Ever since I was old enough to read, I fell in love with books. Not just the content, the weight, the look, the feel and the best part? The smell. Whenever I walk into Barnes and Noble I instinctively stop and just take a deep breath. My SO says it’s the coffee, and while the coffee does smell great, it’s the smell of the paper. I was the weirdo in school that smelled the handouts before getting to work on them. Sadly, I don’t get to bookstores much these days and most of my reading is done on my iPad or phone. Not quite the same experience but still allows me that little escape into a different world.

Being unable to work has also put a damper on spending but, I’m happy to say there are free resources out there. If you have a library card, you can use the Libby app to check out digital items without even having to leave the house. You can scroll through your book app to find free or discounted books, and even sign up for an email list of free and discounted books with Book Bub.

I use both Kindle and Apple Books, had Nook but haven’t used it in quite a while. In both apps I have found free books in many of the areas I love reading about such as drawing, knitting, crochet, digital drawing (Procreate), and of course my favorite genres.

Having both a chronic illness and chronic pain, sometimes all I want is an escape from reality. Books allow me to jump into different realms, connect to characters so strongly that I’m sad when the book ends, and scare the bejeezus out of myself. I remember being in 8th grade and reading Salem’s Lot for the first time. I was so terrified I wouldn’t get up to turn off the light, waited for my older sister to get home. That’s something movies have never been able to do no matter how good the graphics are, nothing beats some descriptive text and an active imagination.

What are some of your best memories with books and reading?

Deanna