A Reading Challenge for 2011

As I mention in my last post, I'm going to try to read more this year. I used to read a lot of books...so many in fact that I couldn't even keep track of how many books I read in a month, let alone in a year. But as I've gotten older and life has gotten in the way, I've found myself reading less and less. I've started several books, but then I tended to set them down and either lost them or had to turn them back into the library...never picking them back up to finish them ever again. And they weren't bad books...most of them were very good and I want to finish them (if I can ever find them again). Life and other things would just distract me and I would lose interest in them at that particular moment or I would lose the time to read them anymore. But I'm aware of this problem and I hope to correct it this upcoming year because I really do miss reading. It's one of my favorite things to do and I feel it's very important to read. So when I discovered the Book Vixen's "Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge 2011", I thought I'd join! (I found out about this reading challenge through Roni at FictionGroupie.)

I'm entering into the "I'm on Fire" category since I hope to read at least 25 books this year. I know I could try to read more, but I didn't read too many books last year (except the books I read to my preschool class, but I don't really count those and they were pretty much the only books I read). I figure that 25 books is about 2 books per month and I can probably do that. I have plenty of time during my breaks while subbing and on the weekends (since I don't have a weekend job anymore). And to help keep me on track for this challenge, I'm going to try and post each book I read on my Goodreads site and on here (every time I start a new book). I'm thinking about possibly reviewing or at least rating the books I read on here as well, but I don't know yet. I tend to avoid reading or writing reviews on things since I believe everyone has their own opinion and I think others (and myself) should be their own judge for something like a book or movie. But that is something for me to deal with at another time.

So what book did I choose to start off this challenge and my 2011 reading list...*drum roll*..."M is for Magic" by Neil Gaiman! It's one of his short stories collections that I found at the library when searching for books by Gaiman. I checked out "Coraline" and "Stardust" as well, so they will probably be next on my reading list.

Explanatory Side-note: Back in November, I went to w00tstock here in Austin, Texas. w00tstock is basically "nerd vaudeville" since it has several speakers/performers who are geeky and nerdy and relatively well-known who get up onstage to talk, goof around, share stories, sing songs, and generally be entertaining and silly. It was a lot of fun and I loved every minute of it! I mention this event because one of the special guests at the Austin show was Neil Gaiman. Now I knew who he was, had seen a few of the movies he wrote scripts for, and even own some of his books. And I was excited to see him...along with all the other performers. But I hadn't read anything by him, except for a graphic novel adaption of his film/book "Neverwhere". However, during the show, he read aloud two of his short stories (one about a writer's experiment on how alcohol affects one's writing abilities and the other was a hard boiled detective story set in traditional nursery rhythms world). And they were amazing! I was hooked! But when I got home, I couldn't find any of his books that I own, which was very frustrating. (I have since found them by the way). So time passed...and then I found myself in the library the other day. I looked up to see if that particular library had any of his books and I checked out the three mentioned above. And oddly enough, the first story in "M is for Magic" is that same hard boiled nursery rhythm detective tale he read at w00tstock! I think he's going to end up on my list of favorite writers. =D

~Namárië

P.S. I just realized this post is my first one of 2011! Just thought I'd share that fun and exciting little fact with y'all. =P