I remember when I used to have time for reading . . .

a co-worker recently left and I have taken over her duties as the order-er and processor of the McNaughtons at our library. (McNaughtons are leased copies of books we get in order to fill temporary high demand on new books, and also to get new books on our shelves asap.) Amidst the craziness of yesterday I got to stick YA stickers and band-aids (what we call the little clear labels that keep the stickers on) on:

"The Demon's Lexicon" by sarahtales
"Along for the Ride" by writergrl
and
"Wings" by Aprilynne Pike

among other things. I really wanted to put post-its on the books that said "please put in Amanda's box once processed" but I couldn't. So often at the library I wait for the frenzy over new books to die down before I read them. I can't bring myself to keep a new book sitting on my desk, out of the hands of my teens.

Our next-closest branch library is closed for expansion right now which means our library is serving double duty. So far two weeks into this summer we have more sign-ups for the summer reading program than we did all last summer. Yesterday I went in the teen room and filled up all the displays and literally a half-hour later, nearly half the books I had put on display were gone and they had to be refilled again. Even though summer always kicks my butt, I love it because suddenly everybody has time for pleasure reading they didn't have during school . . . and you can really tell it by how empty the shelves are.

Anyway, I have resigned myself to the fact that life will never be non-busy ever again and that spare time is vital for writing and for hanging out with friends, or else I will go crazy. Luckily I have awesome friends who understand what I mean when I say I NEED GOOF-OFF TIME STAT who organize things like this:





As much as I would like to go hide and read a book somewhere I know that this way lies madness, and goofing off with friends is what I need to recharge from being totally exhausted by work . . . so it's anime or "Killer Klowns from Outer Space" or "Twilight" Rifftrax and friendship time to the rescue.

At any rate, from here on out, let it be known that if I read your book it's less like going out on a date and more like going steady or getting engaged! A serious commitment here, folks. ;)