An Ode to My Book Buddies

Reading used to be a pretty solitary thing for me. Oh sure, the act of reading a book is still something I do in solitude, usually curled up with a cup of tea or snuggling into my pillow at bedtime. But, where I used to quietly scan the bookshelves of my local Borders (miss them so!)to pore over eye-catching covers and flip through first chapters to find my latest read, I now get my book recommendations almost entirely from my friends in cyberspace. From book bloggers I love (see sidebar on the left) to authors I’ve discovered on Twitter, to the constantly updated list of book picks my cyber friends share on Goodreads, I have a never-ending supply of fab reads awaiting me.

It is no longer a hunt through the stacks to search out my next reading adventure, but more like a book finds me. Its pretty cover will pop up on my iPad screen and I will fall instantly and magically in lust. And the best part is, not only does the book find me, but I find friends through the book’s readers. People like me who salivate at the beautiful artwork and ache to read the tale that so swiftly stole their attention from the reality of the day. These are my people. Book nerds. Bibliophiles. Readaholics. Whatever you call us, we are one. Connected by the ether and a love for words. And I simply cannot describe how much my world has opened up since joining this online community of bookworms and authors.

And if you’re reading this, you’re probably one of us. So I just want to say thanks for sharing your book recommendations, your reviews, your enthusiasm for the written word. Because no matter what happens with the publishing industry, we will still be here. Waiting for that next great story to grab our interest and carry us off into a land of make-believe. Love to you all!

Ciao!
Lucie