Hi dear friends!

I wanted this week’s discussion post to be a light and funny one.

Today I want to know all the things you would do or have done for books!

Come on!

You know us, readers, are weird creatures sometimes frenzied ones!

Don’t tell me you’ve never been met by incredulous faces when you told non readers about some of the things you’ve done for books!

Or that you never hid anything from your family and friends because they would never understand!

But this is a trade!

You tell me something and I’ll tell you ….many things!

Let’s begin should we?

Because of books I :

1) Began reading in English.

It was on a cold month, many years ago. The news broke: the next Harry Potter would release in a few days ….in English! I had maybe read two books of the series but to my surprise was so hooked that I did not want to wait months or a year to know what would happen!

That’s how I camped in front of our national Waterstone (Amazon was not so big and known in my country at that time) to put my greedy hands on the precious book!

From that moment on, I never looked back because the original is always better than the translation!

2) Created a blog.

My kids did not take me seriously when I told to the family that “I want to be a book blogger to chat with other book lovers”.

“What? You mom? But you are over fourty! ” Like I was dead duh!

Granted it’s been a thrilling but challenging adventure that I hope will go on for a long time! The things that I did and learned on this blog defy what I could have imagined!

3) Traveled abroad to meet favorite authors (and see Jason Momoa all right but …)

Of course when I saw fellow bloggers I just had to go to these events too!

I began with RARE London in 2018 then YALC London. It was RARE Paris in April 2019 and YALC London once again. I loved the passion, the meet with other readers, the excitement, the fangirling, the …..

My wallet loved it way much less as I got back nearly broke but detail, detail!

4) Discovered muscles I did not know my arms possessed

Going to book events means carrying suitcases filled with books. Strangely (or maybe not) they tend to multiply when you are at the event because every book is much cheaper there and they are all so lovely and that author nearly begged you to try it and… On the departure day you end up sitting or jumping on your suitcase to zip it and you nearly fall back while carrying your backpack filled to the brim with books!

Everyone knows that books are heavy and when going through the gates I had to ask some controller to help me haul our extra heavy suitcase onto the rolling mat. And when you go back home by train but some metro station don’t have lifts or …you have to haul your suitcase to the top of the stairs.

Attending these events is the best way to shape your arms nicely and avoid ending with bat wings (you know when you get old and the skin beneath your armstrings is not so firm and taut anymore and you look like a bat flapping her wings when all this skin is jiggling … yes yes, I know you know what I am speaking about! 😆 ).

5) Mastered the art or readwalking

When you commute and your stop is there and you are in the middle of a determining scene you just don’t want to stop!

But duty call you can’t stay on the train to read all day (I wish) so you step out and begin walking all while reading!

When I began people where not walking while looking at their phones so I was really the odd lady!

I made a very interesting discovery, kind of like a scientific study if you want: our peripheral vision is incredible! While focused on the story I never hit a lampshade, fell into a hole, been run over by a car or ….. I learned the art of multitasking and I am certain that I will avoid Alzheimer thanks to making work my brain so hard!

The only real danger is when you walk on the treadmill while reading a very funny book. Because laughing hard is dangerous for your balance! On the other hand it is excellent for your abs as you have to work twice as hard to keep your balance.

6) Sent my reputation of sane girl down the drain

When I read I am immersed in the story so I often either cry on the train, either laugh evily, either moan, either swoon and sigh, either .…well you get the idea!

I also tend to peek at what fellow commuters are reading and am known to engage random conversations with strangers if they do happen to read a book or an Ebook.

You can see that my reputation is now ruined but …I don’t care!

7) Learned to walk like a Sioux (stealthily)

Why in God’s name would I do that you think?

Well to avoid friends and people I know boarding on the same train or having lunch at the same time!

I learned to walk stealthily on the train gate, hiding behind a pillar until the coast was clear and the person I knew was already  on board just to jump in another car and read in peace! Same technique at lunch to avoid being spotted by colleagues lunching at the same time as I just wanted to read alone!

8) Bought way more book merch than I could have imagined

Being a blogger and creating a bookstagram account opened the doors of book merchandise heaven!

I am salivating all the time at the sight of these lovely bookish candles, the beautiful book sleeves, the lovely graphics and fanart, the ….

My wallet is despairing and has decided to go on strike!

9) Created my own bookish candles

I just wanted THE perfect and specially made candle that I could not find. Being someone artistic I tried to create my own candles and so I did! It was trial and errors and they are not perfect but it’s fun.

10) Invented excuses to stay at home reading instead of going out with friends

I confess that I am a homebody and would rather stay at home on a Friday or Saturday night curled up on the couch with my favorite book than go party with friends!

Sometimes you have to get creative and have convincing excuses like “I really can’t move today as I have just sprained my ankle tonight” or “My mom has asked me to help her with preserve” or ….

11) Buy way more books than clothes

Honestly who need clothes when they have books right?

OK now it’s your turn! What would you do or hav you done for books?

Thanks for reading!

Sophie