Imagination workout

October is National Book Month in the US. Do you have any plans to celebrate the month?

by Dietrich

Well, happy National Book Month to those who celebrate it in the US. In Canada, March is National Reading Month, and we have Canada Book Day on April 23 during Canada Book Week. And there’s ‘I Read Canadian Day’ coming up on November 8, a celebration of Canadian books for young readers.  

No matter what time of year, or your age, or where you live, it’s always wonderful to celebrate books and reading. 

I’m an avid reader, and I’m forever adding books to the ‘to be read’ stack, both by favorite authors and new ones I’m looking forward to starting. Getting into a book is a great workout for the imagination of any writer. And a good book can be filled with so much inspiration. I try to find time for reading every day, and when I’m doing something like driving or cooking, then I’m often plugged into an audiobook. 

Funny, no matter how much I read, my reading stack never seems to go down. Often, I take one book off the stack, and two more pop into its place. So, I’ve learned to be discerning about what I read. A new book needs to grab me early on. I won’t read on to the end simply because I’ve invested time in something that doesn’t work for me by the time I’m halfway through. There’s just such an unending list of great books coming out all the time, and I know I can’t read them all, so I’m picky.   

While I write standalones, and I read plenty of them too, I’ll save that recommend list for closer to Christmas. However, I do like getting into a good series, and here are some that I think are outstanding and worth celebrating. 

First off, if you follow this blog, then you already know Susan C. Shea is relaunching her three-book Dani O’Rourke Mystery series, and that’s certainly one to celebrate and add to the stack.

I love Mick Herron’s Slough House thriller series, and if you’re unfamiliar with it, do yourself a favor and pick up the first one, Slow Horses and go from there. There are currently eight books in the series, and it’s also a well-done TV series starring Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas.

The Long-legged Fly by James Sallis is the first in the Lew Griffin Mystery series. There are currently six in this superb series, and I’m looking forward to more. The main character, Lew Griffin, is a black private detective, teacher, and writer who always finds trouble in the darkest corners of New Orleans.

Worst Enemies by Dana King is the first in the ongoing Penns River series. Penns River is an imaginary place where Detective Dougherty and the rest of the police force bring the place to life, dealing with crime. King hasn’t received nearly the recognition he deserves — yet, although I think this winning series could change that. And what a great TV or mini series it would make. 

James Lee Burke is another long-time favorite, and I’m a big fan of his Dave Robicheaux novels. In fact, I’ve been hooked since his first, The Neon Rain, back in ’87. And I’m sure looking forward to the 24th in the series, the upcoming Clete Purcell novel, scheduled for release in 2024.