I gotta read faster
One of my libraries
Featured book in this post: The Night Parade (2016) by Ronald Malfi
They’re so pretty. When we’re in the same room, I can’t help but to glance and stare. I admire their colorful spines and covers, edges perfectly shaped and stacked in their neat little rows begging me with their goo-goo eyes…“Read me next.”
But I cannot. Because I have so many. And to make things murkier, I keep adding new ones to the damn pile. Seriously, a new one came in yesterday, recommended by Michael, owner of instagram handle Iheartagoodthriller: "No One Saw A Thing” by Andrea Mara.
I’m in no rush to stop acquiring books.
There’s only one solution…I gotta read faster.
A few weeks ago, I was averaging thirty pages an hour. That’s not good enough. Not for the amount of books I plan to read in this lifetime.
So, I’ve decided to get better with each reading session by becoming more intentional. When I sit down with my book, I remind myself that I am only here to read and nothing else matters in this moment. It’s as if I’m giving a friend my undivided attention. Which also takes practice.
It’s the best way to train and strengthen my focus skills.
I also set myself up for success by preparing the reading space with my drink of choice (water/tea/coffee), chaptstick because I can’t read with dry lips, and a notebook for quick notes. I use the bathroom before I sit down and move my phone out of reach, sometimes to another room. You’d be surprised at how many times we subconsciously reach for our phones when we don’t have them.
But those things aren’t even necessary. At a minimum, all I need is my book. Therefore, the most important tactic is to ground myself in the moment. It doesn’t have to be a huge ceremony. I simply remind myself that I am here to read and make myself focus on the words, one word at a time...very fast.
This week I’m at thirty-nine pages an hour.
My goal is to comprehensively read seventy-five pages an hour. It’s a tall order but it’s possible and necessary…if I want to read more books.
The Night Parade by Ronald Malfi
I just finished The Night Parade by Ronald Malfi, one my favorite horror authors.
This is my seventh Malfi book and once again he did not disappoint.
Don’t expect a twisty page-turner, his stories take time to unfold and in my opinion are expertly written. They’re rich with characters that are usually deeply driven by either trauma, love, devotion, grief or addiction…and they fart too. I have this thing about characters who fart. It adds human rawness to the story because everyone farts. Did you know the herring fish uses farts to communicate with each other?
The Night Parade has a gloomy eerie atmospheric tone and is dense with mystery and character depth. We spend a lot of time with David, the main character, who is a father and husband that will do anything to save his family from the horrific thing that is happening in their world. It has an apocalyptic setting that touches on survival, devotion and morality.
Malfi succeeds at blending the depths of love and horror and I plan to read all his books.
Authors like Angelina Kelly (fantasy), Brandon Massey (horror), Jennifer Hillier (thriller), Ronald Malfi (horror) and many more, are the reason I gotta read faster.
I got shit to do, places to go and books to read!
