My reading corner.

I didn’t read as much as planned or for as many hours as I thought I would for this marathon. I think I was overtired, which makes it hard for me to settle down and focus. Seasonal allergies are also messing with my mind these days. It’s all good. Some readathons I’m a reading machine, others not so much. This one sorta snuck up on me. I’ll be more prepared for the October readathon which is usually the one I hunker down with more. Save the date: October 21, 2017!

With Cynde Acanto owner of Book Club Bookstore

I started the day in my reading corner with Jason Rekulak’s The Impossible Fortress and read for about an hour before writing a blog post, checking in with readathon social media, and doing some family stuff. Then I headed out to South Windsor, CT for the Book Club Bookstore’s grand opening of their new location. As you may know it was also Indpendent Bookstore Day yesterday, so I felt compelled to visit at least one bookstore.

I knew I’d be arriving at the tail end of the party, which was scheduled for 10:30-12:30, and a traffic jam on the interstate put me further behind, so I arrived as the last of the party goers were leaving and folks were cleaning up. I had a nice browse and talk owner Cynde Acanto.

My book and plant haul.

Book haul details:

• Connecticut Valley Tabacco by Brianna E. Dunlap (author event 5/24 at 6 pm)
• A Short Guide to Writing About Literature by Slyvan Barnet (I used to have a copy)
• Danse Macabre by Stephen King (the Master’s book about the horror genre)
• Stephen King Country by George Beahm (because I now live close enough to easily visit)

It was my first time visiting the store and I really like it. It’s small, but well curated and sells new and used books. The left side of the bookstore is primarily adult fiction and some YA/kids books. The right side is adult nonfiction. The front of the store features gifts made by local artisans and a nice selection of live plants (cacti and small plants for terrariums as well as terrarium kits and supplies). My terrarium has been in need of a refresh, so I bought some reindeer moss and a miniature plant. I think it’s some kind of ivy.

They host an impressive number of author events and book clubs. Check out their Facebook page or website for more information. I hope to attend their Stephen King book club sometime.

Creative way to display the Stephen King Book Club schedule

After the bookstore, I did some grocery shopping. Would you believe the grocery store I stopped in didn’t have frosted strawberry pop tarts? Sad. That’s one of my readathon staples. I only eat them two or three times a year as a special treat. The place had unfrosted strawberry pop tarts. Does anyone really eat those? I should have checked those two boxes for dust.

Need motivation? Try this audiobook.

All things aside, the lack of pop tarts was the only hiccup of the readathon for me. Sure, I could’ve gone to another store, but I settled on Good-n-Plenty for my sweet treat instead. I’d also finished the audiobook I was listening to by that time–You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero, which I highly recommend if you need some motivation. I might have driven to another store if I had more listening to do. You know how that goes.

After making dinner, eating, watching an episode of Grace & Frankie, playing with my dog, and then playing a few rounds of Rory’s Story Cubes with my wife, I messed around online some more, walked on the treadmill while reading The Impossible Fortress before finishing the night reading in bed.

Overall, it was a good day with some reading, a wholly satisfying bookstore visit, and no pressure to do anything else…which is probably my favorite thing about readathon.