For Thursday’s
Wench we’re going Downunder. The
delightful, Eleni Kostantine lives in Australia. Given my traveling bug I hope to someday
appear on her doorstep. For now I’ll
have to settle for reading her books.
And also her thoughts on feeding the soul.
TITLE: Reading Feeds the Soul
by Eleni Konstantine
For the last year, I had been part of conference committee
and I also began studying. So much of my spare time was tied up with those
activities that I noticed that my reading had gone downhill. My current reads
are at 25 for 2012 whereas in 2011 I had read 74 books. That’s quite a
difference. Please check out my reading list at Eleni’s
Library.
The other thing I noticed was I felt down that I couldn’t
get more reading done. Gone were the days when I used to read all night. With
chronic fatigue syndrome, if I’m tired, I can’t read past a few pages.
That is very sad. Don’t you think?
I’m of the belief that reading feeds the soul, especially
the writer’s soul. Nothing is like escaping into a book, reading about events
and characters as if it were happening right in front of you. And when that
isn’t happening - it’s like losing a piece of yourself.
I was finding that my own writing and creativity suffered
because of this. I couldn’t really get settled into my work. Editing was fine
(thank goodness because I had releases to work on), but writing something new
felt stifled. No new idea grabbed hold or felt right.
However for the first time in months, I wrote something new
the other day. It’s different, and still forming, but I like the basic idea.
Why the change?
Conference is over for 2012, I dropped a couple of subjects
at school and I’ve started reading more again. In the last month, I have read
six stories. Not all of them were novel length, but it’s still more reading
than I’ve done for ages. I feel so much better for it.
My muse is rubbing her hands together and saying, “Yes, we
can work on this and this, and that. Oh, and this one as well.”
It’s a good feeling to have choices for writing after a year
where it really didn’t seem to.
How about you - does reading feed your soul?
~Eleni
Zeta will protect the one she loves, even if it
means living in Hell.
Mastering a unique power was much safer for Zeta Kosmos with
a mentor to help her along. Now that he’s disappeared, Zeta must continue alone
with her calling—closing Gateways to Hell.
Daniel Richards is in the family business—Warding
supernatural evil from causing havoc on humans. As such, he’s only interested
in the safety of one-night stands. Until Zeta. This bad boy now wants a long,
lasting relationship.
But Zeta can’t let go of her past, nor can she ignore the
secret demonic threats against Daniel’s life. She’d rather fight demonic spawn
and be dragged into Hell than allow anything happen to him. Can Daniel convince
her to stay? Will she have to pay the ultimate price?
To read an excerpt from Gateway to Hell,
please click HERE.
Eleni Konstantine is Fantasy and
Paranormal fiction writer, with a number of shorts published. Her stories range
from flash fiction to novels. She blames her mother for her writing bug because
as a child she was given many books, including illustrated fairytales. That and
a love of Greek mythology, and Eleni was destined to become a writer.
Eleni lives in Adelaide, Australia, with her family and
feisty American Staffy.
6 comments:
Great post, Eleni!
I have found that I never read outside of work or school anymore. Granted, my work is reading/editing books and I'm going to school for publishing so many of the books I read for school are fiction.
I've read some short stories in my down time, but nothing I was able to really get lost in because my time spent reading is best used reading for work. Luckily, I've enjoyed all the stories I've edited, but my personal TBR list is ever-growing, never-shrinking!
I go through cycles for reading--sometimes I'll be reading six books at once, other times, just one, and other times (usually when I'm writing) none. Ebb and flow of your life. :)
Absolutely agree with you Eleni that reading feeds the soul. If I couldn't read or listen to audio books ...well, it might sound dramatic but I'd rather be dead. And as writers, we learn from others' books. But just to escape into a book is the best thing anyone can do. Yup. Anyone. That means YOU.
I'm thinking my soul need lots of feeding lately! Grrr. Note to self - must set boundaries for me and my reading time! Cheers for a slam-dunk post, Eleni!
Nice post, Eleni. With me, I have a case of attention deficit. I get a book and begin reading, then see another one I want to read, get started on that one, then on and on. Then I have to remember to go back and read the one I left off....Oh, yeah, then I have to write, but which story will I work on. URGHHH!
Marci, when your all day job is reading and editing, well, I think you are getting it done, but you need to relax into stories too. I try and switch off the internal editor when I read.
Clarissa - yes, I know what you mean. But I'm happiest when I do get to read.
Vonnie - well keep reading, we don't want anything happening to you!
Sharon - yep, boundries would help. And just reading a chapter helps too. Though I would love to do an all day reading session. it's been way to long since I did that.
Rita - LOL - yes, I have heaps of books going though it was more me and my tired brain and my moods. Maybe I too have AD with reading!
Thanks for popping in Wenches!
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