Discover how to get your hands on books without breaking the bank!

 

Disclaimer: Monsta Reader is affiliated with bookshop.org and Waterstones. If you should make a purchase through any of the links in this blog, I might earn a small commission from the sale. However, this does not affect the retail price, and it does not influence the content of this blog.

Every reader knows the struggle. The fact of the matter is, books are addictive. Nobody who has ever read a book and loved it has ever stopped at just one. But, I don't have a problem! You have the problem! Leave me alone!

Personally, I have become a friend of secondhand books and charity shops. I know that some booklovers want to have their shelves filled with brand new books, all matching, so that their shelves are social media ready, but I am much more interested in the contents of the books. So, I am not too bothered by having odd, mismatched, dog-eared, notated books on my shelves. As long as I can access the words that have made their way, through time and space, to my eyeballs, I am happy.

But, of course, the problem here is that, instead of saving money, buying the same number of books as you would if you bought them brand new, you might just end up spending the same amount of money and buying more books. This leads to another problem that book lovers face - the finite bookshelf space conflicting with your unending desire for more books!

But, let's deal with one problem at a time, shall we . . .

There is a little twinge of guilt that goes with buying secondhand books; knowing that the authors very rarely earn royalties from the sales.

It seems that authors and writers are earning less and less as time goes on. Almost gone are the days when a writer could earn enough to live on from their work as a writer alone, instead they must supplement their income with other jobs.

Authors do, however, earn a modest payment each time one of their books is borrowed from a public library. The Public Lending Right (PLR) provides writers with up to £6,600 a year from library book borrows. It's not an awful lot, but it's another good reason to visit the local library.

If you want my advice, make friends with libraries and secondhand books. I know the purse strings can pinch. But, as you make friends with these invaluable resources, bear in mind how little authors and writers are being paid. And, when you see a campaign to gain writers a percentage from the sale of secondhand books, consider putting your name to that campaign. And, go pay a visit to your local library. Show them they're still needed, and wanted.

Thank you for reading. Before you go, can I ask you to consider supporting this blog with a coffee on ko-fi.com - the caffeine keeps me considering all the ways I can get my hands on books, books, books!

I resist ad space as much as possible - I would rather generate conversation than sales! However, with writerly ambitions and desires, it would be unrealistic to seek no remuneration whatsoever, so I kindly ask readers to consider a small donation through ko-fi.com. And I thank every reader and supporter wholeheartedly!

Want to come behind the scenes of my rather bookish blog?

 

Disclaimer: Monsta Reader is affiliated with bookshop.org and Waterstones. If you should make a purchase through any of the links in this blog, I might earn a small commission from the sale. However, this does not affect the retail price of any items, and it does not influence the content of this blog.

Behind the curtain . . .

This blog is just over two years old. It's two years and three weeks old, to be precise.

When I published my first post, I had no idea what I was doing. But, I was putting myself out there because I wanted to write, and find readers, and blogging was an another avenue to explore in trying to reach that goal.

But, like I said, I had no idea what I was doing . . .

I didn't know how to promote the blog, or play the game that you're supposed to play for the algorithms and whatnot. I just wanted to write. And, preferably, to be a writer good enough that people would want to read what I wrote.

The readership has grown, but I am not playing with the "big boys". My readership is minuscule compared to what some bloggers see in their analysis figures. Part of that is to do with my still, two years later, not knowing what I am doing. But only partly, because it's also because I still don't want to play the game with the algorithms, and all that nonsense.

You know what I want to do?

I want to write about a subject, a subject about which I feel passionate, and I want it to generate conversation. However large or small that conversation might be. I want a reader to nod their head in recognition of a thought, a feeling, a situation. I don't want to generate sales. I don't want to spend my time poring over the analysis figures, trying to see what performed well, and how many people followed what link. That's nothing to do with writing, and it has nothing to do with books.

"So, why are you blogging? And, why are you telling us about this?"

Good questions. You should come here more often!

Well, as I said, I blog because it provides me with a space to write. I can research a subject, write about it, proofread, and edit the piece, and have it in front of readers' eyes the same day. I don't have to go through a magazine editor, I don't have to navigate a publisher's budget, and all those things. I can present my piece to readers and get feedback from those readers almost immediately.

It's a joy. It really is.

The problem is that it's not very lucrative . . . It pays nothing. Especially if you're a small fry in a pond of big fish. The one's for whom it's all about generating income, feeding the algorithms, and playing the game.

But, I'm not going anywhere. 

Even if only twenty people read this post, and none of those people generate any remuneration, I will still be back at my keyboard, tapping away about books I've read and loved. If two people like this post when I have shared it across the social media platforms I allow into my world - why the hell would I sign up to all of them? Who has time for that? - I will share my words with those people again.

I want connections. So, if you read this, or any other post here, and there's somebody that you think will get it, share that post with them. If you think this is all nonsense - and, this is a bit of a ramble - then don't bother. It's all good. But, whatever you do, do it because it feels right, because you care. Or whatever.

There's so much bland shit out here, the crap that we just scroll past, and sometimes the good stuff just gets caught up in that, and we lose it too. I'm not saying this space here is like that, part of the good stuff that's being unfairly lost in the stream of banality, but I am saying I'm striving to be a better writer and produce good work on a subject about which I feel passionate. Chasing the algorithms will always come second to that. So, maybe I will lose out. I dunno.

If you made it down here - jeez, have you nothing better to do!? - thank you. I guess it's for you that I am writing. Maybe that means something. Maybe it doesn't. I don't know. But, you take care. And maybe come back soon.

Seriously, thank you. If you enjoyed this post, please consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the caffeine keeps me writing, and maybe it'll wake me up one day to chasing the algorithms, and embracing the fact we're all just lost in the Zuckerverse anyways . . .

Thank you, every reader and supporter!

Asking my-eighteen-year-old bookish-self a few questions . . .

 

Disclaimer: this blog is affiliated with bookshop.org and Waterstones and, if you make any purchases through links in this blog, I might earn a small commission from the sale. However, this does not affect the price of the product, and it does not influence the content of this blog.

Half a life time ago, I was an eighteen-year-old young man, his life ahead of him, and I had little idea what I was going to do with that life. As I have a little sit down with my younger self, to ask myself a few questions about my bookish habits back then, it might be wise I don't let it slip I still don't know what I am doing with my life - let him have some hope!

Me: Hello there, eighteen-year-old me. How are you?

Eighteen-year-old me: Hi. Fine.

Me: Cool. So, I would just like to ask you a few questions about what you're reading, if that's okay?

Eighteen-year-old me: Yeah, that's fine.

Me: Okay. Well, I suppose I will start with, what do you like to read?

Eighteen-year-old me: Um. I read a few different sorts of books. I've read some of the James Bond novels . . . I read On The Road by Jack Kerouac. And crime novels. And I read Clockwork Orange not too long ago.

Me: Which crime novels do you like to read?

Eighteen-year-old me: I like Agatha Christie's books. And I like the Rebus novels, the ones I have read. And Ruth Rendell too. I just started reading her books.

Me: What drew you to the Bond novels?

Eighteen-year-old: I liked the films. I grew up with them, so when I found the books, where it started, I wanted to read them. Though they're a bit different from the films.

Me: How so?

Eighteen-year-old me: The films are a bit lighter. The books heavier. Which makes sense. I mean, the character's basically a government licensed assassin - that's going to be a brutal life.

Me: What are some of the central themes to the Bond novels?

Eighteen-year-old: Well, a lot of it is just adventure and spy story . . . But, there is heavier stuff in there. I mean, people think of Bond as just being a spy who shags, drinks, and kills people with a cool line. But, in the books anyway, he falls in love, he experiences loss, there is some character development. Jeez, in one of the books, he sits in a park and considers the flowers in one chapter!

Me: You Only Live Twice, I think.

Eighteen-year-old me: Yeah. The one after the novel in which his wife is murdered . . .

Me: Okay. So, you mentioned On The Road as well. What did you think of that? Why do you think Kerouac wrote that book?

Eighteen-year-old me: I liked it. From what I understand, the book is based on his own experiences. I liked it, yeah. I feel a bit restless myself sometimes. I'd quite like to take off on an adventure like that, experience things a bit.

Me: Me too . . .

Eighteen-year-old me: Huh?

Me: Oh, nothing. Doesn't matter. You like crime too then? Why do you like crime?

Eighteen-year-old me: Hmm. Not sure. They can be dark. But I like Christie's books too, and they're not quite so dark. I like the suspense, how each chapter can answer questions but also throw up new ones. And then there's the big reveal at the end! But, you have to have good characters, and a good story. Not interested in crime by numbers. Not interested in blood, gore, and swearing either, not if it's just there to try and seem edgy.

Good crime novels are just really good stories. They're fun, but they can also touch on themes that are deeper . . .

Me: I like crime too. 

Eighteen-year-old me: You're me though, right, so . . . ?

Me: Yes. But, some things change, some things fall away . . .

Eighteen-year-old me: Oh. Yeah . . .

Me: Ahem. You mentioned Clockwork Orange too. Did you like that? What drew you to that?

Eighteen-year-old me: Honestly? I kind of just wanted to read something dangerous. I was surprised when I found it in the school library. I was in there during lunch one time, and somebody came in, someone I knew, and they made fun of me for spending my lunch break reading - they had no idea what was going on in the pages of that book!

I liked it. It was shocking, yeah, with the violence and everything. But, I think it went deeper than that. In one of my classes once, we talked about how the state is violent. Like, threats of violence is how the state keeps peace and order. If you know what I mean. Well, this book explores that.

Me: I know what you mean. Thanks for talking with me. I'll let you go. It was good to see you. Look after yourself, and, you know, don't let your fears get in the way of your hopes.

Eighteen-year-old me: Uh, yeah. You too. See ya.

Thank you for reading. Before you go, can I ask that you consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the caffeine keeps me reminiscing!

I avoid ad space here as much as I can. I would prefer that this blog generate conversation rather than sales!

I write here because of my passion for books, and I want that to shine through. But, as I invest time in researching, writing, proofreading, editing . . . each post, I ask readers, if they can, to consider a small donation to keep the blog going. If you can, please do visit ko-fi.com, and I will see you again soon. Thank you for reading!

Can you relate to that final page sadness?

 

Disclaimer: Monsta Reader is affiliated with bookshop.org and Waterstones. If you should make a purchase through any of the links in this blog, I might earn a small commission from the seller. But that does not affect the price of the items, and it does not influence the content of this blog.

Do you ever read the last word, of the last sentence, on the last page of a book and feel a little sad? A little loss?

If you're an avid book reader, the chances are that you have experienced, with at least one book, what has been colloquially called a "book hangover". It's that slight sadness that the story is over, the characters are gone, and you can never discover them for the first time again. It's gone forever.

There's something about a good book, a good story. It requires your time and your attention. A really good story might just change your mind about a few things, or at least challenge some preconceived notions. But, then again, it might just hold you tight in its embrace, and reassure you of the goodness of you and life. Whatever the story and its message, if you've found something between the covers that has captured you, it is understandable that, when you reach that last page, you could be left a little shaken.

Often it is works of fiction that have this effect. When the reader goes on a journey with the characters, and the journey comes to an end, and the reader has to go on beyond the book. Has to sort through the feelings the work has left them with.

Good art is supposed to have an emotional impact, or challenge ideas. It is not absurd that you should leave a book feeling a little shaken, or otherwise effected. 

Kazuo Ishiguro, Aldous Huxley, and Jonas Jonasson have all gifted me - and probably some of you too - with books that I didn't want to end. As have many other wonderful writers.

I am currently reading Oscar Wilde by Richard Ellman, a Pulitzer Prize winning biography of the famous Victorian poet, author and playwright. I have read it before, but it is well worth reading again.

I tell you this because some of the books that have most effected me, as I have closed the books' cover on the final page, have been biographies. Almost feeling as though I had lived the life of the subject right along with them - I can only imagine how the biographers themselves must feel! - and that feeling of loss at the last page is keener, for me, because it was real. The people in the pages had lived real lives. Especially when the ending is somewhat tragic, as we know it was for Wilde.

When I was younger I was a little obsessed with Marilyn Monroe for a time, and I read a number of biographies about her. They made me wish that there was a heaven, or that time travel could be possible. I had similar feelings when I read a biography of Bill Hicks, the American comedian, later on. The books left me wishing that I could have met them, or at least see them perform. But then, perhaps that's one of the marks of a good biography.

What about you? Which books have left you feeling a sense of loss? With the joy of having read the book, but a sadness for having reached the end?

Drop some titles in the comments!

Thank you for reading. Before you go, can I please ask you to consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the caffeine gets me through those book hangovers, and returning to the keyboard!

Though this blog is affiliated with a couple of booksellers, I have resisted putting ad space in these blog posts as much as possible. I write about books because I have a passion for books - as simple as that. I would prefer that that shines through, rather than this being a space geared towards selling a product to consumers. I'd rather generate discussion that sales.

But it would be unrealistic of me, trying as I am to pursue writing work, if I didn't seek some remuneration for the research, writing, proofreading, etc. that goes into every piece of content. So, if you can, you can support this blog on ko-fi.com - thank you to every reader and supporter! Thank you!

5 ways I unwind with a good book . . .

 

Disclaimer: if you make a purchase through any of the links in this blog, I might earn a small commission from the sellers, but this does not affect the cost to the consumer, and it does not influence the content of this blog.

I don't know about you, but for me there's a few things that make settling in with a good book that little bit better . . .

1. Candles (scented is better)

I don't know why, there's just something cosy about candles. 

For my money, I do like the idea of reading by the light of a lamp, a few candles burning. Just so long as there is sufficient light to read by!

Be sure to air out the room afterwards though - the soot has to go somewhere!

2. Turn off the phone

They aren't just phones any more, and it isn't just friends and family that want to get hold of us on them either. There's a few bug-eyed lizard people that have figured out ways of exploiting the neurochemical drama that is our brains, pinging us with notifications and offers and . . . "Ooh, if I just put my info in here, I'll get a voucher for . . . " And they've got you!

Just turn it off when you really want to immerse yourself in that book!

3. Coffee, cakes, or a glass of wine

Something to nibble and/or sip on while you're reading is grand, as long as you don't get it all over the pages obviously. 

Coffee or tea go with books like they were made for each other. And, if you're feeling especially in need of comfort, you can't go wrong with hot chocolate. Of course, in the evening, you might want something a little stronger - when the words on the page start to blur and run into each other, you've probably had enough . . .

Cakes and other nibbles are great too. It's a comfort thing, book lovers!

4. Blankets, socks, and jumpers

At the time of writing, it's a cold December night and Christmas is on the horizon. Rain, wind, and cold are promised and I don't need any of that when I am trying to read!

Give me all of the blankets, socks, and jumpers. Give me warmth and cosiness, and I will be a happy little bookworm!

5. Music

At the moment, I have Beethoven playing. Before that I had Led Zeppelin (getting the muthaflippin' Led out!), and when I read I love to have music in the background. Nothing too intrusive and distracting. Also, I don't want to listen to something I haven't heard before when I am trying to read. No, it has to be something familiar.

Music and books because, la di da, I am so cultured and fancy! What what! Pip pip! Toodle-oo!

Well, that's my five ways of unwinding with a good book. Hope you enjoyed this little bit of fun. You can support my writing and blogging, buying me a coffee on ko-fi.com - the caffeine goes so well with my reading, as long as I don't get rings on any of the pages!

Thank you for reading, and thank you to all supporters!

Wondering what the ultimate solution is to RUNNING OUT OF SHELF SPACE?

 

Disclaimer: should you make a purchase through any of the links in this blog, I may earn a small commission from the sellers, but this does not affect the cost to the consumer, and it does not influence the content of this blog.

I can't stop buying books.

There are books on my shelves that I haven't yet read, and those shelves are pretty much full. But, still, I've a list of books noted down that I just have to get my hands on at some point. And every time I get an email from Waterstones or bookshop.org or one of the publishing houses, at least half the books mentioned in one of those emails end up being added to the list.

I am fairly certain I will die with books on my shelves that I never read. Of course I will; I buy books quicker than I can read them. It's the curse of the bibliophile!

Why do I do it? Why do any of us do it?

It's almost Sisyphean, right?

The TBR pile that never gets any smaller because, before you've even finished the book you're reading, you've found yourself in a bookshop handing over money to buy two more books that will be added to the pile!

There are books on my shelves that I bought excitedly months ago but still haven't got round to reading because of this habit.

But, the thing is, a book requires time and attention. A book requires consideration and thought and care. Reading a book is more than just taking in the words. Sometimes it requires some note-taking. Sometimes it requires going away to read something else, or visit a website, or contact someone . . . Reading a book can lead to a lot of things, and it takes time.

And in that time I am probably going to end up buying other books as well!

Buying a new book is all about the promise of what waits inside, between the covers. I am not particularly fussed about the beauty of the covers themselves, but the anticipation of discovering the beauty of the words inside . . . Oh!

Having a book on the shelves is having access to new ideas. And new ideas can spark so much. With a new idea, another way of looking at things, you may just end up discovering something wonderful. It could lead to a new project, a new friend, a new career . . . Anything really, depending on the kind of books you are reading. Who knows. There is a lot of promise in a new book on the shelves. And that, I think, is why I can't stop buying them quicker than I can read them. And why I feel wistful when I have finished a book that lived up to that promise; wishing I had savoured and appreciated the writing more as I'd made my way through the book, knowing that I'll never again be able to discover the book anew.

I'm afraid I don't have an answer to the question posed in the title of this post. I suppose I could buy a Kindle. But what sort of joyless existence would that be? I mean, jeez, go visit your local bookshop already. Bezos has made it! He and his buddies have enough money!

Thank you for reading. If you found anything entertaining therein, you can support my writing with a coffee on ko-fi.com because writing for free is fun, but at a certain point you're like, "Wait, I am making an effort here and writers worse than me are getting paid, so . . . " Stuff like that! Thank you - all support is much appreciated!