Time to have some fun and discuss some of our (book lovers) quirks. You know all these peculiarities pretty normal for avid readers but leaving most non book lovers speechless.
Most of the time THEY (as in “non book junkies”) witness OUR (as in “us book nerds”) actions with incredulity, not knowing what they’re missing in their lives. Hey, THEY get to live only once while WE live countless kickass lives!
Now I’ll tell you what I do or would do for books “naked truth” and I hope you’ll tell me some crazy stories as well 😉
- Read in another language because you just can’t wait for the book to be translated (I could absolutely NOT wait for the latest Harry Potter to be translated in my mother tongue!) Anyway translations often lack nuances and finesse compared to the original.
- Be the odd one on the train. Either I’m sporting the “Panda Look” because I’m crying my heart out reading a very moving story either I’m mistaken for a piglet when laughing so hard reading some scenes I can’t help but snort (very ungracious I KNOW).
- Make the toilet my lair. Sorry this is SO unglamorous and maybe TMI but being a mom and a wife without my “own” room this is the only place in the house I can hide to read in peace. In the same spirit: mimic the Sioux walk and stealth on the train gate in the hope of avoiding colleagues and friends. I will hide in the car and read my fill uninterrupted (antisocial? Who? Me? ).
- Learn to readwalk. Who would have guessed reading was a risky business? But when I’m in a juicy part or the story (as in “about to learn who the killer is” or “who will she FINALLY choose” or …) I just HAVE to go on reading. I’ve now a degree in avoiding potholes; streetlight; crazy bicycle; errand bins; leashed dogs (traitorous because the leash is thin), etc. all while reading. I’d be happy to open classes and teach you this useful art. Just fill in the form 😀
- Buy a Kindle because: instant gratification; tree shelves destroyed under the weight of books; turned away at the customs (backpack overflowing with heavy books)…
- Stalk authors to get ARCs. Because again I could not wait some more weeks for the book being published.
- Offer to beta read and make great friends with authors in the process. The publication date was either unknown either months away and I was so in love with the books.
- Build a blog (craziest thing of all) because I had to share the love and chat with other book junkies.
- Suffer from frozen neck and stiff shoulders when reading big heavy books in bed (think The Pillars of the Earth or The Fall of the Giants hardcover). This was BK (Before Kindle) of course.
- Buy the same book 3 or 4 times. First as ebook because “can’t wait” , second as hardcover or paperback because I loved it and the cover is gorgeous, third translated for my kids and sometimes fourth or … as a gift because it’s so fantastic I want everyone to read it!
- Turn feral beast when interrupted in my read. Especially when I’m at a damn turning point!!! You don’t do that to a Book Nerd! Ever! Or proceed with extreme caution and don’t forget your armor.
- Bribe my daughter (with books of course) to make her clean the house and be allowed to finish my book.
- Plead with a thief to take my wallet, my money, my jewels but NOT MY KINDLE! It’s not happened yet but I’m prepared to beg on bended knees if necessary.
- Contact a publishing house to enquire about the date the book will be translated (on behalf of my daughter). Prepare to be devastated when learning this series is discontinued due to a lack of audience while it’s a HUGE success in the world and my daughter is hooked. We barely avoided the Third World War at home. She was ready to take the plane and bash some heads or kick butts if needed. And I would have helped of course! Because again you just DON’T STOP PUBLISHING A SERIES in the middle!!! Bad, bad publishers 👿
Now two quirks my friend “P” shared with me:
- Pretend to get to bed early or still be asleep to get more reading time.
That’s a good one as I remember being young an hiding under the cover with a flashlight just to read some more
- Cancel dates and social activities and enjoy my read
Now, tell me your “naked truths” about what you do or would do for books!
Oh, yes. Yes to all of these things. Loved the Loki .gif. That’s pretty much my reaction if people interrupt me while I’m reading. Especially if it’s a really good book!! If I have my book or Kindle out, that’s a signal that I. Do. Not. Wish. To. Talk.
I did start readwalking in the last month or so. I do a good deal of walking and it makes the time pass faster.
Haha I found another soul mate! Thank you for commenting Julianna 🙂 It’s true us book lovers have real quirks LOL
I share so many of yours… what to add…
-Squealing or crying when you get approved for an ARC you really want (even in public. And somehow it always happens when I’m in public places).
-Having books sent from oversee. I had my fav book ever shipped from the US as a special treat.
-Building shrines (the aforementioned book is sitting on a pedestal).
-Collecting and hunting swag like it’s gold.
-Stalking authors and knowing all the important releases dates better than most of your relatives’s birthdays.
-That moment you’re chatting on a social media with an author you worship and inside you’re chanting “be cool, don’t let the crazy fangirl show. She doesn’t need to know you named your kid after her book’s character”
-The spike of jealousy you feel when everyone’s got the ARC you wanted but didn’t even know you could sign up for.
-Then the mad research for the sign up form on Google, and endless mails to everyone related to the author, PA, publisher, cover designer, grampa, begging to send you a copy.
Yeah, we are quite quirky people.
Excellent Talia!!! Now I have to ask: what book is on the pedestal? And I know what you mean when you speak about ARCs everyone else got but not you.
Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost.
I read it in Italian when I was 15, fell completely in love with it (and Bones) and, as you said, couldn’t wait months or even years for the other books in the series to be translated. So I basically learned the language to be able to read her books. I owe that woman so much!
OK I have to check on this book now! My very first read in English was The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. I kow, not the easiest or the shortest to begin with but I’ve always loved history and Ken Follet is a Master Writer 😉 My dad bought it while in New York and I learned all about building cathedrals in English 🙂
What a great post!! I was giggling while reading because I can totally relate!!
Have a great weekend Sophie!
Thank you Susan 🙂 <3