Thursday, July 21, 2011

It's an addiction!

Okay... there may be worse addictions but I am well and truly addicted to buying books.

I have more than enough books that I haven't read to keep me going till the end of the year, probably longer, but I still can't resist the lure of one more. I'm scared if I don't buy IT now, it'll vanish and I'll never get the chance again.

I'm not sure how many unread books I have on my e-reader, but I have at least 50 on various shelves throughout the house.

I decided it was time to do something drastic, so I banned myself from buying any books until the Romance Writers of Australia conference in August. This was about two weeks ago. Yesterday I ordered a book from Book Depository.

Whoops!!!

Some of the books on my shelves waiting to be read:
*The Woman He Loved Before - Dorothy Koomson
*Yours To Keep - Shannon Stacy
*Negligee Behaviour - Shelli Stevens
*The Making of Us - Lisa Jewell
*What Alice Forgot - Liane Moriarty
*Can't Stand The Heat - Louisa Edwards
*Ondine - Ebonny McKenna
*House Rules - Jodi Picoult
*Getting Away With It - Julie Cohen
*The Inherited Bride - Maisey Yates

And this is only a tiny slice of my assortment. So you can see that I really didn't need ONE MORE BOOK!!

I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse but I've discovered Book Depository's Wishlist - so now every time I think of a book I'd like, I go there and add it. Then, every time I feel like getting a package delivered, I go and order another one.

Does anyone know if there's a twelve step program for this!?

23 comments:

AJ Blythe said...

Rach! I swore I wouldn't buy any books this conference - and then the 'craft' book list came out... and now I have 3 books on order.

If you find out those 12 steps, let me know!

Rachael Johns said...

Oh dear Anita! Which ones did you buy?

AJ Blythe said...

1. Sociopath next door
2. What would your character do
3. Conflict, action and suspense

Lucy King said...

I wish there was! I'm addicted to buying books on my Kindle. For every book I buy I download something worthy free, like The Iliad, or something. I tell myself I WILL READ IT, but guess which remain unread!!

Nardia said...

I can completely relate - I do exactly the same thing... and then I found aNobii which is an iphone app. You can store your wishlist books on your phone and simply scan in the barcode on the back. Then, once you buy it you catalogue it to your library so then you have an electronic catalogue of all your books... I love it...

Goodluck getting through all your new books :)

nardia

M.J. Kane said...

That is hilarious! I'm not that bad, but I've got about 10 books on myself right now by authors I haven't read yet but the description sounded great! I've read plenty of other books since I've got them, just haven't picked up those just yet.

Christina Phillips said...

Haha, I so relate!! And I don't think there is a 12 step plan (and if there was, would we really want it?!)

Rachael Johns said...

Anita - all sound good ones!

Lucy - LOL! You sound like me making the decision to read one classic a month a couple of years back. Think I read Jane Eyre and that was it!

OMG Nardia - you shouldn't have told me about that app :)

MJ - I've been collecting authors I haven't read too but that I've met through Twitter and like the sound of.

Christina - good question! Of course we wouldn't.

Scarlet Wilson said...

Had a quick count ( but obviously discounted the ones on the sony reader). I have 87 to read. And three winging their way from Amazon. What's worse I have a list and I give them all marks out of 10.
It's an addiction and I'm right there with you Rach!
And I have three matching books on your list!

Cathryn Hein said...

I have the same problem. *sigh*

But I justify it as market research and professional development.

See? Sounds perfectly reasonable when put like that.

AJ Blythe said...

Oooh, Cathryn, when youput it like that...

Suzanne Brandyn Author said...

I'm not daring to go to that site. I don't read when writing, so now I've finished for a few days, I have a few here without adding more. I would easily become addicted and stay drugged for days. I have no idea of a remedy. But would you really want one. Reading is good for you. :)

Suzanne Brandyn Author said...

I also agree with Cathryn. A very plausible excuse. lol

Jackie Ashenden said...

I don't have any to read. And I HATE not having books to read. Might just nick some of yours instead. :-)

test said...

Book Depository is great, although they've been taken over by Amazon apparently.

Rachael Johns said...

0oh Scarlet. Your list sounds great. Are you are hard marker?

Cathryn - LOVE your justification :) I'm stealing it as my own!

Suz - I find it really interesting that you don't read when you write. Sometimes I wonder if I should do that. Although it takes me so long to finish a book these days, I'd never get anything read :(

Jackie - get to Carina and start downloading their contemporaries. Not biased or anything but I'm LOVING them!

Colleen - yeah, I'd heard that. Hope it doesn't change too much :(

Shona Husk said...

Books on ereaders don’t count as no one can see them :) But I try not to buy paper books unless I have room for them on my TBR shelf (currently 26 books).

Rachael Johns said...

Shona - I LOVE that!!! Same as if nobody sees you eat it, there's not calories!!

Mel Teshco said...

Rach,

I don't think we'd have time to participate in any 12 step program *snork* too busy reading! (and writing)

Kat said...

You are a prime candidate to carry the bag we are all coveting over at the minxes, Rach -hope this link wrks...

http://www.theliterarygiftcompany.com/she-is-too-fond-of-books-tote-bag-1315-p.asp

Rachael Johns said...

That is one seriously cool bag Joanne!

Rachael Johns said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ebony McKenna. said...

Oh dear, I think I share this problem.

No, it's not a problem, I don't have a problem!

I went to the RWA conference this weekend and bought three books - and then kept receiving them in workshops and winning them from lucky draws or stickers on the back of notepads. I had an extra - empty - suitcase for bringing them all home with me. Lucky I'm a local girl and I could pile the overflow into the boot of my car!

Happy reading!