Hello Readers!
Today’s post is one that I’ve been plotting for a while. But one that I’ve put off from posting for quite some time.
I’m sure you have noticed that my blog has been … well lacking and slacking lately. In a past life I’ve participated in many a meme, I posted reviews on a regular basis, and when given the chance and the opportunity I even featured some really great authors in author interviews. And now … there’s none of that!
And I want to explain why.
First and foremost, I want to say this: I’m not quitting. This is not the end of the BookBandit Blog — I promise you that.
Now that that has been said, let’s move on. For the past few months I just haven’t felt motivated nor have I felt inspired. I’ve been in one terrible reading slump. I know that happens to the best of us readers/bloggers, and that that really isn’t a valid excuse, but it’s the honest truth of the matter. For so long each and every book I picked up I found something wrong with it, something that made it a real challenge to actively read. Because of that a two hundred plus page book would take me weeks (yes, WEEKS!) to read.
After slogging through a book I barely enjoyed, I tried to force a review out. And I found that I really didn’t want to relive a book I didn’t enjoy. And because of that, I have a lot of half-finished reviews. In many senses I just didn’t feel as if I had the head space to focus, write, and post reviews.
I’m going to let you in on a little secret: writing reviews has ALWAYS been a challenge for me. It’s not because I can’t articulate my thoughts/feelings. It’s because – or at least I think – it’s truly because I tend to see all sides of the review. What does that mean? A book just isn’t black and white to me, there’s a lot of grey. Even if I don’t like a book, it’s not as simple for me to simply say that. I fully realize that while it may not be for me, that doesn’t mean that it’s not the perfect book for someone else. Because of that, I never want to trash a book in a review – I feel that that isn’t fair or right for me as a blogger/reviewer.
And then there’s this: I’m terribly unorganized. This fact is no secret to anyone who truly knows me. Because of that, I sometimes take on projects in a swept up moment of inspiration and then when the inspiration fizzles, the project falls by the wayside, often unfinished. Seriously! I’m surprised that I’ve kept up with the BookBandit Blog for as long as I have! I’ve been trying carrying a notebook with me to keep me on track and as organized as possible. But admittedly, I forget it at home most days.
And while this isn’t a reason or an excuse, I’ve been busy. Life this year has proven to be hectic. And while I love blogging, I love enjoying living in the now. And that means reading just for the sake of reading without having the added pressure of having to jot down my feelings and thoughts. In all honesty, it’s been nice to kind of step away, and just live. And not worry if I’m blogging the right way, if I’m keeping up with all the bookish news and trends. It was nice not to put so much blogging pressure on myself.
So, there you go readers. I know my blogging track record as of lately hasn’t been perfect. While I can’t go backwards, I am truly making an effort to move forward. And that means that I’ve been busy trying to revamp and build a buffer.
So I hope that you all stay tuned! I promise you I will be back on track before you know it. I promise you more reviews, bookish ramblings, and even an author interview here and there to spice things up!
The BookBandit Blog 