Rediscovering

As a kid, I read voraciously. Mom would tell you it was my biggest discipline issue, and losing a book was about the only consequence that worked. Which was why by eight I had developed a habit of reading multiple books at once. I memorized page numbers so a bookmark couldn’t give away my current read. (Well, that I was forever losing bookmarks and needing to re-find my place anyway.) Once Mom caught onto the books secreted under my bed for nighttime reading, I hid them in the covers. I got really good at hiding them in my covers, even placing a decoy or two for when she checked, making sure whatever I really wanted to read was all the way down where the sheets tucked in tightest, under the bulk of my stuffed animal mountain.

I wonder how many books I read then.

The amount I read started dropping off in high school, even more in college. I’d written off consuming so many as a thing of the past, never to be repeated.

Then I got into audiobooks, which can fill all the spaces where childcare requires my physical presence without my full mental presence and read a grand total of 222 books last year. I guess it’s safe to say this post wasn’t a fluke or temporary binge.

So far, I think I’m around 75 already for 2024. I think my (recent) record for concurrent books-in-progress is six, divided among audio, ebook, and physical books. I can feel my brain stretching and damn, it feels good.

I’m also rediscovering my writing habit.

I started coming back to it about a year ago after months of shutdown, but only lately have I averaged more than a few words a day. I’ve been focusing on writing a novella and the limited words haven’t left space for much else.

But within the last month, I wrote–and sold!–a piece of flash fiction, and now I’m getting this post out in the world. All this rediscovering feels pretty amazing. It’s good to be back.