Robert Ellis:
Sleeping on it ...
Have
you ever noticed that when you read a book straight through, when you start and
finish the novel in a single day, the story becomes vague after a week or two?
And what happens a week or two after that? The novel all but disappears. Maybe
it's just me, but I particularly notice if I move on and begin reading
something new the next day. Everything gets lost in the haze.
I
have friends who do this every day. They revel in their addiction! They start
at 8:00 p.m. and read a book straight through, even though it often means
staying up most of the night.
A
few months ago, I decided to change my habit. No matter how long or short a
novel might be, I promised myself that I would do a page count and stop
reading; that I would sleep with half the story for one night, and let it
percolate in my head.
A
lot of things happened when I made the change. First and foremost, novels no
longer fade or get lost in my mind. And second, if it's a really good book, it
makes my day because I have something to look forward to. I'm not discovering
who these characters are anymore. Instead, I'm back for another visit. I can't
wait to see them again. I've been thinking about the story all day and can't
wait to see how things will turn out. Then again, if it's not such a good book,
if it's a real dog, I don't have to waste my time or lose any sleep over it. I
just toss it aside and pick another one up from the pile!
Link to CITY OF STONES on Amazon
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