Open book in case of emergency

A few weeks ago, a friend asked me what I was reading. I responded that I’d “cracked open an emergency Nora Roberts.” They laughed, but they also admitted that they knew exactly what I meant: that I’d needed a book that I could read with a general sense of surety that I’d enjoy the experience.

I read a lot. Widely. In a variety of forms, and a variety of genres. Old favorites and writers who are new, or new to me. Frontlist, back catalog. Works in translation. Bestsellers and experimental fiction from small presses. And I also read every day – not just for work, but also as the last thing I do before falling asleep at night.

And that last one is really important for me. It’s always fiction, and it’s a way to unwind my brain, and slough off the day.