It's said that whatever you do on New Year's Day, you do the whole year through. I'm trying to choose wisely and do those things well.
What are you doing today?
On one of the online loops where I lurk, they are currently listing their top and bottom reads for 2009.
First, I'm impressed that people actually keep lists (I'm lucky to make a list for the grocery store), and second, the sheer volume of books people read astounds me.
I've learned through readers on these loops that tastes vary widely. A book one person treasures may be a DNF (Did Not Finish) for someone else. Even among people who generally enjoy the same authors.
When I look at their list of favorites for the year, I'm interested and engaged. If I see the same book mentioned on a few posts, I'll make a mental note. If I hear it mentioned somewhere else, it goes on a list I keep of books I'm interested in checking into.
But when I look at the lists of the worst-received books for the year, something inside of me clinches up and I feel a bit like someone picking through dirty laundry. How awful for those writers. And even worse, what if one day my name is on that list? Ugh.
My skin has gotten more thick when it comes to critiques and rejections. But readers? That will require a whole new buildup.
CR: Chasing Darkness by Robert Crais.
It's all better with friends.
