My name is Lucy, and I have a problem

     My problem isn’t alcohol or drugs or any other nasty thing that might have popped into your head. My problem is that I'm addicted to buying books.

     Well, financing the habit can be damaging to your budget, space can be an issue for some (not yet in my case), but the biggest problem is buying them faster than you can read them. Between work, writing and daily responsibilities, I can’t foresee getting through the 99 books and counting that sit on my shelves before the wave of 2012 books starts coming in.

     Another contributing factor to my book buying addiction is the fact that I love to read a hard cover book. There is nothing better than a glass of wine and a hardcover sitting in my lap. This means I buy books within the first year they are released for fear of having a hard time finding the hardcover edition later.

     I’m also a sucker for a happy ending which doesn't help the matter either. When I read a book and then find out that it's going to be a trilogy, as much as I love a good trilogy, I cringe. To avoid having to live with the devastating second book cliffhanger, I wait for the third book to be released. This is another reason I have so many unread books on my shelves. This also means that in 2012 when all the third books are released, I will have doubled my reading list.

     It never ends.

     In conclusion, I enjoy my book collecting hobby, and I believe that since my addiction hasn’t put me out of house and home, doesn't affect my health in the present or in the long term, and that reading and learning bring me joy, than I can accept what I am.

     My name is Lucy, and I'm a book buying addict.


     If you can relate to my book buying addiction, leave a comment below. I’d love to read your thoughts.

The Muse I left behind

     It's been two weeks since we’ve been back from our once in a life time trip to California and I'm having a hard time getting back to my daily life, especially in my writing.

     Before I left, I had been spitting out 2000 to 3000 flowing words per day, losing myself in the story and enjoying where it was going. Now, I can't seem to cough out a single word and not from lack of trying or wanting.

     I decided to take a break and read to get inspired. Sometimes reading beautifully structured sentences gets my mind in the right mood to create my own. I read through Becca Fitzpatrick’s Crescendo and Silence in the matter of days. Amazing story that kept me glued to the pages. Although it's motivated me to want to write, the mental block still persists. I've been using the downtime to do some online research to help me hone my craft, but what I truly want is to find the muse I left behind before I left for California.

     I realize this is something that many writers suffer through, and it’s happened to me before. I know I will move past this eventually, but it's hard to accept when you sit down to write, and you desperately want to lose yourself in the momentum of your words, but your fingers just can't seem to type a single sentence that makes sense. The idea is right there, at the forefront of your mind, but nothing is happening.

     Many blogs posts have been dedicated to this very topic. Many offer tips and tricks that have worked for them, but for me, I know I can't force it. The best I can do is continue to read, research and learn everything I can that could be of use to my writing, and hope that the wall breaks down soon.

     Until then, If you see me lurking through your blog's writing tips and experiences, say hi.