Writers: When Do You Find Time to Read?

Please welcome author Kat Holmes!

First off thank you so much for having me, I am thrilled to be here. What I want to talk about is reading vs. writing. I’m an avid reader and have been my whole life. And I have a killer memory. You hold up a book and if I have read it, I can tell you what it’s about from start to finish.

My love affair with the written word began before I even knew how to read. My mom, fellow author L.J. Holmes, would read to me as a child and I’d follow along. I knew the stories so well that if she tried to deviate even slightly I’d call her on it and make her tell the story properly.

When I was sixteen I wrote my first full length manuscript. It wasn’t good by any means but it was the start of life as a writer. Over the years I wrote many other things, short stories and poetry and whatnot. But I only wrote them for my family and friends to ever see. In the meantime I was still a huge reader. But only print books. I was one of those snobs who wouldn’t even think of getting an ebook.

But a few years ago I was up late with the flu. Having nobody to talk to and nothing to do I surfed the internet and came across an ebook website. Just for the heck of it to pass the time I browsed their books and was surprised that quite a few sounded interesting. So I decided to buy one…just one. It was called Christina’s Tapestry written by N.J. Walters. I fell in love.

Over time I developed a friendship with her and she encouraged me to try subbing my own work for publication. Okay, more like she hit me with a battering ram. J But her nudging paid off and I’m now an officially published author of ebooks. So much for my days of snobbery. But I have discovered something.

The more and more I write, the less time I have to read. My time is taken up with writing, editing, galleys, and promotions. I’ve got a huge pile of books and ebooks in my TBR pile, something that used to be very rare for me. I speed read. I was last clocked at 480 words a minute so having a big pile of books not yet read is odd to say the least.

Last weekend, I actually scheduled a break for myself so I could just spend the whole weekend reading books. I got through four books in two days. It was a lot of fun. But the times, they are a changing when I actually have to make a date just to read! But, writing and being a part of this wonderful community known as writers is the best adventure on the planet, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Again, thank you Three Wicked Writers for having me. I had a blast. And to the rest of you, happy reading! J

Visit Kat's Author Page HERE!