How I choose a book

I have stacks of books I plan to read. I guess when I die, they will need to stuff as many as they can in my casket. I shudder to think publishers pulp unsold books. It was years before I realized you could throw a book away. Then the custodian looked at me like I was doing something incredulous. He took the books out of the trash. I'm sure his wife appreciates me and those books.

Anyway, it is not a matter of I will read about two books this week. It's which books I will read.

There was a writing challenge for blogs addressed www.trifectawritingchallenge.com. It was fun for me and other bloggers. There are other blogrolls but none have been as fun. One lets you post in their comments. Most are designed to bring traffic to their site which I understand.

What is hard to find is a blogroll that is for fun and others join in. I read most of the trifecta posts. The long challenge was only 333 words.  My favorite was the 33 word challenge. It is amazing what you can say in 33 words. I don't believe in long posts in a blog roll. A novel has 50,000 words. No one has the time to read the equivalent of one novel or novella when visiting a blogroll.

I am bound and determined to write something of merit. Of course the general public will determine that. What I have gotten out of my foray into the world of writing fiction, is an even snootier nose about what I read.

You read that right. I am a serious book critique and snob.

I don't read many of the top listers. Top listers write the bestsellers and are heavily marketed. I just don't like having what I like chosen for me. I know, I know, I am missing out on some good stuff. It's just that you can't read it all.

Where do I find good books?

1. Yard sales often have great esoteric books for a great price. Pre-selected so to speak.

2. Read those blog rolls. They may not be selling a book, but they will tell you about a great book.

3. NPR - Some of their author interviews are about books you cannot relate to. But some are interesting.

4. Writing conferences. I have a fondness for the indie author, Some indie authors are really good. Some break all the rules of writing and have a book in process published. I enjoy most of them or put them on the shelf with their author's signature. Indie authors have truly broadened my scope of what I read.

5. I love the classics.

I nominally do writing challenges. My work in progress is what I work on.

And work I must do. If you are writing and want a challenge, read this article from the Brooklyn Magazine. The excerpts are only a paragraph or a sentence or two. However, they are incredible.

http://www.bkmag.com/2014/10/15/the-literary-united-states-a-map-of-the-best-book-for-every-state/