For accountability purposes, I’ve been keeping track of my reading and writing goals for 2013. Here’s how things went in January and February.
Reading
I finished 17 books in March, which is still putting my slightly ahead of pace for my goal, which I’ve revised upwards to 200, but still behind the girl in book club who I made a friendly bet with. I’ve also been reading tons of poetry for a project I was working on, and haven’t even added that to my Goodreads yet. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy poetry, and I might even be convinced to try a novel in verse . I was updating our booklists and realized there is more variety than I’d thought. So there’s another reading goal.
I’m still going strong with Infinite Jest. I haven’t participated in the discussion as much as I would have liked, but it’s so helpful to be able to touch base with others on what is going on. Now, I 100% agree with Stephanie Sinkhorn when she says it does not make me smart. It’s all about the hispter cred, I mean, c’mon, I work at the library in #lfk. No really, I jest. Ha! The text is challenging, but the sentences are amusing and fascinating, and you know I’ve been balancing it out with some paranormal romance and urban fantasy, so it’s all good. Mixing up my reading with different formats and genres keeps it fresh and prevents me from getting in a rut. If I count poetry, I’ve already read a dozen adult books this year, so that’s one goal completed.
I read one off my list of NPR’s top 100 Teen Novels. Feed by M. T. Anderson was the pick for teen book club this month, and this was the first time the selection was panned by all of us. I didn’t review it because I just wasn’t a fan. I found the voice really distracting. I can see why some people would like it, but it just didn’t appeal to me. Yesterday I had a new member stop by the library to tell me how much she loved/hated the book we read, so I’m hoping this one will be a better discussion.
For The Hub Challenge I reviewed My Friend Dahmer, Somebody Please Tell Me Who I Am and Love and Other Perishable Items. They were all excellent.
I reviewed 3 of the ARCs from my March new release post, (Strands of Bronze and Gold, The Sin-Eater’s Confession, and Going Vintage) and still have to get to OCD, the Dude, and Me (which I just checked out from the library) and 17 & Gone (which I’m hoping made its way into my Easter basket). I also read Clockwork Princess, and will have a review (in gifs!) posting this week.
I’m on track with reading my April new releases. I’ve reviewed This is What Happy Looks Like and Dark Triumph and am reading Game and The Eternity Cure now.
Basically, reading rocks.
Writing
Not a whole lot to report here. The only news is that I have been offered a contract for freelance writing for a bookish publication. If you work in a library, you may see it (but not for a while).
In library news, a colleague and I were asked to present at RT Convention in Kansas City in May—if you’re going to be there, let me know! We’re also taking the teen book club to the teen day party, which I am looking forward to as much as they are.
I’m also 95% sure I’m going to go to BEA, if I can get finagle that Saturday off work. As excited as I am about that, I’m doubly excited to see the Federico García Lorca exhibit at NYPL—be still my fangirl heart!
What’s up in your reading and writing world?
wrapped up in books 
I’ll be interested to hear what you think of Feed. Congratulations on your contract! That’s very exciting news. I’m going to be at the RT convention on Saturday. It should be a lot of fun :)
Oh I don’t know that I’ll write a review for Feed. It just wasn’t to my personal taste. Yay for the RT convention! Are you going to the Teen day or just the regular conference? I’m lucky to have the teens in book club to take with me, because adults have to have a teen to get in to the YA author stuff!
I have to work during the week, so I’ll only be going to the event on Saturday. I intern for Gennifer Albin, so I’ll be able to get int other YA author events luckily. It should be a lot of fun :)
Fun! I’ll probably see you there.
I’ve just picked up William Carlos Williams’ “Paterson”. I’m not sure if that qualifies as a novel in verse, but I’ve skimmed through it and the parts I’ve read are just as good as you’d expect. I feel I can recommend it already.
I’m not really sure where the different between long form poetry and novels in verse begins…I will have to investigate! I do enjoy William Carlos Williams.