What’s on your bookshelves and where are those shelves located? Mine are scattered throughout the house, starting with our family room with a wall of built-ins surrounding the fireplace. And no, those shelves are not an excuse to display decorative items instead of my cookbooks, gardening books, and biographies. Okay, I will confess to a few family photographs sitting in front of some books and plopped on top of some short stacks. Next to the living room fireplace another built-in is jammed with books as is the stand-alone bookcase near the entryway. On the coffee table a stack of picture books about Italy sits alongside a copper platter that came from our Italian relatives. In my bedroom more books can be found on the six shelves of a four-by-seven foot auction-find. In another bedroom books are interspersed with photos on shelves topping a corner desk and on a small cabinet more books are arranged in stacks and uprights. The books in my office focus on research and writing. Downstairs in the workout area more books sit within reach of my exercise bike, in the event I need a quick read while cycling. Books at the lake house are confined to one case and the top of one chest, which is probably a good thing because when at the lake I’m supposed to be focused on my current work-in-progress, at least that’s what my boss keeps telling me. Uh, that boss would be me.

So when I do allow myself the luxury of reading, what’s my preferred format? Uh, that would be the Kindle, at least for now. True, holding a Kindle isn’t the same as holding a print book—that comforting feel and smell of paper, of lifting my hand to turn the page. As opposed to a Kindle, or a Nook, or other digital reader which requires no more than the tap of one finger to move forward. And then there’s the issue of storage. One digital reader to store hundreds of books, maybe more—I haven’t reached my limit. On the other hand, the traditionalist in me loves the whole process of perusing my shelves and running my fingers over print books that identify my literary preferences.

All of which brings me to my latest source for reading—the audiobook. Talk about lazy. I’ve gone from moving one hand to turn the page to tapping one finger so I can find out what happens next to doing absolutely nothing other than leaning back and listening. But what’s really nice about listening is the ability to share that moment with another person, or more. So now when Hubby D and I are driving from here to there, we listen to audiobooks while I keep one eye on the passing scene and he keeps his on the road and his hands on the wheel.

In fact my enthusiasm for audiobooks has spread to my own publications which currently offer the listening experience of two short stories (“The Baker’s Wife” and “Youthanasia”) one saga (Chicago’s Headmistress), one mystery (Lethal Play), and a second mystery in the works (Italy To Die For). All of which can be found on Amazon.com, Amazon UK, iTunes, and Audible.

See anything you like? Well, do I have a can’t-be-beat-deal for you. To receive one of the above audios at no charge, sign up for my occasional newsletter at loretta(at)lorettagiacoletto.com and I’ll make it happen. ‘Til next time, keep reading or listening.

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