Avid Readers

Some of you, like me, have been avid readers for a long time. As an only child, books became my friends early-on. My mom and I would catch the bus to go to the library from the summer after I finished first grade on. It wasn't long before I talked my parents into buying me books too. I'd often rather have a book than a toy. The year I finished eighth grade, I read 350 books, and some of them were lengthy, like War and Peace. I know, because I kept a list.

I still read. Even though I'm now also writing, and that takes a lot of my time, I always read at least 250 books a year. I look at it as research - a good writer reads. I credit some of my writing ability to all the books I've read in my lifetime. I know the total would be well into a five-digit number. 


According to one internet site, here are the signs that you were born to be an avid reader:
1.  You picked up a book at an early age
2.  You've always been fascinated with learning
3.  You have a good imagination
4.  You're compassionate
5.  You look forward to bedtime if it means you can read for a while
6.  You love libraries and bookstores
7.  Reading helps relieve your stress
8.  You find words and language interesting
9.  You find yourself collecting, accumulating, and hoarding books.
10. You like to escape reality for little hunks of time

If you're like me, you can check off all ten of these. How avid does that make me? Or maybe you could just called me an obsessed reader. That's okay. I think avid readers are the best.

____________________________________