Lifetime Readers

Maureen mentioned her non-fiction reader friends react somewhat negatively when she brings up a book she just read. Jim mentioned that he’s facing an empty-nest, but the good news is his wife is starting to read novels.

So where do lifetime readers come from?

In one of my previous posts, I talked about receiving a big box of books for my home schooling efforts.  I remember reading somewhere  that home schoolers are driven to produce readers. I know that’s true for me. Unfortunately, I’m in competition with the video gaming world, but the good news is—I think it’s working!

Life has interrupted a few times, and I had to put off reading to them. I wasn’t even sure they enjoyed our reading time, or if they were listening. But apparently all three of them have listened.  My middle son has been spouting off silly metaphors he learned from one of the books.

Imagine my pleasure when my oldest asked when we were going to read again—he really missed that particular story. I was ecstatic, too, that the kids groaned when I finished the chapter because they were anxious to hear what happened next.

Don’t get me wrong, they read a lot on their own, which I anticipate will also produce the desired results—lifetime readers.

If you’re an avid reader, never give up on your efforts to enlighten the non-readers around you.

 

Blessings!

Beth

 

Elizabeth Goddard is the award-winning author of Treacherous Skies, releasing November 27th.

 

 

 

Non-Readers, Beware! I just finished a book . . . Posted by Maureen Lang

Do you have any friends who are dedicated non-readers? I’ve had some over the years, and one of the topics that can roll their eyes the fastest is if I try starting a conversation with “I just finished this book . . . “

They just don’t get it. The whole imagination, sit in one place, turn the pages thing. Particularly if a story doesn’t get right to action or pique their immediate interest, the non-readers I’ve known are just not willing to invest the time it takes to connect with either the characters or the story itself. Or should I say, their priorities don’t include reading and there are plenty of other demands to fill up a day.

But if a movie can be made of a book, that’s okay to talk about. They can invest two hours in something visually compelling. My non-reader friend will likely refrain from the eye-roll if I want to tell them about a really great movie I enjoyed, because that’s an option for them to check out in the future. But for me to tell them about a book they’ll never read, well forget about it.

That’s what makes the free world a better place, all the choices available to meet our varied tastes and interests. I would no more force a book on a non-reader than I would want to sit through four hours of a sporting event on television. To each, his own.

But on the other hand, isn’t it great when we find “our people”? Those fellow avid readers who understand the quickened pulse, the laughter, the nodding along as we read something we’ve connected with. When we tell another reader we just finished a book—well, that’s just the beginning of a satisfying conversation. Not a single eye-roll in sight.

My Son’s Girlfriend is a Reading Machine by James L. Rubart

She is.

This past weekend she, my son, and two other couples (friends of theirs) joined my wife and I at a lake house. We took them tubing, they went putt putt golfing, played poker where the first one out of chips had to go jump in the lake at midnight, went out to dinner, etc.

Busy weekend.

But my son’s girlfriend still had time to finish two thick books. How? Not sure. But I have an idea.

Every spare moment she’s picking up her book. Getting ready to play poker? She helped, then picked up her book and for three minutes.

The gang is watching a movie she’s already seen? She’s reading instead.

Set her alarm to get up early even though she’d been up late the night before.

It makes me realize I have to be more intentional about my reading. Grab the seconds while I can. Carve out the time. And not feel guilty when I’m reading. See, I’m in a family of non-readers. My son took honors English, got an A and didn’t read any of the books the class assigned (a fact he’s somewhat proud of).

He does read my novels, but not much else—although his girlfriend is having a positive effect and he does have a goal to read more this year. Cool!

But while my other son and my wife read magazines, and the occasional book, describing reading as a passion for them would be far from accurate.

With the above in mind, do you come from a family of readers or non-readers. If your family are nonners, how do you find time to read where you don’t feel like you’re taking time away from them?

And if you are a lean, mean, reading machine, where do you find time to get all those tomes finished?

Gotta go, my son’s girlfriend wants me to find her another book.

Two Faces of My Reading Life by Maureen Lang

I love escaping into a story world that will allow me to experience all kinds of adventure, challenge, love, and growth. Inspirational novels take me a level deeper and even allow me to feel all over again the astonishing love my creator has for me.

Immersing ourselves in a well-written novel is experiential, allowing us to feel things ordinary lives probably won’t provide. I’m actually grateful for that. I’m like a kid on a roller coaster, wanting to experience danger but in a strictly controlled environment. Safe at home, a solid roof over my head, the love of my life at my side, I possess all the bravery required to face nearly any character’s angst.

But I also read non-fiction. My non-fiction reading goal is a common one: the pursuit of knowledge. I’m either researching material for my novels or have come across a topic that I find fascinating and want to learn more about.

My two faces of reading demand two different methods. I’ve never in my life been tempted to take notes while reading a novel. I may admire the author’s talent, and I’ve even been known to underline effective displays of craft for future reference. But when I’m reading fiction I’m hoping to be emotionally stirred. If I learn anything other than seeing an example of fine writing—and I often do, about history or industries or places or whatever the author has nicely fit into the story—it’s a bonus.

Non-fiction, on the other hand, is all about learning. I take copious notes, and if I have the opportunity to share with someone else whatever it is I’m learning, so much the better. Facts tend to stick when I share them with others.

Perhaps there is a poll out there somewhere that breaks down the reading habits of self-professed avid readers. Do the most voracious readers tend to read more fiction than non-fiction? In my own sphere of readers, the most avid readers tend to read fiction while those who read less often gravitate mainly toward non-fiction—informational/self-help/memoirs. Often non-fiction books take longer to get through, because the information takes longer to process. Do those who favor non-fiction feel they have two faces, too, if they cross over to fiction?

(For more on this topic see our own Kathi Macias’s take on fiction vs. non-fiction, here)

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/giugiax/3466232693/

Readers: Born or Bred? Posted by Maureen Lang

I’ve heard it said that if you read to your children, then set the good example of reading your own books where they can see you doing so, children are more likely to grow up to be readers themselves.

I wonder if that’s really true. It sounds like it should be true. I certainly want it to be true, because I’ve done that with my own children—mainly because it came naturally to me. I wanted to read to them because it was fun. And I couldn’t help but read in front of them because, well, I’m a reader.

However, am I a reader because my parents read to me? No. I may very well be a writer because my mother told my sister and I stories that she made up out of her head — inspiring me to make up stories of my own — but I don’t recall ever seeing my mother sit down to read a book. And my father? Well, he did read portions of a couple of non-fiction books about World War Two, mainly because he’d lived the experience and wanted to compare what they were writing to what he recalled. But he never once read a book to me. Overall I’d have to say he didn’t set an example as a reader, either.

As for my nurturing example: my daughter is an even more avid reader than I am. Since she is my oldest, I might once have taken the credit and said she’s a reader because I nurtured it in her. But since I also have a fourteen year old son who must be reminded (i.e. forced) to do his reading homework, a son who saw in me the same things my daughter did, he proves my fine example did nothing. He’s a reader only through coercion.

Perhaps reading passions have something to do with differences between boys and girls. Or perhaps a reading gene has yet to reveal itself in my son. With age he may recall my example of reading and take it up himself someday. I can only hope.

But at this point in my observation, I’d have to say readers are born, not bred.

What do you think? Were you born a reader, or bred to become one? Perhaps a mix of both?

Let God Talk to You Review by Yvonne Ortega

Some people believe God doesn’t talk to people anymore. I’m grateful He still does. What a privilege to have the opportunity to hear God speak to us.

Many of us go to God with our long list of requests. We know what we want, and we want it now.

However, how many of us expect God to talk to us? How many of us stop our hectic pace and sit in silence to hear from God?

Becky Tirabassi writes with passion and conviction in her book, Let God Talk to You: When You Hear Him, You Will Never Be the Same.

She takes the readers step by step and explains not only that God talks to us, but also why, how, what God says, and when. She starts in the Old Testament, moves through the New Testament, and onto the present.

The author weaves in Scripture, examples, and detailed information on how to set up a prayer notebook to help readers prepare to listen to God. She calls the notebook, My Partner Prayer Notebook.

I challenge you to read this book, follow the steps and sit expecting to hear from God. He will talk to you, and I would love to know what happens.

I read Becky Tirabassi’s book and set up my partner prayer notebook. I cut out TV, the newspaper, and social media for a week. Relax. Becky didn’t say to do that, but I felt led to do so the week before Christmas. God talked to me, and I heard Him. He told me what He wanted me to do in 2012 and what He wanted me to cut out. Unfortunately, one of the things God wanted me to cut out was posting on Christians Read.

I’ve been blessed to be part of this ministry and have enjoyed posting about the many wonderful books available.

May God bless you richly as you read this book and hear God talk to you. He loves you so much that He’s waiting to talk to you.

Yvonne Ortega www.yvonneortega.com

What Kind of Reader Are You? Posted by Maureen Lang

Over the years I’ve belonged to or visited a number of book clubs, which taught me there are many different reader styles. After posing this topic to my voracious-reader daughter, I decided to define the ones we’ve either been or encountered and list them here in no particular order. See if you can identify with any . . . or some . . .

The Peeker: This reader isn’t hesitant about reading the ending well before actually getting there. Some start out reading the end, others peek ahead once they’re sufficiently worried or confused about where the story is taking them.

The Dedicated Reader will finish every book they start, even if they’re not particularly enjoying it. They want to see how the reader wraps up the story, even if they complain about how it’s done.

The Wall-Banger has such well-defined standards that when it isn’t met they not only don’t finish the book, they toss it across the room in disgust.

The Skimmer would like to finish every book, but isn’t sufficiently engaged to want to spend the time it will take for a thorough read. They skip narrative, try to read most of the dialogue, and pick up just enough to see where the plot and characters go.

The Picky Reader never spends time finishing a book she’s either not enjoying or learning from.

The Juggler reads more than one book at the same time.

The Voracious Reader: Reads so many books in such close succession that when they shop for new ones they often end up purchasing ones they already own. It isn’t until they’re a quarter of the way into the novel that they realize they’ve not only already read it, but it’s sitting on their very full bookshelf.

The Hasty Review Reader is in a contest with others to see how many reviews they can get up online, for perks and prestige.

The Cliff Note and Reader’s Digest Reader: student’s favorite, but also known to attract those with more curiosity than time.

The Snail Pace Reader savors each and every word, re-reads paragraphs just for the enjoyment of particularly lyrical or imaginative prose.

Bathroom Reader: No matter how good the book is, this is the only spot for reading.

Exercise and audio reader: these readers have been known to extend their exercise time just to find a place in the book where they can put it down or push pause.

Travel and Vacation Reader: Beach readers, airport/airplane readers. This also includes those who don’t get carsick and can read while a passenger in the car.

The Giving Reader: only reads a book once, then passes it on. See next reader style for the opposite style.

Re-Readers: They can read a book twenty times but still enjoy reading it again. Series books are sometimes re-read to refresh this reader’s memory. Or they’re just in the mood for “that kind of book”.

Series Readers are those who primarily read series books; this sometimes means the whole series must be published before purchasing and reading the first. Or they fall into the re-reader category and re-read the earlier books each time a new book is added to the series, so the books that went before are fresh in their mind.

Movie/Book Reader. This reader must read the book before seeing an upcoming movie, or else has already seen the movie but enjoyed it so much they now want to read the book for another, deeper perspective or to relive the movie.

Genre Readers are those readers who never venture outside their favorite genre. Loyal romance readers, sci-fi, mystery, etc.

The Matter-of-Fact Reader only reads non-fiction, biographies, autobiographies, or textbooks. If it didn’t actually happen, they’re not reading it. They have no desire to explore whether or not truth is stranger than fiction, because they only want the truth.

Chances are if you’ve been reading for very long you’ve practiced more than one of the reader styles listed above. I know I have! What about you?

Storytelling: Readers and Writers by Maureen Lang

There’s plenty of evidence to suggest storytelling has been around for as long as mankind. God created us with an imagination and a desire to create . . . perhaps those two traits are the most striking resemblances we have to His image. Who knows?

Through storytelling, one person’s imagination sparks another’s, like in this painting of a seafarer telling a young Sir Walter Scott about his adventures at sea.

Boyhood of Raleigh by Millais

Can you see how interested the boys are? An engaged mind can make our heart run the gamut: from joy to sorrow, security to fear, love to hate and on and on. Through a good story, we experience life and are reminded of the universality of the human condition.

Writers are part of the reading audience, but somewhere along the way we’ve decided to take the risk and try storytelling on our own. We start reading with a more critical eye, and by that I don’t mean we look for ways to denigrate books. We simply look with a different scope, usually by looking at more than story. We look at word choices and imagery and general use of language, how another writer uses the same alphabet we’re all given. Sometimes we’re in awe of the way an accomplished author commands language, sometimes not. Usually, for better or worse, authors at least have an opinion about how we would write the same story in our own voice or from our own, perhaps unique, perspective.

There are times when I’m so caught up in the lives of the characters I fail to read with a critical eye. Perhaps it’s because my own voice is similar to the one telling the story I’m reading. More often, I’m so engaged in an expert’s creativity that I wouldn’t dare change a word. Those are the books I learn from, to try analyzing how the story or the characters were able to reach beyond the pages to touch my heart. Books like The Help, Peace Like A River, Hannah Coulter, to name a few.

I’m sometimes amazed at which books become popular—and which books don’t. Some of my best friends have written books I simply cannot put down, and yet few of them make bestseller lists. Sometimes when I pick up a book from those lists, I’m disappointed. I guess it all comes down to popular taste. My personal gauge for guessing what works is my sister. She is a reader of the most common sort, and I say that with the utmost admiration. Once she picks up a book she reads it all the way through—even if she’s disappointed in it. Her taste seems to match what’s popular, time and time again.

My own taste might be a bit narrower, and I won’t finish a book that isn’t engaging to me. Ever heard of a literary wall banger? If I’m not learning something positive from a book, I may not throw it against the wall, but I definitely put it down without a moment’s regret.

My sister, however, reads all the way to the last page. She isn’t bothered by technical things that stop me: head-hopping characters (point of view shifts), sketchy character development, convenient coincidences showing plot weaknesses. She doesn’t even notice such things—she just wants a good story. If there is an inkling of story in there, she’s good to go. It’s pure escapism, but that’s the beauty of it. She’s escaping from the real world and coming out refreshed, even if there are some things on the pages that might have been better. By focusing on what works, not on what doesn’t, she’s able to enjoy storytelling of all kinds.

And that’s the most loyal kind of reader out there, the kind storytellers love.

Something to think about: not all readers are as welcoming as my sister. On the spectrum from one end being escapist readers like my sister, mid-point readers like reviewers who look a bit more closely so they can publicly acclaim or rebuff a story, and on to writers or teachers who dissect a story, where do you fall?

What Do Avid Readers and Prolific Writers Have in Common? by Kathi Macias

Avid Readers, Prolific Writers
Kathi Macias

Though not all children who are avid readers grow up to be prolific writers, there are few such writers who weren’t also lovers of words from an early age. And I am no exception.
I’ve authored/published more than thirty books of my own, plus ghostwritten/edited about 100 others. I’ve also published countless newspaper and magazine articles and stories, devotionals and poems, and I constantly get the question: How in the world do you produce so much on such a regular basis?
Though I give credit to my journalism training and experience, I always go back to my passion for words, which was evident even before I started school. My mom says I was reading the comics when I was three, and my favorite outing throughout my childhood was always a trip to the library. I read voraciously! And if I found myself without something to read, I immediately set out to write my own stories. One such story, which I wrote in the third grade, was turned into a play for the entire PTA—parents, teachers, and students. I was hooked!
I went on to write for the school newspapers and won writing contests throughout junior and senior high school, and even told my boyfriend (now husband) when we were about thirteen or fourteen that I was going to be a writer some day. To be honest, I can’t imagine being anything else.
Of course, the one thing I NEVER wanted to do was public speaking. Surprise! Little did I know that as I ventured out into the publishing world, I would begin to receive speaking invitations. Though I quickly declined, explaining that I did not do public speaking, I soon discovered that my book sales suffered because of it. Hmm… Seemed I had no choice but to get over that common fear of public speaking and just get out there and do it.
Now, amazingly, I enjoy public speaking nearly as much as I do writing, and I do both on a regular basis. But all of it goes back to my love of words and that inborn call to be a communicator. If you have ever sensed that same call—whether to writing or speaking (or maybe even something else entirely)—and you find yourself hesitant to answer, ask yourself if you have an innate love for reading. If the answer is yes, perhaps it’s time to consider the next step.