her cheating husband.
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Agatha Christie created the iconic characters Hercule Poirot (a Belgian detective with a mustache and an ego) and Miss Marple (a woman who loved gardens and solved mysteries from her home). Christie killed off Hercule Poirot in the last book of his series so no one could take on more stories and take him from her. Both characters are icons of the mystery genre. Both have TV shows and movies.
For the Poirot mysteries list click here. For the Miss Marple mysteries click here. There is a short story collection by other authors writing Miss Marple. The author is dead, so I'd say you don't have anything to worry about when it comes to re-researching a list of books. These books began in 1920. The fact that people still love them is a reason to read one.
Philip Marlowe
I talked about Marlowe at length in another blog. This is the life a private detective named Philip Marlowe, who often gets a simple case and it becomes a complicated case. Plot twists abound. Marlowe tries marriage and fails at it. Most of his cases have him finding dead bodies and getting into situations he didn't bargain for. Lots of femme fatales show up. For more information on Marlowe himself, click here. That post does not have the latest book included in it, so here is the updated list.
This series could be finished, or not, so 2024 readers will want to double check for an updated list.
Courtesy of Walmart.com
Wrenville
Last, but never least, I'd like to tell you about the new hardcover of my own suspense book. You didn't think I'd leave myself off this list, did you?
Wrenville is about Jack Thomas, a private investigator running from a past case in the small town of Wrenville. He moves late at night, makes friends with the locals, and tries to blend in with everyone else. Can he hide here? Is he safe? You'll have to find out for yourself. My amazon page -Wrenville
Today's topic is light reading. My suggestions for a light, summer/fall read are here. I saw how well the last post about book suggestions went and decided to suggest more series and standalones for you. Enjoy!
The topic at hand was chosen because the book suggestions seem to do well. If you have light book suggestions put them in the comments and I might check them out. Meanwhile, let's talk light reading.
Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys
Nancy Drew mystery books go all the way back to 1930 and haven't stopped. There are several series of them, including the classics (175 books approximately), Nancy Drew Girl Detective (approximately 47 books), The Supermysteries that have Nancy paired with the Hardy boys (6 girl detective-based ones, and 36 from the 1980s/1990s), The Nancy Drew Files (124 books), graphic novels, and the handful of mostly kid-focused Nancy Drew mysteries (Nancy Drew Notebooks, Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew). I excluded Nancy Drew On Campus as a series on this list because it failed harder than ever, and I never liked those (mostly drama!).
Photo courtesy of Geek Tyrant
The Hardy Boys usually follow Nancy Drew in popularity, mostly because of the Supermysteries. These two book series are written by the same publishers and both are ghostwritten. The series for these two brothers (Frank and Joe Hardy) are as follows: Classics (58 books), Several editions that happened after publishers changed over a few times, The Hardy Boys Casefiles (127 books), the Supermysteries, 2 short-lived spin-off books connected to Tom Swift, The Clues Brothers (17 books aimed at younger kids), Undercover Brothers (39 books, last book planned but never published), graphic novels, The Hardy Boys Secret files (19), The Hardy Boys Clue Book (16), and The Hardy Boys Adventures (25 so far). Best of luck finding the Tom Swift books (2 in all), but if you do let me know if they are worth finding.
The basic concepts of both are that Nancy and the Hardy Boys stumble upon mysteries and solve them with the help of their friends. See my first two sources for specific titles. I suggest these as light reading because a child or an adult can pick this up. There are revised copies of both series (some did them favors, others not so much - you be the judge). Aside from a word that we no longer use (chum means friend, keep in mind), it is an easy afternoon read on your porch or your couch. It is fun, can be read in mere hours, and you can easily read more than one in one day. Pick one up sometime. Keep in mind that some series have different audiences and may have more drama involved. They aimed at all ages.
Annie's Unraveled Mysteries
I am a suspense junkie, but I also like cozy mysteries every once in a while as a palette cleanser. These mysteries have enough edge to them without straying from the cozy category. They center around a woman who moves to Texas after a nasty divorce. She creates a friendship with her outgoing neighbor, has an off-and-on romance with a police detective, and makes her living on crochet design books and crocheting custom items. You can tell it was a nasty divorce from an emotionally abusive man because she is gaining confidence back in every book and her plan was to start over somewhere else. Her daughter is also in college in Texas (which motivated her to move to Texas). As usual, mysteries find her (whether she is walking into a murder scene or she befriends the wrong person during an event). It's worth an afternoon read. They are only 25 ish chapters long.
If you want to check out all the books (all 12 of them), check it out at this link. I'd highly suggest this to anyone who likes light but edgy mysteries.
Photo courtesy of boxes.hellosubscription.com
The Chronicles of Narnia
Courtesy of Pinterest
The seven books may be found in the children's section, but they are so delightful you'll consume the whole series in a week or less. The books have been renumbered to place them in chronological order on the Narnia timeline. I put this here because anyone can pick it up and enjoy it. They are short, meaningful, and keep your attention. The series is about a fictional land called Narnia, ruled by the lion Aslan and plagued by a white witch they must fight against. Read it. It's good.
An adventure novel is just what I need after a hard day at work and a stressful week. I want to forget what is going on in my adult life and focus on lost treasures, hidden secrets, and hunting for hidden holes in shipwrecks. Clive Cussler and two other co-authors (Graham Brown and Paul Kemprecos) have a spinoff from the Dirk Pitt series called NUMA Files. It continues on even though Cussler himself has passed on (in 2020). Our main characters are Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala, two friends who work for NUMA (National Underwater Marine Agency) and stumble upon all kinds of archeology and environmental plots. It's a fun adventure without a sex scene. I'd say anyone could read it and love it.
This is an ongoing series, so this link may not be accurate next year. If you read this in 2024 dig for an updated list.
Photo courtesy of Ebay
Bridgerton
Courtesy of O The Oprah Magazine
I don't know how necessary a book description is, since Netflix has taken this series and made it famous. I read the books first, though. Simply put, the Bridgerton family (a highly respected family) has 8 kids and they all get married in a series of 8 books set around the year 1812. There is scandal, there is sex (be warned, don't hand this to your young children), and there is drama. It's a fun ride and you don't have to think too hard to enjoy it. The characters in this series also show you what their marriage looks like (proving that none of these characters are perfect). The people behave like real people. It's refreshing.
This has been reading suggestions that are light, easy reads. I could have put some other series on here, but I kind of wanted to keep this list cozy. I have several other mystery series I could suggest and I might do so later on. I don't keep as much cozy on my bookshelf as I thought. I hope you like this type of blog. If you do, comment that you want more and I'll gladly give you more. Cheers!
I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have four five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page.
Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him?
Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.
I have gotten into watching BookTubers (people who focus entirely on book-related content) on YouTube. I have taken on some of their lingo and challenges as time has gone on. Some of their terminology will leak into my blog posts, thus I find it a great idea to inform you of what their lingo is and what their reading challenges actually are.
BookTubers are YouTubers who focus entirely on books in their content. They review hyped-up books, do reading challenges, talk about what they've read, talk about unhinged books they've endured for the sake of making content, and generally just talk about books. Fun, right? I like it.
What might leak into my blog content is their lingo. Today we talk about what the reading challenges are and what their terminology means (for those of you who don't watch people talk about books in your spare time). I'll also put some videos of BookTubers I enjoy in the post itself.
What you'll see BookTubers post most often are reviews, TBR intentions and how they did, unboxings, reading challenges, and bookshelf tours.
The Dictionary
Here we have many terms used by BookTubers, all of which are defined for you. The next section will cover the challenges themselves.
TBR - To Be Read pile or list, mostly used as a goal to reach by the end of the month or year
Courtesy of Bookstr
Pile of shame - Most define this as books started but never finished
Unhaul - "Get rid of" is the best way to reword this. This could mean donating, passing it to a friend, selling it to a used bookstore, or (if it is truly not worth giving to another human) literally throwing it away. Rarely do readers throw books in trash cans.
Haul - This is picking up a book in any form, from bookstore shopping to getting it from a friend. There are whole videos devoted to showing off one's "haul".
Bookternet - The whole network of reading-related internet content
DNF - Did Not Finish, usually referring to a book that was not an enjoyable read or was too hard to understand and get into.
ARC - Advanced Reading Copy, which is a copy of a book sent out before the actual release date
Reading Slump - When you lack the will to read or you read slower than usual, often happening when you've forced yourself to read something you didn't enjoy or you burned yourself out on an author or genre
Shelfie - a selfie of only your bookshelf, organized by color, series, or theme quite often
Wrap-ups - put simply, how they did on their TBR or what they read in the last month or year or week
Mid-year or Mid-week freak out - This could be renamed "how I'm doing on my TBR". The freak-out part is, more or less, only there because a lot of people put more on their reading plates than they can consume.
The Challenges
Here are all the challenges (that I know of) that most BookTubers have taken on in their content. Again, these are defined for you.
Read it or unhaul it - I have done this one. It is basically "read it or get rid of it". Most of the time they pick a book or three at random in order to truly weed out what they don't want on their shelves.
24-hour reading challenge - This is self-explanatory. The person reads a book or two or three for 24 hours.
Readathon - Think Marathon but with reading. You read for an extended, set period of time.
Any book award list - You take the list of books that were nominated/won the award and choose your next few books from this list. There are many award lists to choose from.
The Rory Gilmore challenge - Online you can find the list of books the TV character Rory Gilmore has read in the series Gilmore Girls. Basically, try to read as many as you can.
TBR knockout - Tackle all the books on your TBR that you own.
TBR - you make a plan to read a list of books you picked out for yourself by the end of the year or month
Classic reading challenge - Read at least one classic book a month.
Finishing the series - Literally, just finishing the series that you have started already.
At this point, I'm leaving you with this link that leads to a whole comprehensive list because there are so many reading challenges you can pick up. I may pick one up next year and see where it leads me, probably the series one. The ones listed above are ones I've seen BookTubers do often.
I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have four five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page.
Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him?
Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.
I have another announcement to make. Wrenville is on Kobo now! Kobo is an ebook and audiobook service, much like Kindle. It is simply a variation. Having Wrenville and all my future books on Kindle and Kobo gives me a better chance as an author.
To find my ebook go to this link. I am beyond excited to announce this to all of my blog readers. Thank you for being my village as I promote my book. I can't do this without you. Please go check it out. Tell your friends. Share this post out to your personal tribe. I can't wait to see how this goes.
Never heard of my book? Let me introduce you to it. Wrenville is a standalone suspense novel about a private investigator named Jack Thomas. He is running from a previous case (involving assassins) in the small town of Wrenville, Illinois. Can he hide from his previous case or is it going to catch up? Find out by picking up my book today.
Wrenville is currently available in Kobo, Kindle, Hardcover, and paperback. The links to my book are below:
For fun, I am going to address men miswriting women. And I'll talk about how not to do this. I will also be doing the flipside of this eventually (women miswriting men). Let's get into it.
I'm going to begin by showing you a video I find absolutely hilarious. It is women writing men. Buckle in, ladies and gents. Get ready to fall off your couch laughing.
Today's discussion is on how to actually write the female human. We're going to start with mistakes to avoid. We'll also discuss the sexism. If you have read (Ian Fleming or otherwise) men writing a female character as if they were fantasizing you understand. I do love James Bond books, but simply put, I'd like to shake Fleming for writing the phrase "silly b*tch" in a book. Do I still love James Bond books and collect them? Yes, but that's because they are otherwise great books you should pick up at least once. Fortunately, only Fleming is sexist. The other authors drop the sexist tone pretty dang quick.
Common Mistakes
The appearance of a character being their personality is one mistake that can be made. Rule 1 of a character should be making their personality strong. I'm not saying you can't care about what they look like, but characters drive your plot. A character whose personality is their boobs, hair, curvy body, or purple eyes isn't going to drive your plot anywhere, except maybe into the charity shop where women dropped it off after they stopped reading it.
Over-description of any female body part is a bad move - especially if it is a female perspective you are writing from. We don't stare at our boobs in the mirror. We don't look at ourselves any more than you do. The only time I stare at my boobage is when I'm feeling self-conscious about how much I'm showing, which is a tip for any male writing a woman. If you aren't sure if you over-described it, hand it to a woman and have her read it. Don't mention boobs. Those are normal to women and don't get much of a thought in our minds unless we're shopping for bras or dresses. Stop short of adding "she was a (insert cup size)" or "her breasts spilled out of her dress like two pillows". Too much of that nonsense and you lose the female audience entirely.
The concept of someone being the support character is not a bad thing if your character has a plot of her own and can stand on her own. The point here is that the female should be able to stand on her own. She's not a prop. She should be her own character. She should do more than serve the male characters. Let's be real, no women in your life only live to serve men unless we're talking about prostitution and slavery. Women free of both those things have their own lives, opinions, and thoughts. Your characters should do the same. I know slavery shows up in stories, to be fair, but even then she should have her own thoughts and dreams.
Female friendships are not shallow. While sometimes you do get backstabbed or talk about men, that isn't all we do. It is also a good guide to give personality types to your characters. INFJs, for example, will have a small, tight circle of people in contrast to extroverted personality types. Women who are close look out for each other fiercely. Women talk about other women, life events, what they have for dinner, and when they'll next come over to hang out. Give your friendships depth whether the character is female or male.
Beta Reading is the act of getting outside feedback for your writing. Men who write women need to do this every time. Seriously, bite the bullet and have a woman do it. I hate the process as much as you do, but it's worth it, even just to get a good view of how your writing comes across. It makes sense to you because you wrote it. A woman may read it and not agree. It's a reality check if anything. It should be on every writer's editing list to do this at least a few times before publishing. It'll keep you off lists like the video above.
What it comes down to at the end of the day is what George RR Martin has said: "I Write them as people." Start with a person, not a woman or a man. Just a person. I observe and create characters, personally, so start with that if you have no idea where to begin. Logically deduce and fill in holes where you need to. It isn't hard to write a person. You can do it. I believe in you.
Sexism
Some of this comes from the time period a book was written (1940s, 1950s), but you'll notice that it hasn't actually stopped. Sad as this is, I'm going to talk about how to avoid the sexism in your book. It may have crept into your words and maybe only the women noticed it. I'm not kidding. I also implore you to get a beta reader who will notice this stuff has crept in. In a patriarchy of good and bad patriarchs you'll get some ideas spread that you may think are normal, yet shouldn't be. There are literally whole groups on the internet that hate women. Don't think our society hasn't absorbed some of it - even the women in your life. The way we think of our role in society is influenced by our society. Think on that for a bit.
One way to avoid some sexist language is to try using gender-neutral pronouns. I know this is more of a grammar thing, but it may help you. For example, the terms fireman vs. firefighter, and not assuming the gender of an occupation are ways to smoothly use nonsexist language. It puts both genders on the same playing field. Need help with that? Try this link here. Also, this one and this other one.
Going with the subtle language above, most of which proves the patriarchy is still alive and well, don't refer to a grown woman as a girl. If you do choose that term, though, you'd best refer to a man as a boy. Even that playing field. Parallel your terms for men and women, girls and boys, ladies and lords, etc... Depending on when your book takes place it may also be good to have your character not refer to a couple as Mr. and Mrs. Adam Smith. The alternative is Mr. Adam Smith and Mrs. Jane Smith.
If you wouldn't say it to a man, don't say it to a woman. There is a whole list of phrases that are man-focused, such as "you throw like a girl", "man up", "grow a pair", and the list goes on. There are also phrases for women that get thrown around by men (and I'll admit that women do the same to men, so let's not blame only men for name-calling). These phrases include "sl*t", "wh*re", "asking for it", "easy", "loose"', "b*tch", and a few others I won't list. Don't refer to women as slurs like this. If we did the same to you in your books you wouldn't like it, either.
Avoiding stereotypes about women should be a great start to not writing sexist statements. Not all women are homemakers and not all of us care excessively about looks. We're taught to by society, in fact, we're also taught that men are what we should all be chasing, but when you start reflecting on this reality it starts to make you wonder what we've been conditioned to believe. Women have been taught by many sources that relationships and the home are the female sphere. Women have a glass ceiling in the workplace and sometimes do twice the work because they come home to what is known as the "second shift", which is taking care of kids. Stereotypes will get you nowhere in your writing. Break those and be original. Women have also been shoved into the category of being children at different times in society, and even today when you look at ads it shows up. If you want some more info on this, check out this link here.
A Note For Historical Fiction Writers
When it comes to historical fiction I completely understand that this is sometimes unavoidable, especially if you want to make a point about how women have been treated by society. In this scenario, I would show how women feel about their roles and talk about that. Have a woman be offended by being limited by society, show a woman battling over whether she should enter the workforce during the Cold War, and reveal that a woman isn't entirely happy after WWII has ended and she has to re-enter the domestic sphere. You can include characters that say sexist things to your female characters as long as you have the women realistically react. I'm not saying you can't write a Frank Burns (MASH reference) into your storyline; what I am saying is that women shouldn't be described as "silly b*tches" and be referred to as lesser than a man (unless your character is an outright donkey on purpose). To establish men as being superior to women as normal is damaging to society. Historical fiction is one thing (accurate history is not always pretty), but casually dropping the idea that women are mostly pretty objects and should only serve men is not healthy. Women are people. Write them as such.
When in doubt, call some female beta readers and have them read it. We know a realistic reaction when we see one. We can help. Call on us for feedback on your writing. We'll do that for you. If you had blatant sexism and badly described women we'll call you out on it and gently lead you down the path of good writing. I don't want to see you on a list. Ask us about our lives and we'll share real experiences you can base your book on.
I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have four five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page.
Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him?
Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.
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