Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Wednesday Reads and Setting Goals

Last year I set a goal to read 65 books. I did manage to reach that (and then some), but it took some real work on my part toward the end (and cheating by reading some novellas). This year I need to set a more relaxed goal, so I decided on 50. About 1 a week. And after stating that, I’m wondering if 50 will be too much. Oh, but I do have a couple of trips on the horizon for 2018, so yeah, it’s probably more than doable. I do enjoy reading in the car.

Here’s what I read this week:

Book #67

Dates read: December 19-28
Title: “Midnight Crossroad”
Year of publication: 2014
Author: Charlaine Harris
Genre: Urban fantasy
Series: Midnight, Texas #1
# of Pages: 349
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: Welcome to Midnight, Texas, a town with many boarded-up windows and few full-time inhabitants, located at the crossing of Witch Light Road and the Davy highway. It’s a pretty standard dried-up western town.
    There’s a pawnshop with three residents. One is seen only at night. There’s a diner, but people stopping there tend not to linger. There’s a newcomer, Manfred Bernardo, who just wants to work hard and blend in. But Manfred has secrets of his own…
My thoughts: I expected a bit more paranormal/supernatural stuff because of the TV series (which I watched first). Then again, maybe the first season encompassed the other books in the series. Won’t know until I read those. And yes, I do plan to read them. Someday. It was an interesting story with some interesting characters.

As for my writing goal this year… I’m going to do my best to add to my WIP every weekday (which I already broke, darn it!). A word count of 500+ would be awesome, but I’m not going to press my luck. If I can add words to my WIP every weekday, then I will already surpass any goal I’ve set before. It’d be great if I could write on the weekends or holidays, but for some reason I just can’t get into the writing mood then. I save that time for newsletters and blogs, which I don’t seem to have a problem writing those then. Well… most times. Because sometimes something comes up (like it did yesterday) and blows everything out of the water—but more on that on Friday (gotta save something for then!).

So… Can you read in a moving vehicle? I used to be unable to do anything but look out the window. Even reading a map would make me sick. As an experiment, I tried crocheting during a road trip (because I could look up every now and then). When I didn’t get sick doing that, I braved reading on a bus once (where I couldn’t see outside anyway). That successful trip made me try reading in a car and I happily found I could do it without being ill. What a difference that makes in traveling, too (especially if you’re sitting in the back seat). The miles fly by (and I get a lot of reading done!).

Happy Reading!

Stacy

9 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I've tried but I also get sick reading in a car.
Fifty books - you can do it!

JeffO said...

I can read for a short time in the car. I've never made myself actually sick doing it, but it does make my stomach queasy.

Maria Zannini said...

It gives me a terrible headache to read in a moving vehicle. The most I'll do is look at a map but that's only for a couple of minutes.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Alex - I'm pretty sure I can do 50 books, too!

Jeff - I hate queasy stomachs. Blech.

Maria - I get headaches if I try to write on my laptop in a moving car, so I don't do that anymore. Just as well... it's hard to see the screen if the sun hits it just right (and the sun ALWAYS hits it just right!).

Unknown said...

I can read in a car, unless there's a lot of stop and go action. That turns my stomach if I try to read. Write something every day is an excellent goal. It will build on itself once it become an established habit. Thanks for the post, and happy writing. Also, happy 2018 to you! May it bring you joy and wonder. :)

dolorah said...

Reading in the car gives me a headache. I've been purchasing books on CD to cure that. You amaze me with all the reading you do. Without the audio books, I'd barely get to one a month.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Kathy - When it's stop and go (basically, in town), I don't read. It really only works for interstate driving. Thanks for commenting!!

Donna - I can't do audio books. My mind wanders too much for those and then I'd have to figure out where I zoned out! At least with a book, I haven't turned the page! Haha!

The Happy Whisk said...

I can read moving on a treadmill
I can read moving in a car
I can read moving on a bike
But I won't be caught reading in a bar.

That's my rhyme for the day.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Ivy - Hee hee hee