Monday, October 08, 2007

Reading Slumps and Real Country Music

I know now that reading "slumps" are fairly common after having read the comments on a few of my favorite book blogs when some of you experienced them. But it's been a long time since I've gone into a reading slump of my own, so it's still a little frustrating to me when it happens.

I suppose that I've just been overwhelmed with little time-killers, and really big time-killers, for the last couple of weeks but, when I do find a few minutes to read, I'm suddenly finding it hard to shut my mind down long enough to concentrate on the words on the page. And that's a shame, because I'm in various stages of completing five pretty good books right now (see the list in the left hand column of the blog for details).

I've added two links, one to a web forum that I help moderate and one to the new country music radio station that I set-up yesterday, a job that ended up consuming almost twelve hours of time. I've been involved in internet radio for over four years and, sadly enough, have parted ways with the original station. The focus of both stations is the promotion of traditional country music, and especially of those bands and singers still recording that kind of music today. Most people don't realize that there are lots of people still writing and recording in that style, so it's been fun to help those people get their music heard. Fans of "real country music" are invited to click on the radio link to hear what I mean.

Anyway, I'm hoping to get back in the groove soon because I feel like I've forgotten how to read. Instead of 200 pages a day, I'm struggling to read 60. This, too, shall pass...I can't wait.

8 comments:

  1. Love the radio station - you're doing a great job with it!! ;)

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  2. Okay, how about a tiny change in subject? I was updating my Librarything Author page a few days ago and found you there by my novel you had listed in your library. I had completely forgotten you were at Librarything...what a wonderful surprise! I have spent most of my summer at Goodreads.com, and love it. But also have some dear friends at Librarything, so I want to start spending more time there too. And that means getting my library there in order (big fun!). Anyway, I left a message for you on your page.

    I don't know if I go through reading slumps. Being a Witch, I tend to go with what feels right. Sometimes I know I need to take the time to let my mind go on "cruise control" and weed out all the thoguhts from a busy week. Reading is part of my job, meaning I not only read for the pleasure of the story, but also for how it is constructed (sentence structure, dialogue, plot links, etc.). If I can't concentrate, then I don't push it, because I know my body/mind needs something else at the moment. Witches live life like willow trees bending with the flow of the breeze. It makes the living of each day easier I think (grin). The exact opposite of the aggressive, complicated way our society operates, but it seems to work for me (grin).

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  3. Laura, LibrayThing has been a ton of fun for me since I discovered it last year. I've got pretty much my whole library in there now and it's been fairly easy to keep up with the changes. I'm not familiar with Goodreads.com. Just what I need...something else to take up my time. :-)

    Well, all I can say is that I wish I had the flexibility of a willow because I feel more like I'm about to be yanked up by my roots sometimes. Lucky you.

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  4. Ha! You crack me up! Well, I wasn't born a "willow." It was a practice I learned and developed over time, all part of living my life "on purpose," as I'm sure you suspect after reading my novel. I guess you could say it's a Witch-thing (grin).

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  5. Ah, pooh. Reading slumps are the worst. I feel as if something's broking inside of me when that happens to me. Usually though, I just blame it on the books and complain, "There's nothing good to read!" But, you're right, it'll pass and soon enough you'll be back on the reading horse and feeling as if you can't finish the books fast enough.

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  6. As long as you aren't a "weeping willow," Laura, you'll be OK. :-)

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  7. I'm slowly coming out of it, J.S., but it's taking longer than usual and it's really starting to bug me now. I can't blame it on the books because I have a stack that I can't wait to get into...but just can't get cranked up yet...a weird combination of emotions.

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I always love hearing from you guys...that's what keeps me book-blogging. Thanks for stopping by.