Medieval Bookworm

I’m pretty impressed that I’ve managed to stay up this late!  I’ve finished three books now.  A Long Way Down took me a bit longer than it should have, but mainly because I took a break to stretch and eat some cheese and crackers and forgot to note it.  Silly me!  I’m also reading quite slowly as I think my husband is feeling the pinch and keeps talking to me, which definitely slows things down, but I think I’ll forgive him.

I still haven’t participated in any of the mini-challenges and I’m not sure I’m going to!  I’m enjoying just reading and to be honest, I’m not really looking to win any books.  I’m trying to cut down on my TBR pile, not add to it, although I wouldn’t protest if I got lucky.

My next book will be Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson.  I’m switching between fiction and non-fiction and while it’s made me read a bit less, I think it’s a nice change from the usual overdose of lighter fiction books I choose for the Read-a-thon.  Anyway, here’s how I’m doing:

Number of Books Read: 3
Pages Read: 624
Time Spent Reading: 8:08
Time Spent Blogging: 1:58

Ooh, I nearly missed the mid-event survey!

1. What are you reading right now?

I’m just about to start Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson

2. How many books have you read so far?

3 so far.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

I think this one, actually; I really like Bill Bryson and I’ve saved this one for a month or so now.

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?

No, I just didn’t make any plans!

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

Yes, I have had a few interruptions, and mostly I’ve just rolled with them.  Luckily they haven’t lasted too long, so I’ve been able to get back to reading.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

Not too much really, I’m just surprised I’m still awake.  I’ve been asleep at this time in the first three, I’m pretty sure.  I’m not good at staying up.

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

Not yet!

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?

Nothing yet; I might make more concrete plans in terms of meals and snacks like others do, but I just wasn’t organized this time around.

9. Are you getting tired yet?

I am, but hopefully I can still read a bit before dropping off.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?

I don’t right now, but if or when I do I will share. =)

How’s everyone else doing now? Still good I hope!

I’ve made some good progress so far I think – I’ve managed to read one, very small (92 page) book, which I really disliked, called The Passport by Herta Muller.  It just felt very scattered to me in terms of story and was completely fixated on imagery and allegory.  I would prefer a coherent narrative to surreal phrases full of meaning every time – but never mind, it’s out of the way!  I’ve moved on The Lost City of Z by David Grann and I’ve read 50 pages so far; it’s excellent and I think I’m finally about to feel pleased about the fact that I’ve signed myself up to read all day!  And I can’t forget that I have an excellent pile awaiting me when I’ve finished this one, too.

Without further ado, I’ll answer the questions for the first meme and then get back to reading.

Where are you reading from today?

I’m currently in Beverley, in East Yorkshire, England.

3 facts about me …

I can’t remember what I used last time.  I’ll think up some new ones.

1. I am probably the world’s newest SEO (search engine optimizer).  I help Google find the sites people want to see.  But I’m a historian at heart and in my spare time.
2. I’ve been married for almost a year now.
3. I’m going to be in Paris in two weeks for my anniversary.

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?

I think it was 14.  No, I’m not going to read 14 books – I’d like to read at least five though.

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?

I’d like to read five books and do some blog commenting, probably after I’ve finished my next book.  I want to get out and cheer a bit, although I haven’t signed up for an hour.  Mainly because I’m unpredictable and can’t stay awake too late.

If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time?

Just enjoy yourself and be happy with what you read!  Don’t spend too much time on the challenges, because they *will* suck up your time, although they can be fun.  Go out and visit people, but remember to read as well.  And get on Twitter (I’m @mbookworm) – it’s a lot of fun when you’re looking to stop reading print for a bit.

Good luck everyone!