Category: Reading Challenges

Like last weekend I’ll participate in the cozy „Herbstlesen“-event that the Winterkatze puts up again. Though I have to say there won’t be as much reading today as there was last Sunday because the day I have planned is busy, busy, busy.

So first I’ll do the dishes, and then I’ll go for a run, and help making lunch, and in the afternoon I hope to record another episode of my knitting podcast.

I am currently reading „The Delirium Brief“ by Charles Stross which is excellent, and has me on the edge of my seat. I can barely put it down, and will probably finish that this weekend. It is the eighth novel in the „Laundry Files“ series and I recommend starting with the first book. If you’re anything like me you will then just speedread through them all.

Yesterday I read my way through the short „The Healthy Professional Writer“. I did like it even though I only took a few things from it. I think this would be excellent for writers who suffer from migraines (which I don’t) but I still found it fascinating to read about the author’s journey to health. I like it that she stresses the fact that there is no one true way for every one but that we need to listen to our bodies and find out what is good for us.

The other non-fiction book I’m reading is „Why We Sleep“. Really good book too, only I’m not sure if I’ll have the head space to follow along today. I’m still stuck in the first part where he shows all the benefits we get from sleep, and what can go wrong if we don’t get enough of it. Which is somewhat terrifying and has me want to put in more effort in getting enough sleep. (And I’m typing this rather tired because we went out to see a band or two last night.)

So I’ll come back and do updates on this post periodically over the day, I only don’t know how many.

Update 3 pm:

I went running, and it was really enjoyable, seems things are changing for the better.

Then my husband and I made spaghetti bolognese. I was so hungry that I forgot to take a picture. Then dishes, then a piece of cake and some more reading.

I’m 70% into „The Delirium Brief“ and things are picking up. If I could as I want I’d spend the rest of the day reading.

Update 6.20 pm:

Well, that didn’t go as planned. On the bright side I did spend more time reading than I had thought I would. On the not so bright side I was not able to prepare the podcast episode because the blog with the shownotes was down for most of the afternoon. So I just gave in, read all the internet and a little in my book. Which I’m really enjoying still.

The bad thing is that I will need to get everything done tomorrow. Humpf.

But now it’s time for dinner. Then reading. It feels like I am in need of a day off. Yet again. But „The Delirium Brief“ ist still rather riveting. I’m on page 296 and we’re approaching showdown. (Still 90 pages to go so there will be room enough for things to get much worse before the end.

So the Winterkatze is doing her annual fall reading challenge again. I have been enjoying reading about it on her blog, and the other’s and so I thought it would be fun to participate as well. Now the problem is that the whole thing is in German while this blog is not.

I hope you don’t mind much.

The rules are that you spend a day doing the things you love that make you feel good (as much as possible) which includes reading, and then you write about it on your blog. Most people make updates to their posts several times in the course of the day.

I woke up at six which was a little early, and immeditaly started reading „The Dante Connection“* by Estelle Ryan. It’s the second in a series of mystery novels. The main character works for an insurance company that specializes in art. She is autistic with a special interest in reading body language. I had really enjoyed reading the first in the series „The Gauguin Connection“ which I had picked up for free a couple of months ago. Since the third in the series was free some time last month I decided to also buy the second one, and get the third.

I had hoped to finish reading that one yesterday but I got distracted by non-fiction again.

While eating breakfast (and I forgot to take a picture; just imagine a bowl of müsli with yogurt) I switched to reading Hal Higdon’s „Half Marathon Training“*. I started reading that last year when I was training for a half marathon, then I injured my hip, and had to stop running for a few months. since I’m now back to running I picked it up again. So far it has mostly been inspiring stories about people who run. Which is nice but not what I need right now. I’m hoping for a bit more meat and information soon. I’m also not sure if I should follow his training plan. I’m thinking of going from running three times a week to four times but that training pan would have me run five times a week which means I would have to seriously change my life around to fit in the other bits.

I then made the weekly spread in my bullet journal which got me started thinking about NaNoWriMo. I’m nost sure if I should participate this year because I probably won’t be finished with revision on novel three by then. I don’t really want to start yet another novel without any planning, world-building or outlining, and I don’t think I will have time to do any of that in October. But that reminded me about „The Story Grid“* by Shawn Coyne which I had been meaning to work through in August. Working through anything won’t happen soon so I’m thinking I maybe should just go ahead and read it, and hope that things stick.

I’m still reading the part where he explains how he found the blueprint to story, and I keep wishing he’d cut to the chase. And yes, I know I could skip ahead, but I really don’t like to.

Update 2.30 pm:

Not all that much reading since, I did crochet some, and while doing that I couldn’t really read because the pattern is pretty complicated, and I need to look at every single stitch and count all the time. (The pattern is called Sophie’s Universe, and it’s gorgeous.)

I also did my usual singing and piano warm-up, and made spätzle for lunch.

I’d really like to finish reading „The Dante Connection“ today. I will also spend a little time typing in revision changes in the novel I’m currently working on. There’s a ton of new scenes I need to type in, and so far I have managed to reduce the thing from 63,000 to 56,000 words. Which is much too short. I’m seeing another round of revision in my future. Have I mentioned that I don’t really like revision? But as often the only way out is through. (Well, that and giving up but I don’t really like giving up most of the time.)

The Winterkatze pointed out to me that this is not a ‚challenge‘ per se, and that there really are no rules, my bad. Otherwise discussion in the (German) comments was about the half marathon training which sounds more impressive than it is at the moment, so far I have run 5K once (which took me all of 45 minutes which shows you how very slow I am), and the Winterkatzes giving me helpful tips about my potential NaNoWriMo project. I don’t think I will write short stories or novellas set in the universe I’m currently working in, though. I am really, really looking forward to writing something different. I’ve been working on this trilogy, and the skills I need to be able to finsh them properly for years now.

I might heartlessly abandon the trilogy for a few weeks, though, and plan and start something new. But then finishing has a really high priority as well. Maybe I’ll manage to finish revision of 1 1/4 novels over the next three weeks, and then I can plan a new series until the beginning of November.

Yeah, probably not.

Update 8.15 pm:

I spent the afternoon on the internet, and doing more crochet, and reading some more of „The Dante Connection“ but not enough to finish, and I did a load of laundry, and some light strength training. Then was dinner (sorry, no picture), and then I watched „Star Trek: The New Generation“ and „How I Met Your Mother” with my son while knitting on the Easy shawl by Martina Behm.

I’m going offline now but I’ll be reading a bit more in bed.

That was a really nice Sunday spent with you guys, thanks, and I’m looking forward to next weekend to do it all again.

* Affiliate-Link. If you buy through this link it doesn’t add any cost for you but gives me a small percentage. Thanks.