Did you know that almost every Monday on Facebook I ask a question about reading or books, and then, on the following day, I pick a winner from the comments and send them a prize? Here are some recent and upcoming prizes and their corresponding dates…
I love reading through everyone’s answers to the questions each week, especially when those answers lead me to discover some great new books.
My Turn
Recently, it struck me that I rarely, if ever, answer any of those Monday questions myself. So for today’s blog, I decided to do just that. Below, you’ll see that I have pulled together all the questions I’ve asked thus far this year, with each one followed by my own answer. I actually had a lot of fun thinking about my responses.
(Note: This post contains affiliate links.)
(Note: This post contains affiliate links.)
1. What’s one of the best books you read in 2018?
Can't limit it to just one. I read some great nonfiction last year, including these two favorites:
For fiction, I think my favorite reads of 2018 were:
Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins
Forevermore by Cathy Marie Hake (Note: This one was recommend by several of my
readers on Facebook, and they were right, it was so sweet.)
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| My mom, Jackie Starns, caught reading on the couch |
Everyone! My grandparents, parents, older brother, best friends, etc. We were all big readers, and we loved to share our favorites with each other.
3. Read any inspiring biographies lately?
Yes! I absolutely loved In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides.
4. What's one book you're embarrassed to admit you've never read?
5. What book(s) are you currently reading?
A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert, Voice of the Eagle by Linda Lay Shuler, The Logevity Paradox by Steven R. Gundry, The Numerati by Stephen Baker (fascinating!), and Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport.
6. If you could sit down with an author and ask any question about writing or publishing, what would that question be?
"How do you manage your time?" I always ask other authors this because it’s my biggest challenge as a writer. There just never seem to be enough hours in the day to write good books and have a life.
7. One book at a time or several?
Several! I usually have 5 or 6 going, and I find myself mostly reading nonfiction in the morning and fiction at night.
8. Which fictional character makes you swoon?
I must confess, I’ve always been a bit in love with Travis Naquin, the hunky hero of my own Under the Cajun Moon.
9. Standalone or series, what's your preference?
Either is fine with me.
10. When you read a series, do you prefer the books to be sequential with the same main character (like the Million Dollar Mysteries) or just loosely connected (like the Women of Lancaster County)?
Sequential—if it’s a good enough series that I’m able to remember the details from the previous books. If not, then loosely connected is easier to read.
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| Set it on an island and I'm so there! |
I love stories of survival, especially on a deserted island. I also love to read novels set in Louisiana—ifthe writer is from there and really knows what he or she is talking about. (If not, I just get irritated.)
12. What book would make for an interesting discussion in a book club?
Hmmm… Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (another great discovery my readers told me about) or maybe Rabbit by Patricia Williams. I know I would've loved having someone to discuss these books with after I finished reading them.
13. What's your personal "loan policy" when it comes to the books you own? (As in, do you keep a record, establish a time limit, loan them out freely, never loan them to anyone, etc.)
These days, because of eye issues, I only read audible books, so loaning isn’t an issue. But back when I read with my eyes rather than my ears, I would do one of two things. If it was a good book but not a great one, I’d loan it freely or usually just give it away since I didn’t plan to keep it. If it was a special book that I treasured, I’d loan it very carefully and makes sure to keep a record and to follow up if it didn’t make its way back to me.
14. What distracts you when you’re trying to read?
When I’m in the zone, I rarely get distracted unless someone is speaking directly to me—and even then, it takes me a minute to snap back to reality.
15. What makes you love a book?
When I can't put it down. When it stays on my mind. When I absolutely adore the main character. When I cannot predict the plot. When the writing sings.
By the way, in case you'd like to pass along this list of questions to any of your other reader friends, here they are again, minus the answers. Feel free to copy, paste, and share as desired!
1. What’s one of the best books you read in 2018?
2. When you were growing up, who in your life absolutely loved to read?
2. When you were growing up, who in your life absolutely loved to read?
3. Read any inspiring biographies lately?
4. What's one book you're embarrassed to admit you've never read?
5. What book(s) are you currently reading?
6. If you could sit down with an author and ask any question about writing or publishing, what would that question be?
7. One book at a time or several?
8. Which fictional character makes you swoon?
9. Standalone or series, what's your preference?
10. When you read a series, do you prefer the books to be sequential with the same main character (like the Million Dollar Mysteries) or just loosely connected (like the Women of Lancaster County)?11. Are there certain geographic settings (for example a Caribbean island, the Arizona desert, Paris, etc.) that you especially enjoy when reading a novel?
12. What book would make for an interesting discussion in a book club?
13. What's your personal "loan policy" when it comes to the books you own? (As in, do you keep a record, establish a time limit, loan them out freely, never loan them to anyone, etc.)
14. What distracts you when you’re trying to read?
15. What makes you love a book?
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