My reading habits

One of my favourite blogs to read is Julie's.  Her sense of humour and style of writing always makes me smile and I love to see when her updated blog post shows up in my reading panel. Do you read her blog?  If not, then you are missing a treat, guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.  She's one of those bloggers that I think would be really fun to meet.  Although she doesn't like dogs so I don't think there's any point inviting her round any time soon!  She recently wrote a post here about books and suggested people join in with the theme so without further ado, I'm going to jump right in.  Even though I do only have two photos of me reading and both times I'm not alone!  (Look away now Julie, both involve my four legged friend)

Q: Do you have a certain place at home to read?
Now, it may seem a little odd to sit in a dog's bed and read a book and I promise you that isn't my 'certain place'.  We have a new librarian at work and she had a idea for a competition where students had their photo taken of them reading in an unusual place.  As always she also wanted staff to join in too.  The winning entries included a girl in a wheelie bin and one half way up a climbing wall in the gym.  Mine was very tame in comparison!

So in reality, my favourite reading place in the evening is in bed.  No matter what time I go to bed I have to have a short while reading a chapter (or two) of my book.   Daytime reading is best carried out in the conservatory, curled up in the armchair with the sun coming in through the windows.   Another favourite place is laying on a sun lounger on a beach or by a pool.  Accompanied by frequent offers of drinks and snacks of course.
Q: Reading at home or everywhere?
Everywhere.  If ever I have an appointment at the doctors, opticians or whatever I cannot just sit and wait.  I have to have something to read.  And isn't it always the way that your name is called just as you are getting to a good bit?
There's always the dilemma of how much reading material to take on holiday.  I usually take a couple of proper paper books and then download a few onto my Kindle.  I couldn't rely on just the Kindle because what would happen if the battery charger broke and I was half way through a book?  Can you imagine - thousands of miles from home and nothing to read? Also, picture this.  We're sitting on the plane, having just taken off from Stansted to go to Lisbon.  I get out my book, husband gets out his kindle.  'Oh dear' he says and shows me the message that tells him that the battery life is almost zero and to plug into a power source immediately.  'I knew there was something else I was going to charge up before we came away.  I don't suppose you brought the charger lead with you did you?' No I didn't, because I was taking a book, and they don't need charging.  Reading material for husband is now a tourist guide to the city and the in flight magazine advertising Pringles and cheese baguettes. 
Q: Do you watch TV or listen to music while reading?
I'm not a great listener of music to be honest, apart from the daily commute to work when I am the karaoke queen of sing a long and there's nothing very musical about that I can assure you!  Despite being a woman and therefore a ninja multi-tasker, I can't watch TV and read at the same time, unless it's dipping into a new recipe book which doesn't involve total concentration.
 

Q: Do you eat or drink while reading?
I certainly do.  It's thirsty work and a drink's too wet without something foody to go with it.
Q: Reading aloud or silently in your head?
Silently in my head.  Although I have to confess that sometimes I do feel the need to share a particularly interesting or amusing passage.  Whether anyone wants to hear it or not.
Q: One book at a time or several at once?
One at a time.  I get so engrossed in books that I can't share the emotion around. 
Q: Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter or number of pages?
There has to be a proper stopping point.  "Just to the end of the next paragraph/chapter" is the answer to many a late night 'how much longer are you going to need that bedside light on for?' question.  And if I'm reading in the waiting room at the doctor's surgery, it is very inconvenient if they call my name at an inopportune moment.
Q: Bookmark or random piece of paper?
Bookmark for a book of fiction but my recipe books are full of random bits of paper.  Which fall out and then I can't find where they were so it's not the best way of marking a page!  I did make a batch of origami book marks that Julie showed on her blog once but they seem to have been used up marking important recipes.  I need to make more!
Q: Do you ever read ahead or skip pages?
I can't believe you would even ask that question.  Never would I read ahead!  Skip pages?  I stopped doing that after I left school!  Actually when we were reading Nostromo by Joseph Conrad I skipped most of the book and just read the revision notes.  And still I passed the exam so is there a moral to this story? 
Q: Do you ever write in books?
Absolutely not! I hope our Librarian isn't reading these questions, she'll need a lie down and a glass of brandy if she finds out there are people out there who write in their books.

In a reading related post I think it's appropriate to share how much I've learned by the experience of my friend who has recently left work to become a full time author.  She's just finished her 3rd book and is researching plots for her 4th.  You wouldn't believe what goes on behind the scenes between the author finishing the last sentence and the publisher going to press.  It's absolutely fascinating to hear about the process from the other side of the book cover.  I also get a ridiculous amount of pleasure from seeing her work in a book shop, I can't begin to imagine how happy it makes her!  In fact, once when delayed at Gatwick she saw her book on sale in WHSmith and spoke to the manager of the outlet who then proceeded to arrange an impromptu book signing.  How brilliant is that?! 
 
So those are my answers.  Are you a book reader?  Why not join in and show us
your answers too.