My Book Me-Me

Ok, thanks to Heidi I was tagged and now am "It" for one of these blasted Me-Me thingy-doodles. So, true to my word of not being a spoil-sport, I did it. You'd think that a writer wouldn't mind sharing her ideas about books, but there's almost so much I could say, that this proved to be harder than it should have been. Still here goes: 1. How many books do you own? I can't count. Seriously, it's not because I'm lazy, it's just that it's too many and would take to damn long. I have floor to ceiling bookshelves in my living room--which I did sort through last year--that hold a lot. Then, I have all my teaching books downstairs in boxes and shelves, put away in storage in case I ever go back into the classroom. Then, there are the children's books! OMG, they are everywhere. It's no wonder my kids love reading. They have a library right here. But, somehow, they still manage to love to go to the library and check out books. Also, there are few times I will leave a bookstore without getting something. Everyone has an addiction, and I guess books are one of mine. 2. The Last Book I Bought: Hmm, Crocheting for Dummies. A switch for me, since I usually get writing instruction, strategy or business books lately. My mom has been crocheting for years, as well as my MIL, and I decided to see if I could try it. Mom showed me a few of the basics, but being one of the least crafty people in the world (Martha Stewart definitely doesn't live here!), I needed a bit more instruction. Off to the bookstore I went. 3. Last Book I read: Currently, I am reading Write from Life: Turning your personal experiences into compelling stories by Meg Files. Makes sense since I'm almost elbow deep into my memoir piece. Of course, I read kids' books almost every night before bedtime for the girls. I am supposed to be reading The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd for my book club, but haven't picked it up, yet! (YIKES!) 4. The last book I read and completed for me: I am going to exclude writing books, because that is for work. The last one I can think of is Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz. OMG! What a ride. If you're scared of clowns, you may want to pass this one by, but I think it is a must-read. I'm not much into thrillers/mysteries and this was my first experience with Koontz. I was impressed! Kept me riveted throughout, and that is saying something. 5. Five books that mean a lot to me: Damn, this is the hard one, because it is too hard to narrow down to five. But, I will try: a. Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary. I can still remember this book being read to me when I was in 2nd grade. I couldn't wait until 2:30 every afternoon, so that I could find out what happened next. I had been read many books before this, but this was my first experience with chapter books. Plus, it's still funny, even today. Maybe that's because I have kids now. b. The Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I read the entire series so many times, I could practically recite chapters by memory. In my mind, I was Laura--I had the perfect life, was full of spunk and my days were filled with adventure. Yes, I liked the show, too. The books, though, touched someplace deep within me and I grew up with the characters. c. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. I read this book in the 8th grade. As a Civil War buff, it was simply one of the books I got my hands on about one of my favorite topics. Sure, I thought it was cool to carry around a book that was a few inches think (can you say, geek?! LOL), but it was the first great romance I ever read. This was my first venture into adult literature. d. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. One of my more recent reads. I literally finished it in a day. Put simply, this is the kind of writing I dream of finding within myself someday. Characters that the reader attaches to right away, plots that intertwine almost effortlessly, and a conclusion that pulls on the heartstrings a little. e. The Bible. Besides being the basis of my faith, it is just full of incredible stories. I've never read the book cover to cover, but I've always wanted to do that. Instead, I usually page through the books and see what stands out to me on a particular day. I wonder if going from beginning to end, in order, will change my experience with this incredible book? Ok, that's it. I won't tag anyone right now...because I'm a nice person. But, beware, you never know when I may strike.