Thought I would give this a go for BBAW. I think I missed the “in as few words as possible” instruction, please forgive me.
Do you snack while you read?
I can’t really eat and read at the same time. Sometimes I try to read during my lunch break, but I usually end up waiting until I’m finished. I don’t like to wear my glasses while eating hot foods. No particular reason. It just doesn’t feel right.
Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of
writing in books horrify you?
Talking with Chelle about this earlier. Pretty much horrified about writing in books. Although lots of writers used to do that and I’d loved to read so and so’s copy of such and such book and see what they thought about it. I’m a lazy reader really. Sometimes, I’ll put a post-it note on a page, but the problem is, I stick the post-it in the book and then go back later and I can’t remember why I stuck it there in the first place.
Text books are totally different. Of course, I always used a pencil, you know, because it still felt kind of weird.
How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?
Dog-ears? Are you kidding me? Who does that? Bookmarks. Usually nothing fancy – the date due card, an old to-do list, magazine subscription cards. I love book promo bookmarks, but I tend to set those aside to try to keep them nice. My husband always puts his bookmark further along in the book when he reads. I think it’s annoying, because he falls asleep while reading and the book closes so the bookmark is no longer a bookmark. I hate myself for doing it, but I’ve taken up this bad habit. I, of course, put the bookmark back where it belongs!
Laying the book flat open?
Mostly not a problem, unless it’s someone else’s book or a really nice book.
Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?
Both.
Hard copy or audiobooks?
Hard copy. My mind wanders when I listen to audiobooks.
Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?
I love to finish a chapter, but if it’s a long one, I just try to find a break. I’m a total fan of short chapters. Just one more chapter…
If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?
I used to keep a list of words to look up. But I never looked them up, so I stopped. If my husband’s around I’ll ask him. He’s verbose! Mostly I just plow through and figure things out from context.
What are you currently reading?
Royal Assassin – Robin Hobb
Invisible Mountain – Carolina De Robertis
Sea Glass – Maria Snyder
When the Whistle Blows – Fran Slayton
Demon Night – Meljean Brook
What is the last book you bought?
Demon Angel, Demon Moon and Demon Night – Meljean Brook.
Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can
you read more than one at a time?
See above. I usually have one main book, but I read a little of this and that at the same time.
Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
Anytime is good, but usually before bed is when I’m free. I almost always read in bed. Sometimes on the couch.
Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?
Either. But over the past couple of years, I’ve gotten into the series books more and more and they start to eclipse the stand alones.
Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
At work, I like to try and get people to read Maria Snyder (Study Series) and Deanna Raybourn. Personally, I try to get my friends and relatives to read more YA. The Book Thief, The Good Thief and The Absolutely True Diary of A Part-time Indian are a few that I like to try to get folks to read. Oh and Graceling, too.
How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)
Roughly by genre (fiction, poetry, non-fiction) and then alphabetically. The non-fiction I break down into loose categories. Since my son came around, it’s more like random piles all over the place.