Sara Reyes | Reader Interrupted, I Hate When a Good Book Butts into Life!

August 22, 2009

I picked up two sets of books last weekend at ArmadilloCon, both fantasies, one set by Scott Lynch about otherworldly thieves and Patrice Sarath's set in an alternate world of New York about an alternate world coexisting with ours. both have two books in their series and I bought all four books. I even surprise surprise started at book one of each set. Yeah, I'm one of those odd people who can pick up a book and as long as it's interesting doesn't matter if it's book one, seven or three in a series.

Books you should get!:

Started reading the Scott Lynch thieves books. First off let me say, these suckers are HUGE, as in 700 pages. Which makes for a heavy paperback with very thin paper. But they are also fascinating which makes me wish for days without anything else to do but read. Unfortunately that isn't possible. I have other things crowding my life, such as work, family, even needy pets getting in the way. So I had to resort this past week to sneak reading. Ah, the mark of addiction.

First I'd read at night until my eyes couldn't focus anymore. Who cares about disrupting the house? A pillow over the head keeps most of the light out. Learn to sleep with a little glow. At least I'm quiet unlike a television! That's all I'm saying! It's the eyesight strain that will get me first. So I start off my day of work on maybe two hours of sleep. That was being overly generous I'm afraid so picture me cranky. Then I'd find reasons during the day to take off a few minutes or a chapter here and a chapter there sandwiched in between other chores. Taking a book in the car when I'm carpooling is not a smart thing. Especially a thick book. There is only so much you can read at a stop light. Seriously! And the stops and starts of "car reading" are not my favorite way to savor a good book.

And worse is the distraction by the characters. I mean seriously, Locke and Jean kept worrying me. What were they doing while I was trying to work? How were they going to get out of this new mess? Who was the Gray King? Did the others know it was a double triple cross? Hey, did I really think it was a double triple cross? Maybe that was a ploy? So finally on Wednesday I finished the Lynch adventures and now have to wait so patiently, right, whatever, for the next one. Out this year I think.

So I started the next set of books, shorter, thank goodness, but within the first two chapters I'm trapped again. This time in Patrice Sarath's worlds of horsy New England and an alternate fantasy world. OMG, would it never stop? Another set of intense interconnecting stories of characters in dual and competing worlds. At least this took only a day and a half to finish. I got to sleep a whole six hours last night and it wasn't pleasant. The characters are still so fresh in my mind they are acting out in my sleep.

So my question to you is...am I crazy? Am I the only one who reads intensely and then lives out the continuing adventures of characters from books or stories? I've even had it happen to characters in short stories, I've given them a complete night after night set of adventures in my imagination or dreams. It would be scary if it wasn't so much fun! I know some, oh, heck, most of us are sneak readers and have spent what should be sleeping time, reading, but what about the lurking about in our minds. Do characters call out when we should be concentrating on something else?

Do tell!

Until next time...

Get out there and READ a book...
Sara Reyes
DFW Tea Readers Group
Join us at Readers 'n 'ritas November 13-15, 2009!

Our prizes this weekend are a signed set of Scott Lynch's Locke Lamorra books AND to a second winner, a signed set of Patrice Sarath's. We saw both authors in Austin at ArmadilloCon last week and these stories are amazing! Leave a comment below and you'll be entered to win!

Comments

26 comments posted.

Re: Sara Reyes | Reader Interrupted, I Hate When a Good Book Butts into Life!

Both sets of books look great. I'd enjoy reading any of them but Scott Lynch's books caught my eye!
(Cheryl Snyder 11:22am August 22, 2009)

No you are not alone Sara, I have the same problem. It's why I resist reading while writing, because if I get sucked in, then I am reading and not writing. But I will have to add these series to my want to read list.
(Heather Long 11:25am August 22, 2009)

Thank you for the entry.

I would love to read them all. Though I agree Scott Lynchs books look intriguing.

[email protected]
(Freda Mans-Labianca 11:26am August 22, 2009)

You are definitely not crazy, I think we all in some form or another fill in the blanks and imagine what happens after. Scott Lynch books look interesting.
(Theresa Buckholtz 11:38am August 22, 2009)

I have never read either one of the authors but they both sound really interesting. I hate when I'm reading a good book and I have to quit to do anything else. It seems like my family has ESP they know when I pick up a book and they within a dew minutes of me starting to read.
(Sherry Strode 12:40pm August 22, 2009)

I've been known to stay up until 4 or 5 in the morning to finish a good book. I like the connected stories but I hate it when you have to wait for the next one to come out. A lot of times I will wait until I have all of them to start one. That way I can read them one right after the other. These series do sound very interesting. Would love to read them.
(Linda Henderson 12:49pm August 22, 2009)

No crazier than the rest of us! I've had characters going on in my brain long after reading their books, and also popping in ages after!

But really - wouldn't a better title for today's blog have been "Reader Interrupted, I Hate When Life Butts Into a Good Book!"

Later,

Lynn
(Lynn Rettig 1:10pm August 22, 2009)

OOOOO, Sara, you just made my "want" list that much longer! I *love* books that pull me in and make me *have* to read them. Woe to the person who interrupts me when I'm engrossed in such a book!

Besides, who cares about a little dust and the dog is very happy that I'm ignoring the fact the carpet needs sweeping.
(Kay Martinez 2:13pm August 22, 2009)

The Scott Lynch books sound very interesting. You are not crazy. I often make the mistake of reading right before bed then I spend a sleepless night laying there imagining where the plot will go next and what will happen to these characters. I would be better off just staying up all night to finish the book.
(Annetta Stolpmann 2:19pm August 22, 2009)

Nope, you're not crazy. First, I have been known to start a series at perhaps, number 4 instead of number 1. Second, I too get caught up in a series, bringing them to life in my head, ruining me for the realities that want to impinge!!
(Anne Harris 2:26pm August 22, 2009)

Since I rarely remember my dreams, I'm not to sure whether I actually dream about a book's characters and their goings-on. But I have to admit that just this week I had characters follow me into to twilight zone between reading and falling asleep. It's actually the first time in a very long time--if ever--that this has happened. (I've been reading for more than 50 years and really can't remember back to the beginning.lol)
(Sigrun Schulz 4:44pm August 22, 2009)

Yuck, forgot to proofread again and I did make mistakes. Oh, well, what else is new? Currently I just have a short attention span, I guess.
(Sigrun Schulz 4:47pm August 22, 2009)

I love reading good series those marathon reading nights lead to book hangovers in the morning but you just can't seem to put them down.
(Audra Holtwick 5:15pm August 22, 2009)

You are not alone- to me the sign of a great writer is that the characters keep living out their lives in my head. Of course, now that I am older I can't do all night reading, I simply wake up with the book pressed to my cheek. But I do find myself during the day wondering how much time I have to put up with this real world crap until I can get home, do my getting ready to read awhile ritual and get into what is more important.
(Sara Edmonds 6:59pm August 22, 2009)

Both of these fantasy books sound great and I'm sure I'll give them a try. It is always interesting to read something new. Unfortunately I am not able to do any marathon reading sessions. I use to and want to but age has caught up with me and I can't stay awake. There I am in the morning still holding the book with my finger as a bookmark. At least I didn't lose my place.
(Rosemary Krejsa 7:24pm August 22, 2009)

Both sets of books look great! I am one of the people that set up half the night reading. It my time.
(Gail Hurt 9:05pm August 22, 2009)

I do tend to relive passages from books
in my head after just finishing an intense
read. But not being a writer I don't create
new scenes for the characters to live. I
wish I could do that.
(Sue Ahn 9:36pm August 22, 2009)

I don't think you are at all crazy, but blessed with a great imagination when inspired by neat characters.
(G. Bisbjerg 10:17pm August 22, 2009)

You are not alone. I could substitute
myself in your piece, except for
reading at stop lights - there aren't
any on my way to work. Besides I
always have a book on tape going in
my car. However, if I'm not the one
driving, I'm reading. I eat with a book
open. I cook with a book open.
As far as having the characters
invading my life, glad I'm not the only
nut. While I'm reading the book, I'm
thinking about it and the characters.
When I'm done with it, they live on in
continuing adventures. With really
good books, I don't want to let them
go.
These two series sound very
interesting. Who needs sleep anyway?
(Patricia Barraclough 10:25pm August 22, 2009)

would love to win either copy. these sound great. And I hate having to wait to start back reading a good book. But oh well sometime life interferes with my hobbies so I just have to live with it.
(Pam Kinsey 11:24pm August 22, 2009)

The books look great especially since fantasy is one of my favorite genres. And I also stay up late reading if the book is good but I usually stay up until I am tired enough that I won't spend much time thinking over the book before I fall asleep.
(Rachael Haas 3:27am August 23, 2009)

that happens to me all the time I would be watching a show a night and then start thinking of the book and the nect thing you the the show is over and i dont no what went on.the book can take over me and i will have to run to the store to get all the auther books in the set.
[email protected]
(Stacey Smith 4:12am August 23, 2009)

I just saw the entry on the other page and as I said I've never tried these authors and this is a chance to do so
(Diane Sadler 8:44am August 23, 2009)

I'm a late night reader but I've never had book characters jump from the page into my bed! Not that it wouldn't be interesting, but I usually make up my own dream fantasies with people I want to get to "know" better.
(DeeAnn Szymanski 8:28pm August 23, 2009)

Here, I thought I was the only
one who was a sneak reader. I
carry my current book in my
purse while out doing errands
and anytime I'm waiting, out
it comes. Can't wait to add
these two new authors to my
list.
(Lisa Richards 7:38am August 24, 2009)

I always have a book with me, in the bathroom, bedroom, car, will read standing in line at bank, at the stoplight, used to read witha flashlight I snuck into my room when I was a kid. Now when I travel with my husband, we will rent a room and I have to have the lights out when he goes to sleep, I always take a flash light with me so I can read without disturbing him as I don't have another room to go into. Some characters I can't get out of my head!!
(Brenda Rupp 1:22pm August 25, 2009)

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