Melissa and I were talking about our compulsion to buy books. I buy more books than I can possible read in a year. Why do I do this? Looking through my TBR, I think I can categorize my book buying and the logic behind each category.
Books I gotta have: These are books I honestly want to read. They are favorite authors or series. Charlaine Harris and Kim Harrison fall into this category. Angela Knight too.
The Buzz: Books I’ve heard great things about so I need to read it. These can either be a boon (it was how I found Kim Harrison) or a bite (Elizabeth Kostova’s “The Historian” comes to mind).
My Friends’ and Chapter Mates’ Books: Every year this number increases as more people I know get published. My pride and excitement in their accomplishments means a trip to Border’s or Barnes & Noble on Tuesdays.
Eclectic: Something about a book strikes my fancy. Maybe it’s the cover, maybe the author spoke at a meeting I went to. Could be I liked the writer’s website. Who knows? Sometimes I’ve one a book in a contest and feel the need to go out and buy the rest of the series.
Book Signings: I’m a sucker for a book signing.
Book Signings, Part 2: This is truly my worse book buying category. If I go to a signing and see an author all by themselves without anyone coming up to their table, I will buy a book from them. Not smart on my part but I try and think of myself in that position.
I think the biggest reason I have so many books is because I like to shop. When I was a cute young thing, I spent money on clothes. I don’t buy clothes anymore unless I have to. I like to buy shoes but that gets really expensive fast. Books fit. And they don’t cost as much as shoes.
Is your TBR like Mt. Everest? Is there a 12-step program for people like us?
