Tuesday 25 September 2012

amazing interview with Phil Rickman

No, not here. Sadly the interview with Phil Rickman is not with me, but wonderfully is over at Kittling's Books, here.  It is a fabulous interview.  He has a great sense of humour.  And yes, there is a new book in the Merrily Watkins series coming out next May: The Turning of the Hay.  Yeesss!!!

 In other news - how life affects reading
There is a hole in the foundation of the house and we have it sandbagged to keep rain from going into the foundation.  We have some contractors coming to look and give estimates.....this happened two weeks ago, and we are still trying to deal with it. It's suspected the recent drought we suffered through here in Eastern Ontario is to blame, not that that will fix it or the crack that is running through the foundation on the other side of the house.   It's meant that I can't concentrate on reading very well.  Because we are going through our divorce, the decision to sell the house or not was still on-going, and now even that has been pushed back, as the house has to be fixed before any other decisions can be made.  It's been a rough year, and this was so unexpected.  I suspect this is why I've been reading so many short stories in the past two weeks.  I am finding it hard to concentrate on reading for any length of time. I also seem to have 8 books on the go again, a sign that I am stressed and not able to settle into anything big. 

Does life affect you like this too?  I hate it when I can't read for very long.  I feel like I am missing a piece of myself when that happens.


9 comments:

Cathy said...

I don't know why, but I've never had any particular trouble reading, unless I'm very ill and then I'm not fit for anything. It may have something to do with the fact that I had a very high strees job for many years and reading was the only lifeline to sanity that I could rely on.

Thanks for the link to my Rickman interview!

Cath said...

Oh Susan, I'm so sorry to hear about this new problem. It never rains but it pours and you *really* don't need the extra aggro. I hope you get it solved soon and without huge expense, though I know only too well how much these house things can cost.

Oh yes, it's the same for me, if something's bothering me I can't read either. Whatever it is preys on my mind and I just can't concentrate. Useless to try.

Jeane said...

Sadly I can understand your situation very well. I am going through a separation, pending divorce probably next year. It has really overwhelmed my brain so I have little time to relax and then just can't focus on what I'm reading very well. Thus the blog suffers. Sorry to hear about your house problems. Hope it all goes well for you.

Debi said...

Oh Susan...no wonder you can't read. It doesn't take much for my concentration to fly right out the window. And you, my dear, are dealing with A LOT. I'm so sorry about the house. What awful timing. I so wish there was something I could do to help. But do know that your in my thoughts, and that I'm sending truckloads of positive thoughts your way. *HUGS*

Kerry said...

Susan, I'm sorry things are hard - and it REALLY sucks when we feel unable to read.

One of the things I'm hugely grateful for is that, whatever else I might no longer be able to do due to CFS/ME, I can still read. I'm slower (something that is showing up clearly as I go through my old read and see how much more I read every month) and probably more scared of complex books than I used to be, but I'm still reading, thank goodness.

Susan said...

Cathy: You are so lucky that nothing prevents you from reading! Most of the time I am ok, though just now, as I said, I have so many impending decisions that reading isn't the escape it usually is.

I really enjoyed your interview with Rickman, so it was a pleasure to link to it!

Cath: Thank you very much for your sympathy. You know that hearing from you always cheers me up.

Talking about rain - we were watching the totals for York this week, as 2000 is the year we were married, and the floods came shortly after our marriage in October. Those levels still haven't been topped! It must have been a terrible storm system to make the country flood like that.

Jeane: I am so sorry! Oh my, with your new little one, and your daughter, that's alot for you to deal with, and I'm so sorry you are going through it too. I'm surprised I have been able to blog this year, though looking back last year I barely was on my blog at all. I wish you as much good times and happiness with your children to get you through this, Jeane.

Debi: Thank you so much for the hugs and positive thoughts! All of you cheer me up so much here :-)

I'll let everyone know as we know more about the foundation. Mostly I take it one day at a time, one step at a time ,these past few months. I think I am happy I have read as much as I have, this year!

Kerry: I sometimes think of you and admire you for being able to get through your day and raise your son and read as much as you do. It's not easy with a chronic illness, and one as painful as CFS/ME.

I was thinking of you today as I was in the fantasy section, checking out new titles and wondering if I could find some of the ones on your list that you've read :-)

DesLily said...

absolutely things like that keep me from reading/ enjoying my books. Right now depression is doing the same thing to me. So I am reading a book I know I liked before (rereading that is) and even with that it's slow going... but we both shall muddle thru right?! I will be glad when we are enjoying our books once again! :o)

Bybee said...

Hugs for you, Book-Twin. Hugs to Jeane as well. I feel as if I've known you both through your blogs forever.

Susan said...

Pat: oh Pat, I hope it's over quickly for you. I hate it when I get depressed! i hope we are both back to reading plenty and enjoying our lives, soon. I'm trying to each day, anyway. Hugs.

Bybee: Hugs to you too, Book-twin. Thanks so much. It's funny how we are coming to get to know one another this way, isn't it? Unexpectedly real.