Off The Shelf discussion

My name is Karen Nelson, and I am a writer, homeschool mom, and teacher. I also love anything to do with the fiber arts (spinning yarn, knitting, weaving, quilting, etc.)
My favorite genres are typically YA, Mystery, Historical Fiction, and some Biography/Memoir.

My favorite authors are Agatha Christie, Orson Scott Card, J.R.R. Tolkien, M.C. Beaton, and L.M. Montgomery.

The book I hate the most...Moby Dick. I thought it would never end! (and now I hate whales and grumpy, old men with wooden legs.)

Guilty Pleasure...fairy tales. I love 'em all!

Find me at...http://kbnelson.wordpress.com

Hello my new bibliophile friends! My name is Paula Baker, homeschooling mom, performing vocalist, jewelry and fiber artist and aspiring writer. Since I'm not allowed to die until all my projects are completed, guess what? I'm immortal! :)

I never finished Moby Dick, 'nuf said.

Science Fiction and Fantasy are my favorite genres, with Mystery, Fairy Tales and YA close behind. My list of favorite authors would fill up this comment box and since I like to eat and sleep occasionally, we'll leave it with the greats...Robert A. Heinlein, J.R.R. Tolkien, Frank Herbert, Anne McCaffrey, Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

I'm hoping this is going to be entertaining, enlightening and a departure from the mundane.

You can find me at: www.scarletrosecreations.com and my new blog: www.singmylife.wordpress.com

Hi I am Shanan, wannabe homeschool mum, crocheter, obsessive genealogy researcher, aspiring web designer, and I love to read (and I would love to write a book...) I have two children who make my reading a bit sporatic at times.

I remember when I was young how hard it was to read, I had trouble with reading comprehension so I remember hating to read. Then at about 10 or 11 I picked up a copy of The Babysitter Club and was hooked... I have loved reading ever since. I used make my dad so upset because I would read with a flashlight under my covers.

My favorite book is Moonraker's Bride by Madeleine Brent. I know it's not a classic or even amazing... but it's my fave and so is Madeleine Brent and 'her' 9 novels are all Gothic Romantic Suspense. Since I discovered her I've read Victoria Holt quite thoroughly. And in recent years I've picked up on Catherine Cookson. I would say my genre focus is pretty central. I've even went through spurts where I've devoured piles upon piles of Historical Romances. Which is rather embarrassing *blush*.

So I am looking forward to being shoved outside my box and read some books that are ones I wouldn't normally pick for myself and possibly find some new genres to focus on!

Oh and I am a part time bank teller...

It's lovely to meet you all!

No blushing required, Shanan! We love what we love, and Victoria Holt and Catherine Cookson have an impressive body of work. I went through a Barbara Cartland phase once, and I still remember Marion Chesney's Regency romances with a smile. One of my faves is Richard Peck's "This Family of Women" - a multi-generational family saga, which covers lots of varying historical periods. I'll bet you'd love it, as well as Colleen McCullough's "Morgan's Run".

Well, here goes it. Meh name's Leann but everyone close to me calls me Lan. Yes, I am well aware that LAN stands for local area network but that is not a metaphor for what I am.

I'm a landlord over three apartment complexes, my 15 yr old sister is my dearest friend, and my husband (of 9 yrs in Feb) is way hotter than my looks would imply I am capable of getting. He's also kind of a genius, which makes him even hotter to me. I'm not a genius, but I sure do like hanging around them.

I am currently in the middle of writing 3 books, one memoir of my insane landlord years, one book about a young girl that becomes a landlord with a romantic subplot (of course) and one YA teen girl horse book, because I LOVE horses and pretty much everything to do with them.

My favorite book is The Never Ending Story. If you haven't read it then I guess you don't understand how amazing it is.

My favorite authors are Robin McKinley, Bradbury, Orwell, Jane Austen, and Kurt Vonnegut. Obviously I also love Michael Ende, but he only wrote one book that I have read, so he doesn't really get to be added to the most loved authors until he has more than that. I loved the Hunger Games but Collins doesn't have enough books out yet for me to consider her a long standing favorite. She gave me a reason to fall in love with dystopian fiction again, for that I adore her. I also loved ALL four of the City of Ember books. As I have not found many more dystopian fiction plotlines that amuse me, I am currently still trying to hack my way through all of the Jane Austen books. Currently only have 3 under my belt. Emma will be next.

I think the reason I am still so childlike in a lot of my interests is because I loathe politics and have not yet had any children, the raising of which would make me more of an adult, to be sure. I don't really like children though and would be perfectly happy having horses instead of children. I do not currently have enough money to have either though, so I guess that sucks for me.

I am here because I adore Karen Nelson about as much as I can any other human being and wish her book club to be a success. I am also wanting to get into more "grown up" books and I'm thinking there's more chance of that happening if I join a group.

I tried to start a book club before and it did not end well, I'm hoping this second go will last longer than two books. :)

You can see random thoughts of mine at:
www.musingsofanoverlord.wordpress.com

Leann, as always, you are a hoot. For anyone reading this, you will love her blog, and should wait on bated breath for her to complete a novel for you to read.

I'm not quite seeing where your book interests label you as not being a grown-up. Some of the finest works in literature are among the YA genre, and certainly the most influential (as the books we grow up with impact our lives indefinitely). My previous years as a librarian have left me obviously somewhat of a book junkie, and in my classroom I don't allow prejudicial comments, so just lay off the hater comments about my YA peeps, a'ight?

Listen to Madeline L'Engle, who said, "You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if it's too difficult for grown-ups, write it for children." Obviously, the really powerful stuff is found in children's/YA literature because it is undiluted by the pretentious meanderings of adults.

I adore you back. That is all.

Karen wrote: "No blushing required, Shanan! We love what we love, and Victoria Holt and Catherine Cookson have an impressive body of work. I went through a Barbara Cartland phase once, and I still remember Mari..."

Thanks Karen, I am glad to know that I need not blush! I haven't read anything by Barbara Cartland yet. I would like to read more Phyllis Whitney and Catherine Gaskin, I think I've read a couple of each author. Also I would like to start reading Georgette Heyer. I will see about the two you recommended!

Nice to meet you Leann!

Hehehe.... they tend to all run together after awhile (or is it 'a while'?) I was trying to go off memory and some I probably never read I was thinking Ya I've read that... or I've thought nope can't remember that at all... and sure enough I've read it. I found a book list I created during a particular hard binge in 2005, I was pretty depressed that year so I just escaped with some heavy chain reading. So that helped me sort out my list here. I just wish I had the list I kept in my younger days. I used to list everything I ever read. There are some pretty cool books I'd like to re-read if I knew what they were LOL.

I am ashamed to admit that I read all of the Sisterhood of the Travelling pants books... when I recently found out there was a fifth one I was like "Pffft. I refuse, respectfully." but deep inside I was thinking, Great, here goes another plunge in my self worth... ima hafta read that stupid thing.

I love your phrase "chain reading" - that is so descriptive of our addictive actions with books. I have this whole mental image of "stubbing out" a finished book and picking up a new one. I'm wearing an old lady housecoat and have my mouth all pulled down like I hate the world. Can you imagine the size of the ashtray? Ha! Thanks for that!

LEANN! You have GOT to stop being ashamed of what you read! Who do you read the bloody books for, if not yourself!
Put your traveling pants on and quit apologizing for it - you'll have to embrace the reality that you bring a valued opinion and viewpoint to the world - it doesn't matter if other people agree or even approve.
(Incidentally, I learned recently that it is a statistically proven fact that at least half the people in the world do not like you for no reason at all . Isn't that liberating? Now we can all stop trying so hard to please people who couldn't care less anyway!)

OH Karen, why are you so wise? A plague on all your brain wrinkles.

Yup, people are weird and guess what? We are, too! Embrace the weirdness. Be free! :)

Leann, please don't curse her brain wrinkles. I rely on them from time to time, lol.

I go thru phases and read the same genre and then get sick of it. We read what we need. Sometimes for escape, sometimes for knowledge, sometimes for no good reason at all. 'Cause we don't really NEED a reason!

A friend of mine has a saying that works for nearly every aspect of life and I use it all the time now.
"It is what it is." Cool, huh?

Besides, O Overlord, how ELSE are you going to get ammo for your Musings? :)

Mercy Me, I don't think I can handles so much adulation at once. The usual reaction around here is puzzled disapproval. And Leann, I already have noticed my laugh lines and crow's feet - if I have to start worrying about brain wrinkles I'm going to burst!
You are all fantastic!

...which reminds me I need to read the travelling pants series.

...and yes isn't 'Chain Reading' just cool, how better can one describe reading one book after another without even a chance to breathe in real life 'air'. (and how better for one to get through a bout of the droops, especially when one comes out of it feeling pretty good)

Hi from Nebraska!!! My name is Robin and I am a bookaholic and a yarnaholic. Which stash is bigger? Books or Yarn? It's a tough one but probably yarn.

A little about me....Well I am the mother of two boys ages 21 and 17. I am a single parent and have been for many many years. I moved to Nebraska 2 years ago from TN, which was a big culture shock for me. But all is good here. I have my BS in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, but unfortunately am not working in my field. I live in a very small, rural community so jobs are few and far between. Needless to say, I took the first job I could find which was in the deli of our one and only grocery store, besides Wal-Mart. I have many hobbies which include reading,crocheting,fishing,my dogs, playing games on the web,surfing the web, and many more :) I am an animal lover!!! I have two dogs which I absolutely adore. Both of them are rescue dogs. Saturn (female) is a pitbull/great dane mix, and Murphy (male) is a bull mastiff/pitbull mix. They are my "fur" babies and I love them dearly.

I stumbled on GR through Ravlery...ohhhhh did I say Ravelry Karen? LOL I became a member here and then forgot until I got not one but two kindle fires for Christmas. The kindle fire was the only thing on my list and didn't expect to get one. LOL Was I ever surprised. I have been learning/playing with the Kindles for the last couple of days and decided that I needed to get involved here and keep up with my reading better. I participated in a 2011 50 book challenge and didn't make my 50 books and I was really disappointed. I did make 50+ books in 2010 so I am hoping to do it this year with the help of GR. I have downloaded several ebooks already and patiently waiting for January 1st to arrive so I can get started on my new challenge.

I guess my preferred genre is romance. I read a lot of contemporary romance,historical romance and christian-historical romance. Although, I do tend to read a lot of other genres too. I don't care much for sci-fi, horror or mystery/suspense. I have read a few mystery/suspense books that I did like, but I get scared easily lol and tend to have nightmares so I generally I will shy away from horror and mystery/suspense.

Some of my favorite authors are Danielle Steel,Debbie Macomber,Fern Michaels,Wanda Brunstetter,Cindy Woodsmall, Nora Roberts,Susan Wiggs,Kristin Hannah, Luanne Rice, Tracie Peterson, Beverly Lewis, LaVryle Spencer, Barbara Delinsky and the list goes on.

I have a large collection of books that are "to read." Once I read a book I usually don't re-read it. Therefore I pass all my books on so that someone else can enjoy it too. Sometimes my memory crashes and I pick up books thinking I haven't read them. Once I get started it suddenly comes back to me and then I have to put it away as I remember what is going to happen.

I am slowly but surely getting my bookshelves here on GR filled. I know that I haven't put everything I have read on the shelf, but as I see them or remember them I am adding. My to read list is growing, especially since I am loading the kindle up with books. It appears that I am going to be reading a lot of the classics, which has never been my cup of tea. I remember being forced to read a lot of them when in jr high/high school and didn't like them. I think now that I am older and not being forced I might actually enjoy some of them.

I think I have rambled on enough but I would like to say Thanks Shanan for inviting me to this group. : ) I think I will like it here and look forward to spending time with you all!!! Take care and Happy Reading!!

So glad you decided to join us and Welcome!

Welcome, Robin!

Wow, 2 Kindle Fires? Want to give one to a drooling fellow reader? LOL :) This is a neat place and you will like it. It will probably take you out of your comfort zone, but you can always fall back on your favorite authors if you need a break from scariness.

We've got a diverse group of readers here. Check out other members' bookshelves for books you might have read to add to your own bookshelves. (Helps me with my memory...I've forgotten what I've read!)

Glad to have you in the group!

So glad you could join us, Robin! Like Paula said, we are a diverse group of readers, but since we are all connected by our mania for books, it all works out!
I'm so glad you are a Fiberista too! The only thing harder to keep up with than the to-read shelves on Goodreads, is my stash on Ravelry! I love spinning, knitting, crocheting, weaving, and quilting - and have the privilege of teaching classes at our local yarn shop.
I hope you'll get an opportunity to vote for the next season's reads at our polls (they'll be closing on Wednesday!), and we certainly look forward to hearing your thoughts on any new titles you come across.
You can also find me on Facebook - Karen Pfister Nelson, or at http://kbnelson.wordpress.com
Welcome, and Happy Reading!
Karen

Welcome, Robin! Wonderful to have you! :)

Karen wrote: "So glad you could join us, Robin! Like Paula said, we are a diverse group of readers, but since we are all connected by our mania for books, it all works out!
I'm so glad you are a Fiberista too! ..."

TY...Having two hobbies that I love it is sometimes hard to do both. Sometimes I will listen to an audiobook so that I can crochte too LOL

Leann wrote: "Welcome, Robin! Wonderful to have you! :)"

TY Leann : )