Beginning a Book Blog.

My friend, Aimee Molloy, and I were talking the other day about how much I love to read and write. A talented author herself, she suggested that I combine my passions for reading and writing by starting a blog about the books I read. Hmm, I thought to myself. That's not a bad idea.

I read books at an alarming rate, considering the other things I really should be doing with my time. When I get caught up in a story, it's just so dang difficult to tear me away from the beautifully crafted words written on the book's pages. While a mere child, I devoured books (specifically those amongst The Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley Twins series') the way other kids devoured Kraft macaroni and cheese. While in Ghana in August, I brought an entire carry-on suitcase full of books. And I read all of them. While discussing with my brother what I thought were great date ideas, I told him I'd love it if a guy took me to Barnes & Noble, gave me $20 to pick out any book I'd like and told me to meet him in a nearby Starbucks, where he'd have a chai tea latte waiting for me. My brother responded by telling me that I was a huge dork.

Before you judge me, please know that I am a very social creature. I adore people; in fact, spending time with loved ones is the other reason that I don't get supposedly important things (you know, like folding laundry, buying groceries or paying bills) done in a timely manner. I'd always rather join a friend at the beach or meet a buddy for coffee than accomplish any task that's lingering on my to-do list. 

But I have to admit that there's something so fascinating to me about books. Maybe that's because I love to write so much. I graduated college with a degree in journalism and while I opted not to go into the traditional world of media, I feel blessed to use my writing skills to benefit the non-profit organization (the Touch A Life Foundation) for which I work. I think I just have a different appreciation for books because I know how difficult it can be to write the content found on those pages. Writing, to me, is like a puzzle; it's not always easy to figure out exactly where each word or phrase should fit.

So, okay. I'm going to try this out. Read on.