Tagged!

The wonderful Carla Neggers tagged me for a Book Meme. I’m supposed to share 15 facts or personal preferences about books. Here goes:

1. I’m nearly always reading 2 books at once, a novel and a nonfiction work--most often a biography, but sometimes a travel memoir, 18th century social history, or something about the film industry.

2. Every few years I re-read one of my own novels. Why? Initially I wrote them for myself, and I’m curious to see if I still like them.

3. My most frequent re-reads are probably Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner.
4. The chapter “In Which Piglet Meets a Heffalump” inevitably makes me laugh unto tears.
5. I suspect the Pooh books are partly responsible for my being inordinately fond of Pigs and living in a wood which contains a Bear.


6. In my house I've got at least 1000 bookmarks—-fancy ones, foreign ones, promotional ones—-but because they conceal themselves in mysterious places I rely on bits of scrap paper and pieces rippped from discarded envelopes to mark my place when reading.

7. I haven’t yet read the latest Harry Potter. But I will!

8. I’ve consigned paperback books I truly detested to our local dump but am too tender-hearted to carry them there myself. That’s what husbands are for.

9. When I’m travelling, I mostly carry along books written by people I actually know.

10. And, being a hoarder, I bring the same books back home with me.

11. I’ve developed an obsession for trade sized paperbacks. At least 75% of my recent fiction purchases--historical or contemporary--have been trade sized.

12. Last year, for the very first time, I was published in trade size.

13. The first thing I read in a book is the author’s biography. If there isn’t one, I get depressed. Why? Because I'm so nosy--I mean, curious about other writers.

14. One of my rare (very rare) "real world" jobs was in a college library. I became a very fast and efficient shelver, just so I could goof off for a while and read books while I was lurking in the stacks.

15. I can't imagine stalking a movie or tv star but will admit to deliberately hunting down and stealthily driving past the homes of favourite writers just to see where they make their magic.

Now it’s my turn to tag... hope you’re paying attention Theresa Eckford, happenin' comedy chick Susie Felber, and UK author Kate Allan.

Background music for Blogging: Handel's The Messiah. I'm seeing it live tomorrow.