A Work in Progress

Short Stories: The 2022 Advent Calendar

A very nice, hopefully inspiring end of the year splurge.  It has been several years since I have ordered the Short Story Advent Calendar.  I love short stories, but I have been a lapsed short story reader in the last few years and I keep trying to get back to my old habit.  I hope this helps and I am able to keep up with a short story a day through the individual stories that come in this boxed set.

Advent begins today and ends on Christmas Eve.  The first story is by Caroline Kim, whose collection of short stories (The Prince of Mournful Thoughts) about the Korean Diaspora won the 2020 Drue Heinz Prize in Literature and was shortlisted for a few other prizes is called "Bread of Lifers".  I am going to just pull the next story out each morning and read it during the day.  Each will be a daily treat, so no peeking ahead of time.  

I hope to check in occasionally and share something about my reading, but my first focus will be just to read each story and not fall behind.  I will be thrilled to discover new to me voices and perhaps add more titles to my wishlist to explore next year.  Mostly this will be a pleasant way to finish out the rest of the year while I tidy up my reading piles and prepare for the coming year.  

Nine More (or maybe 13) Left to Go!

Time is quickly slipping away, isn't it.  I wonder if I will be able to meet my Good Reads goal this year.  I have nine books left to make the goal I set, but if I can manage 13, I will reach the goal I have in the back of my mind.  Perhaps wishful thinking?  I applaud my friends who have not only made their goals but in several cases have even surpassed them (Bravo, I say to you all!).  Of course it is not a good idea to compare myself--it has once again been a wonky year with a lot of stress, so to manage even what I have is a success.  

But meeting my goal is there, but more I would like to try and clear off my reading pile that is seriously weighing down (okay not literally) my nightstand.  I am working on completing at this point.  If I begin any new books, I set my sights on carrying those over to the new year, save a few potential graphic novels that might easily be squeezed in this year yet.

The 'clean up pile' (to reach my goal) in no particular order:

1. The Wonder Spot, Melissa Banks
2. Dying Fall, Elly Griffiths
3. The Outrun, Amy Liptrot
4. Bobby March Will Live Forever, Alan Parks
5. Death in the Andamans, M.M. Kaye
6. Zorrie, Laird Hunt
7. Malice, Keigo Higashino
8. Shattered Silk, Barbara Michaels
9. Knots and Crosses, Ian Rankin
10. The Electricity of Every Living Thing, Katherine May
11. The Cut, Chris Brookmyre
12. After the War is Over, Jennifer Robson
13. Graphic Novel?

Whew. Yes, this has been a year of lots of mystery and crime novels and far too many starts without finishing a book first.  Must work on that.

And you?  How are you all doing friends. Are you at a leisurely point in the year where you are just reading and relaxing?  Trying to finish to meet a goal?  Not worried at all and just cruising along (a good idea) without setting expectations on yourself.  Why count, really?  I ask myself that every year, but it never quite stops me from doing it over and over again.  Goals are really just suggestions, right?