My 2021 reading challenge

Like many people, I have stacks of books that I’ve wanted to read for months (and some for years). Somehow, knowing my house is filled with unread books is like knowing my fridge is full of food but going out to eat.

But lately, the growing book inventory had gotten out of hand. And now that I’ve exchanged my technical writer and editor career for full-time writing, I have the time and mental energy to do more reading.

So, last December 2020 I decided to become more disciplined about reading the books I’d collected, and set a modest goal of reading one book a week in 2021 (so, 52 books). After I finished a book, I could either give it away or keep it. But, because part of the goal is to reduce the stacks, I must have a really good reason to keep a book I’ve read. For example, a nonfiction book has information I want to reference or a novel has a compelling voice.

Here’s the list of books I’ve read so far in 2021. We’re entering the 16th week of the year, so I’m ahead in the challenge!

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1. The Book of Boy - Middle-grade fiction by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
2. Enchanted Air - YA verse memoir by Margarita Engle
3. From the Desk of Zoe Washington - Middle-grade fiction by Janae Marks
4. The Skin I’m In - Middle-grade/YA fiction by Sharon Flake
5. Deluge - Poetry by Leila Chatti
6. Save the Cat Writes a Novel - Nonfiction/how-to by Jessica Brody
7. Irish Tales of the Fairies and the Ghost World - Fiction by Jeremiah Curtin
8. The Tradition - Poetry by Jericho Brown
9. The Balloonists - Poetry by Eula Biss
10. Ghost Of - Poetry by Diana Khoi Nguyen
11. Brown Girl Dreaming - Middle-grade verse novel by Jacqueline Woodson
12. Mermaid Tales: Books vs. Looks - Chapter book by Debbie Dadey
13. Outrun the Moon - YA historical fiction by Stacey Lee
14. Show Me a Sign - Middle-grade historical fiction by Ann Clare LeZotte
15. May B. - Middle-grade historical verse novel by Caroline Starr Rose
16. Kent State - YA historical verse novel by Deborah Wiles
17. Systems for the Future of Feeling - Poetry by Kimberly Grey
18. The Great Influenza: The story of the deadliest pandemic in history - Nonfiction by John M. Barry
19. Like the Willow Tree - Middle-grade historical fiction by Lois Lowry
20. Penny from Heaven - Middle-grade historical fiction by Jennifer L. Holm
21. Countdown - Middle-grade historical fiction/documentary by Deborah Wiles

Happy reading!

Make yourself at home

I've written about using diaries for research, but I also use several other sources when doing research for a historical (or contemporary) book. For example, I use magazines and catalogs from that time; weather records; newspapers; any primary sources such as letters, postcards, photos, diaries; and books and articles written about that time.

Today I'm working on a manuscript for a middle-grade novel set in 1918. No one needs to be reminded that a lot of stuff was going on that year, especially in the second half:

• World War I
• The influenza pandemic
• Women's suffrage
• Ongoing racism toward Irish and Irish American people (and others, of course, but this book is focused on the Irish)

Although I'm telling a fictional story, it's based on historical events and the prevailing culture. To create a believable story, I want to know as many details about that time so that I can authentically tell the story from my character's perspective. Not all the details will go into the story, of course, but my knowledge of the details will be reflected in what my character notices and how she frames her thoughts, words, and actions. 

Just the other day I discovered that is actually the secondary reason for doing this research. The first reason is more significant to how I work as a writer and create the worlds of my characters. 

I realized that the hardest thing for me to do is believe what I make up. So, when I make up stuff (which is essentially what fiction writers do), I know that if I don't believe this world I've created, my readers won't either. I'm a stranger in this world I'm trying to create for my character/s, and everything feels weird and questionable. But, if I steep myself long enough and deep enough in the world my character lives in, then it becomes my world--my home--as well. I'm no longer a stranger to this world but a citizen of it. One who eats, sleeps, dreams, walks, and loves in this world.

And it's so much easier to write when I feel at home.