Let's Talk Slumps

Adventure Time

I have been in a real reading slump since late 2014.  Yes that's right, 2014.  For a book blogger and a life-long reader, this long of a slump is really defeating.  This isn't to say I haven't read any books.  I definitely have read quite a few over the last year and a half (I even managed to review most of them :O).  But the volume of my reading and the enjoyment I get from reading has taken a slow descent.

I can pretty much pin point where the slump started and when it got really bad.  In January 2014, I was promoted at my job.  This job, in general, is my first "big girl" job.  It's a full-time career with the potential for continued growth.  It's in a field I find fascinating, but is also full of high stress situations.  And when I got my promotion, I had only been working in my previous position for 6 months.  So I felt more pressure to "perform". This led to me being very stressed and tired at the end of each day; I had no desire to do anything, let alone read.

Luckily, I was still in graduate school and that required me to read as I was getting my degree in Library Science.  Yay, a reason (beyond wanting to, because at this point that wasn't a good motivator) to read YA/Children's lit.  This had me on a good path; not as productive as previous years, but still reading. Then two major things happened: (1) I graduated from graduate school; and (2) I got my second promotion to a Team Manager, which is essentially being one of the bosses in my office.  This led to almost a complete halt on my reading.

I'm not exaggerating that I have so far only read 4 full books this year, when in the past I well surpassed 50.  This has led to me being in a slight depression, further fueling my lack of passion for reading.  It's been a whole big mess, but I think I'm finally coming out of it.

I know I'm not the only one out there who has felt the same, so I thought of some things that have helped me deal with this, and have finally turned it around.

1. Mix Up the Genres - I typically read young adult, and a lot of sci-fi/fantasy within that umbrella.  However, I mixed it up, and not only changed genres but also switched "age levels" moving to adult fiction.  I read more magical realism and contemporary fiction with some suspense thrown in.  Now that I "cleansed" my palette, I'm ready for young adult again.

2. Re-Read Favorites - I have three books that I consider my go-to favorites: Sandry's Book (Circle of Magic, #1) by Tamora Pierce, Searching for Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #2) by Patricia Wrede, and Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger.  I can re-read each of these books, and they bring me to my happy place.

3. Change Up the Visuals - Comic books were a big thing for me at the end of last year; my sister has always been a big collector, but now that we both have steady, well-paying jobs, comics have become a thing for me too.  I love sharing this with my sister, and I know that comic books count towards reading, but when I talk about my slump I strictly mean traditional books.  I've been devouring comics like crazy actually, which I think has helped jumpstart me on the path back to reading books.

4. Plan a Time to Read - Scheduling reading time has really gotten me back on track.  I know it may seem weird to make it an action item for my day, but I work really well with structure and I'm use to reading for school.  So I make a point of having a designated reading time each day where, no matter what, I read.  It can be for 5 minutes or it can go for two hours (depends on the book), but I end up reading each day.

5. Remember That Reading is Fun - This is the most important  piece of advice I took for myself.  I had to remember how much I like to read and why.  One of the MAJOR ways I am doing this is that I, along with one of my good friends Erin who blogs at Uniquely Geeky Girl, started a book club.  It's called Gone with the Book Club, and it focuses on YA books.  I'm really excited about it because while I can obviously geek out over books with all of you and on social media, doing the whole community building, face-to-face thing is something I miss.

So there you have it, my woe is me reading slump tale.  I'm trying to get back into the swing of things not only with my reading, but also with my blogging.  Hopefully I succeed and I'm back to the Eli you all know and love.

If you've ever experienced a book slump, let me know in the comments what you did to snap yourself out and hopefully if you're in a slump, my suggestions can help a little!

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Dear Teen Me Blog Tour: The Letter To Teen Eli!

I'm wrapping up my week of posts for the Dear Teen Me Blog Tour.  It's been such fun to promote this book!  I really believe this is an anthology that will do a lot of good for teens.  To end this week, I thought it would be fitting to write a letter to my teenage self.  So without further  ado:

Dear Teen Eli,

Hey Eli, it's the end of junior year right now and you're starting to get ready for college applications.  The stress is building up, and you're relapsing.  The first thing I have to say is breathe.  Just take a deep breath.  Done?  Good.  Now pick up the phone and dial Melissa.  She is the best sister, and will always be there to talk you down.

Okay, now that you're breathing easier, you can focus.  Obviously applying to college is an important undertaking.  This does determine what your future holds.  But it's only one aspect, and let me tell you, it is a tiny piece of the puzzle.  You are going to be accepted into every university you apply to (which includes Sarah Lawrence; wooh!), and all of them will offer you a scholarship.  So really it'll be your choice (except Sarah Lawrence; boo!) of which one you attend.  So there's one load of your mind.  Just breathe and remember you kick academic ass!

Now I have some sucky news, this anxiety thing isn't going away anytime soon.  It may even get worse; but what I can tell is you will always survive it.  But you can't do it alone.  I know you're trying to do that now; soldier through the constant shortness of breath, the revolving what-ifs, the worsening predictions of failure.  It won't work.  When Apryl tells you to go talk to someone, listen.  Your best friend is pretty smart.  Help will be something you're going to have to seek out for the foreseeable future.  But these doctors are smart, and will each help you further to serenity.

Eli, you've got a tough road ahead kid.  It'll be a constant up and down, but lucky for you your support system is top notch.  Family, friends and doctors: each help in their own way.  But remember your biggest supporter is yourself.  You're amazing girl, you just need to breathe.

All the love in the world,
                                   Eli

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Dear Teen Me Blog Tour: The Extras!

My awesome week of Dear Teen Me posts are almost done!  I've had so much fun this week, and I hope you all have as well!  For this post, it's what it says on the tin: I'm going to be posting some extra things from the Dear Teen Me blog that I think add to the experience!

After looking over this, head to my giveaway, my review, and my interview with one of the editors, E. Kristin Anderson, to get even more Dear Teen Me!  Don't forget to pick up a copy of the book either, on sale October 30!

The Book Trailers!

More Dear Teen Me Letters!

Dear Teen Me, from Lisa and Lauren Roecker, authors of The Liar Society

Dear Teen Me, from Adele Griffin, author of Tighter

Dear Teen Me, from Shelley Coriell, author of Welcome Caller, This is Chloe

Dear Teen Me, from E.C. Myers, author of Fair Coin

Dear Teen Me, from Kody Keplinger, author of The D.U.F.F.

Dear Teen Me, from Jennifer Nielsen, author of The False Prince

Dear Teen Me, from Daniel Marks, author of Velveteen 

Of course there are plenty more letters over at the Dear Teen Me blog for you to check out!

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Dear Teen Me Blog Tour: The Interview with E. Kristin Anderson!

Hopefully you've read all about this awesome anthology! If not, check out my review and my giveaway before you continue! I've loved reading through Dear Teen Me and relating to each letter in some way; I can't even imagine how actual teenagers will relate!

One of the masterminds behind the anthology is E. Kristin Anderson. An author and poet herself, E. met fellow mastermind, Miranda Kenneally, online and they bonded over Hanson and Austin Powers. E. had previously written a letter to teen self about nothing other than Hanson, and E. thought it would be awesome to do something similar with a bunch of her author friends.  Together, E. and Miranda took it a step further, and BAM! the Dear Teen Me Blog was born.  Working closely with the publisher of Zest Books, E. and Miranda were able to take that small start of a Hanson letter to this amazing anthology!

As part of the blog tour, I was lucky enough to get a quick interview with E. herself! I hope you enjoy the following teen moments, and please check out the book, out on October 30!

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THE INTERVIEW!

Dreamy teen celebrity crush?

Seth Green. All the way! Even though he's like 5'4 and I was (and am) 5'7. I would love him and pet him and...oh God, I'm getting creepy!

Band you couldn't live without?

Foo Fighters. I mean obvs, I love Hanson, but Foo Fighters gave me a lot of strength as a teen too. Dave Grohl is a brilliant lyricist, and songs like "Alone + Easy Target" and "February Stars" and "Learn To Fly" and "A320" (which was on the Godzilla soundtrack) not only inspired me as a budding poet/lyricist but also got me through some really tough times when I was struggling with mental illness as a teen -- like Dave's best friend Kurt Cobain.

Best friend memory?

My best friend in high school, Fiona, and I both wrote in my journal. I'll even give you a sneak peak! We wrote about boys and troubles some, but mostly we wrote about music and movies and pop culture. We made collages and drew pictures. It was our thing. I still have all the journals. The pics I'm showing you are from Woodstock 99, which we couldn't attend, but which we illustrated ourselves into while listening to the radio broadcast. So most of my fondest memories with Fiona (who is also a writer, blogging at shadowofacoffeecup.blogspot.com) are holed up in my room listening to music, watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and journalling. Also, the mall. Ha! 

Most cringe worthy moment?

E. in her Track Uniform!

God, I was one big ball of awkward in middle school and high school. I think by my junior year I had mostly accepted it. I wrote about one cringe-worthy moment in the book -- the one about my dress ripping open at junior prom -- so I'll give you a bonus. We were having a track team sleepover at one of the captain's houses. I was a junior, and soon to be crowned Southwestern Maine Class A champion in the 1600 meter racewalk, woo! ...But I didn't know that yet, and neither did the mean girls. During a card game earlier in the evening, I'd fessed up to liking Hanson. I'd been like yeah, they're pretty cool. They're so young and talented and I love their music and blah blah (I had a prepared speech for each such embarrassing moment -- that's what being a Hanson fan was like in 1999). Anyway, they all were like oh that's cool. UNTIL around midnight, when we were all in our sleeping bags, lights out, and two of the nasty little sophomores started singing MMMBop and giggling. If the lights had been on, you would have seen me, cheeks red, on the verge of tears. Luckily the captain, sweet Katie, made me feel better. She'd always taken me under her wing. I'm grateful for girls like that. I hope that every kid out there dealing with a bully has an older mentor who maybe doesn't even say "those guys are jerks" but shows that they care. Which is even better.

What do you hope teen readers get out of this book?

The biggest reason we started DearTeenMe.com -- and the most exciting part about it being a book people can hold in their hands -- is that this is a group of adults who remember what it's like to be a teen. We remember how hard it is. We won't tell you "you'll get over it it" or "it could be worse" or "that's just teenage drama." We know it hurts. We know it IS dramatic and scary and hilarious and crazy. I want teens to take THAT from this book. We believe in you. We've got your back. We know that you're struggling and we know that sometimes it's hard to embrace the "someday you'll look back on this and laugh" moments. We get it. We really, really do!

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E. Kristin Anderson grew up in Westbrook, Maine and is a graduate of Connecticut College. She has a fancy diploma that says “B.A. in Classics,” which makes her sound smart but has not helped her get any jobs in Ancient Rome. Ms. Anderson is the co-editor of DEAR TEEN ME, an anthology based on the popular website. Her poetry has been published worldwide in many magazines and she is an assistant YA and Children’s editor at Hunger Mountain. Once upon a time she worked at The New Yorker. Look out for Ms. Anderson’s work in the forthcoming anthology Coin Opera II, a collection of poems about video games from Sidekick Books. She now lives in Austin, TX and is represented by Christina Hogrebe at the Jane Rotrosen Agency.

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Dear Teen Me Blog Tour: The Giveaway!

I am so excited to be a part of this amazing blog tour for the new anthology from Zest Books, Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves.  I have a lot of posts planned for this week that have to do with the book, so keep checking back to this main page to check all the posts out!

The Posts:

Dear Teen Me Blog Tour: The Review!

Dear Teen Me Blog Tour: the Interview with E. Kristin Anderson!

Dear Teen Me Blog Tour: The Extras!

Dear Teen Me Blog Tour: The Dear Teen Eli Letter!

But first, here's more about this awesome book:

On Sale October 30

How many times have you looked back on your teenage years and cringed, wishing you could offer your younger self some advice and guidance?  That is exactly the premise behind Dear Teen Me, a book that began as a Twitter conversation between editors E. Kristin Anderson and Miranda Kenneally about their love for 90's pop group Hanson.  The letters included in Dear Teen Me are by 70 authors ranging in age from 18-80, and cover a wide variety of topics including physical abuse, body issues, bullying, friendship, love, and enough insecurity to fill a high school auditorium.

Among the contributing authors are six New York Times bestsellers including Lauren Oliver, Ellen Hopkins, and Nancy Holder. So pick a page, and find out which of your favorite authors had a really bad first kiss? Who found true love at 18? Who wishes he’d had more fun in high school instead of studying so hard? Some authors write diary entries, some write letters, and a few graphic novelists turn their stories into visual art. And whether you hang out with the theater kids, the band geeks, the bad boys, the loners, the class presidents, the delinquents, the jocks, or the nerds, you’ll find friends--and a lot of familiar faces--in the course of Dear Teen Me!

It is such a fantastic anthology filled with great advice for teenagers (and even some of us adults) who need reassurance that not all is hopeless and you will get over that ridiculous crush, bad hair, terrible break up, and feelings of being the only weirdo in school.

To help celebrate this awesome book, Zest Books are giving away an amazing prize!

One lucky winner will get a copy of Dear Teen Me – signed by 4-5 contributors, plus some swag! 

All you have to do is enter the rafflecopter below and you can win!

Rules:

Open only to US residents!

No INT entries! 

Must be 13 years old to enter. 

ONE winner will win an autographed copy of Dear Teen Me, plus some swag.

Winner must have a mailing address within the US.

NO PO BOXES!

Winner will be contacted by email. 

Winner has 48 hours to respond with mailing address.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thoughts from an Acute Triangle (02)

Thoughts from an Acute Triangle is a feature I started where I discuss things related to books, authors, reading, or just me.  This is a place for me to be a little brainy or a little silly.  The conversation is always open for comments and if there is ever a topic you want me to discuss, please leave a comment!

This segment of TFAT is along the same lines as the last installment: books and making time to read them.

As I'm sure many of you bloggers know, it takes up time to keep a blog going.  I love it, but it definitely takes up time, because not only do I have my own posts (like this one here), but I love to read and reply to what my fellow bloggers are posting.  This is how you create friends, generate ideas, learn about all the new stuff going on.  I really really really love book blogging, but I sometimes have to force myself to make time in my schedule to do it.

This summer I've been lucky (and unlucky) to not have any university classes.  You'd expect this to open up a lot of free time to read and review books.  I can tell you it hasn't.  There are several reasons for this.  As I stated last time I'm kind of in a reading slump, but additionally I started working a lot more, which is good for the bank account, and bad for the reading.  I'm also part of the Black Belt Club at my Dojo, which eats up three nights a week, with training and weapons class.  Not to mention my personal writing.  That takes up so much of my time.

I also love television.  I realize many people probably think that TV is a waste of time, but I love it!  I think screenwriting is such a different animal than prose writing and I've wanted to write for a show like Community or Glee.  Something fun and bright.  Due to this love, I watch a lot of television, sometimes making notes, sometimes just being delighted in the story telling.  But ether way it eats up a large chunk of my time.

Through all this, I also have a LOT of friends.  Not tooting my own horn, just a fact.  And because they're out of university as well, they all want to hang out.  Dinner, movies, bowling, drinking, clubbing.  Lots of time taken away from reading.  And I don't want to tell them no and try to explain why.  It's such a weird conversation to have with people, "Oh I can't come out tonight because I'm taping a vlog talking about books"  or "I can't hang out because I have to get this review written even though I don't get paid".  Unless you do this, or you love books you really won't get it (At least as far as I've seen).

So through ALL that, I am having such problems keeping up with my reading and reviewing.  I don't know how to fix them either!  If you have some suggestions PLEASE leave them in the comments!!

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