Saturday, December 20, 2008

The Sunday Salon -- Holiday Reading Freedom

I'm have two weeks off of work and I'm thrilled. I can't remember the last time I had two consecutive weeks off and I really need them. I need the mental break and the time where nothing's expected..no frantic airport trips, squeezing in every moment that you can, etc. Just two weeks off of work.

Of course I have a bunch of plans for those two weeks. I'd like to do some serious maintenance on both this blog and The Friendly Book Nook. I need to go through all my clothes and books and sort out what I can afford to get rid of. I'd like to update my resume and do some research. I want to sleep in, start watching a tv show on DVD, see some movies, spend time with people, go try some restaurants I've been meaning to go to, and the most important?

For the next two weeks I'm going to read what I want! So dear wonderful authors and publicists, I appreciate that I have a towering stack of books I've promised to review, but I need the mental space and break to choose what I want to read. I know that sounds crazy. It doesn't mean that review copies will be ignored, it just means that they might not be read in the order I normally would read them. I can't remember the last time I simply chose to read a book because I felt like reading it at the time.

I should be clear. A lot of bloggers don't accept review copies for this very reason. They think it makes reading more like work. I'm not one of those bloggers...I normally don't mind that my reading list is a bit pre-determined, but in order to continue feeling like that, I think I need to have some time where I'm free to read what looks good.

I think CFBA really gets this...they gave us two weeks off as well.

So today, I'm going to curl up and read all these Christmas romances I have stacking up. I'm going to feel wonderfully Christmasy and happy and self-indulgent reading books that I may or may not review.

How about you? Do you accept review copies? Will you be taking a break from them or charging ahead? Do you think you'll have much time to read the next few holiday weeks?






Amy

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amy... I love love love your new flower signature. I don't know what CFBA is... you'll have to share. I accept review copies, but am slowing down on how many because I got way too far behind and I don't want to disappoint anybody by posting too late beyond their expectations. So, I just got The Bible Illuminated: New Testament. That's the book that I'm looking forward to reading over the holidays. Hey, I lost the link to the 2008 Holidays site and I'm posting about it. Can you email it to me?

Sheri

Anonymous said...

Happy holidays Amy! Enjoy your reading and relaxing :)

Beth Kephart said...

There is absolutely nothing like reading precisely what you choose (and thinning out your closet). Enjoy your weeks off, Amy.

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

I've been accumulating library books and ordering books here and there for the past week just for this very purpose...reading exactly what I want to read. I was a hundred and fifty pages into a book yesterday that I was not enjoying and what did I do? I closed it and put in the stack to return to the library. I'm reading exactly what I want to read.

I hope you do, too!

Anonymous said...

I think that is a great thing to do. I've been reading what I want for the past couple of months and it's really nice, but that was only because I was in a different country from my ARCs. I'm looking forward to getting back to my "schedule" now, so I hope these two weeks refresh you as well.

Melanie said...

I'm a librarian so I feel like alot of my time reading is spent so I can talk to patrons and recommend books to them and have a good understanding of what they are reading. Thankfully I love reading, but sometimes I do have to read something just for me.

cindysloveofbooks said...

Amy love your flower siggy. Merry Christmas to you. I do accept review copies. Thankfully its stuff that I normally read so that is a bonus. As for the xmas holiday I am hoping to get a little more reading done and get caught up on reviews.

stacey @ bookthirty said...

I'm down to just three review copies left in the pile, and only one of them has a deadline (which isn't until the end of January!). I bet I'll get some more books in over the break, but I - like you - am going to take some time off. I do have two reviews I need to post, and a little bloggy housekeeping to do, but other than that, I'm going to enjoy my family time! :)

Anonymous said...

Enjoy your holiday! My hubby works tomorrow, but doesn't go back until January 5. He has never had this much time around a holiday. I do accept review copies. Unless I commit myself to a certain date (which I rarely do), I don't worry about deadlines with them too much.

Becky said...

I'm a panelist on the Cybils--YA Division...so we won't be taking a break until the 1rst of January. It doesn't get more pre-determined than reading from a list of nominees--especially in the last week when you're getting to the end and only have a dozen books left. Not that I mind at all. I've read lots of great books that I might not have gotten to otherwise...but I am craving some freedom.

I do receive review copies, but at the same time I do it in my own order. I read what I want to read, when I want to read it. With the exception of books that I'm doing for blog tours in which case I've got an assigned day.

Edgy Inspirational Author said...

I always read only what I want to read. :) What I'm wondering is if a certain manuscript is on your list for the next two weeks or if that is work deferred for a later date. :)

S. Krishna said...

I do accept review copies, but I know exactly what you mean about reading the books you want to read. I'm not taking any review books when I go home for a week - all the books I read that week will be my choice!

Ruth King said...

I accept review copies, but I, too, am taking a holiday vacation from my reading schedule. That doesn't mean I won't read some review copies (in fact, I think my next book will probably be an ARC) but I'm just going to read what I want, when I want to read it. It's a great feeling!

I also really want to get caught up on reviews. I got behind in October and I still have a bit of a backlog. I'd like to have that taken care of by the start of the New Year (or at least have it a little better under control). It's hard to get a lot of computer time with the holidays so close, though!

caite said...

I do not have any time off this Christmas season. I happen to be off Christmas Day but then back to work the next day for me. So I will just be slowly working my way through my ARC pile.
Yes, I do accept ARCs and January is a busy month for me it seems ARC wise. I enjoy the variety of books, books that I might not read otherwise. I have found a few real winners recently but like BermudaOnion I don't get too hung up on the deadlines, I just do my best.

Anonymous said...

I'll be reading whatever grabs my interest from the TBR shelf - review copy, a book from a friend, or something I picked up myself.

I'll be posting reviews over the next few weeks, but will put the Spotlight on Bookstores, author interviews, etc. "on hold" until after the New Year. I may or may not do the weekly memes I usually do, it depends on how my time is.

Enjoy your time off, Amy!

Bonnie said...

I accept review copies as well. I did get backlogged in my excitement of accepting so many books as a new blogger! I've cut back and am more choosy about what I accept. I've decided to balance my reading by alternating my reading with books that I have must write reviews for, books that I received as ARC's, and books from my own TBR bookshelves.

Enjoy your reading Amy!

Anonymous said...

I hope you enjoy your two weeks off! I accept ARC's and from time to time, I get a bit sluggish with my reading and I believe it may have something to do with my pre-determined selections. I always feel renewed when I get to pick a book I really want to read for my own pleasure. Have a wonderful Christmas, Amy!

Amy said...

Thanks everyone! I should reemphasize that I normally enjoy review copies, and that they really stretch my reading horizons, it's just nice to switch gears for awhile.

I'm glad you all like the flower siggy too, I love it. Shera is the best, she gave it to me as a surprise when she did some other maintenance on the blog.

Michelle--I definitely plan to read that in these next few weeks! :)

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