A Reading Life (36) and All the Holiday Events!

*Christmas Spirit read-a-thon plans at end of post*

I'm going to do this Reading Life post a bit differently this time. Just going to mention what I'm reading/have been reading, some holiday/reading events and a few of the books I recently acquired. Let me just say that life has been going great, although I'm busier than I've ever been. I really can't believe that the holidays are here again, but it's my favorite time of year so I can't wait for all the goings on. How about you?

Currently reading:
Howard's End, E.M. Forster
The Tudor Vendetta, C.W. Gortner

Audio:
Bag of Bones, Stephen King (one of my faves from SK...third read for me!)

Family Reading Project (20 minutes daily, alternating titles):
We have kind of stalled with this. Trying to pin down a teen and preteen is difficult. We last left off abandoning Jurassic Park, as it was too much for them...too technical, a bit boring. We picked up Salem's Lot during Halloween season, but didn't get far. We're still reading Mary Stewart's The Crystal Cave and I think we will continue with that and do some Christmas reading during the season.

TuesBookTalk - We are currently reading Howard's End by E.M. Forster. In December, our Christmas read is The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore.

Lit Collective - our theme for our March retreat is Venice. We are reading and will be discussing books about or set in Venice. Our non-fiction title is Venice: Pure City by Peter Ackroyd and our fiction titles are The Venetian Mask by Rosalind Laker and Stone Virgin by Barry Unsworth.

Events/Reading and Holiday:

The 5th Annual Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge started today. You still have time to sign up. You can get all the details at this POST. The Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon is also going on this week through Sunday. You can still sign up and join us HERE.

The 2014 Sharing the Joy event at The Christmas Spirit kicks of tomorrow on Rudolph Day. Get all the details at this POST. I invite any authors or bloggers out there who love Christmas to contribute a guest post, if you would like.  It can be anything Christmas-y...a story, poem, top ten lists, favorite things, share pics of your Christmas decor, etc., etc.  If you would like to contribute, please contact me via the form which can be accessed in the menu at the top of the right sidebar at The Christmas Spirit.

Recent Book Acquisitions:

From Better World Books -
3001 Things We Love About Christmas, The Zondervan Corporation
A Christmas Secret, Anne Perry
A Wish for Christmas, Thomas Kinkade
The Christmas Kitchen, Tammy Maltby with Anne Christian Buchanan
Christmas Around the World, compiled by Maria Hubert

My Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon plans:

• finishing The Tudor Vendetta by C.W. Gortner
• finishing Howard's End by E.M. Forster
• A Home for Christmas by MK McClintock
• Jacob T. Marley by R. William Bennett
• Day of Fire by Various Authors

STILL ONE MORE DAY TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!

Want to win 3 or 2 or 1 of these books?  The Sharing the Joy Christmas Book Extravaganza giveaway over at my Christmas blog is still open, until tomorrow night, 1/6/11, at 11:59 pm CT.  Go HERE to enter and good luck!

NEWS ON THE PERSONAL FRONT AND A CALL FOR HELP

As many of you know, 2010 has not really been my year.  I had a near fatal cellulitis infection in my left leg over the summer for which I was hospitalized for nine days and then on home health care with IV antibiotics for another six weeks.  My leg is still a problem so I can't be on my feet a lot which really hampers me in finding a job and I lost a lot of hair because of the medicine.  I'm not bald, but if I wouldn't have had thick hair to begin with, I would be! Add that we are in major debt and the culmination is that we are losing our house.  We are trying to work out a short sale, but if it doesn't pan out, we go into foreclosure.  So we are moving...next weekend.  We already found an apartment and we are moving from a 3 bedroom house to a 2 bedroom apartment...ugh! Where am I going to put all my books (I'll find room...LOL)?! So, the reason I'm letting you all know all this is because I'm asking you to bear with me.  I'm probably not going to have a whole lot of time for blogging because of the move and Christmas and I'm already SO behind on reviews.  To my readers, I apologize for the erratic blogging.  I plan to keep blogging, but if I disappear for several days at a time, you'll know why.  To authors and publishers, if I have promised to review a book for you over the past few months, I apologize for the delay.  Just know that I am still reviewing them, it's just slow going right now.  I'm hoping that 2011 will be a much better year.  *Hopeful*

Now the call for help is regarding my Sharing the Joy event over at my Christmas blog, The Christmas Spirit.  I'm just not going to have as much time to come up with all the Christmas content I was planning so I really need guest posts...PLEASE (I'll put in a good word for you with Santa *grin*).  A post can be about a favorite family tradition or memory, top ten lists of favorite Christmas books, movies, music, an original poem or story, a favorite recipe or craft....the possibilities are pretty endless.  If you would like to help out, just email me at truebookaddictATgmailDOTcom  If you have another idea for a post that I didn't mention, just let me know.  I really would be extremely grateful for your help!

I appreciate you all and I thank you for your understanding.  =O)

SHARING THE JOY: THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT EVENT

Tomorrow starts a very busy season for my Christmas blog, The Christmas Spirit.  Usually, my season would start on Black Friday, 11/26 this year, but tomorrow is the 25th, which is Rudolph Day for us Christmas fanatics! So my official start of the festivities will be tomorrow! I'm already hosting The Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge, which starts Friday.  I will also be holding a Christmas Book Extravaganza giveaway! And I'm adding to the mix a myriad of fun, which will include book reviews, music reviews, movie reviews, Christmas poems and literature, cooking, crafts, and guest posts (I hope).  Which is what this post is partially about...I would like to invite my readers to contribute a guest post this season! Your post can be about anything Christmas related...a favorite Christmas memory, a book (movie or music) review, a favorite recipe, craft, etc., etc.  Anything goes, as long as it's Christmas related! If you are interested in contributing a guest post, please email me at truebookaddictATgmailDOTcom.  I hope you will consider joining me for the festivities!

The Sharing the Joy event will run from November 25 through January 6 (Twelfth Night or Epiphany).