A Book-Reading Family

I recently came to the conclusion that my family likes books.

I figured this out as I stacking new books onto the fifth bookshelf in the den.

I figured it more out when I looked at the five other bookshelves in the room often called the toy room, the spare room, the school room, and the library.

Looking at the three bookshelves in my dad's office, the two in our dining room, the one in my room, the one in the kid's room, the one in my brother's room, the cubbies for books and magazines in the bathrooms, and the occasional boxes of books that can be found in storage in the basement and attic (and let me not forget the baskets of magazines and the stacks of old books on desks and tables for "decoration" that can be found throughout the house as well).

Whenever we get a new stack of books book we have a "book-smelling party" where we take turns sticking our nose in between pages and sniffing deeply.  We all sit together on Sunday afternoons and read books.  We frequently read aloud books to each other so we can "share in the reading" of them.  We stare at all the books we have and say "I can't wait to read that one!" or "I can't believe we got another copy of this one!" and "You read that one?  Great, how was it?"

So my family apparently is apparently a bunch of book readers collectors.

This is okay.  There is nothing wrong with buying a bunch of books and not reading them (apparently that's what retirement is for...).  But how does this affect writers?

Your family supports you in your writing.

Because - hey! more books.  And good books, too, right?  They know I love books, and so they find it completely natural that I write them as well.  My parents enjoy reading what I write (and love editing it, too).  My siblings and I bounce story ideas off each other.  My mom will come up and say, "I've got another story idea - someone should write this!"

Your father will let you know that you're not reading enough books.

Even though I have a decent-sized stack that makes up by TBR, my father will say "Make sure you're reading enough!"

No one minds you reading at the table.

Except during dinner.  Because that is the family meal.  But want to read during breakfast or lunch!  Go for it!

Your mom spent countless hours looking for good books for you to read when you were younger, and made sure school always included reading.

I read soooooo much for school.  Lots of historical fiction.  Lots of writing exercises.

You're not the only one carrying stacks of books around a used book store.

'Nuff said.

You're not considered crazy when you walk laps in the backyard reading aloud a more difficult book (because reading aloud helps you understand better) or when you sit with the horses and read aloud to them (for the same reason)(and because horses make everything better).

Because my family knows.

Story-telling.

I grew up with amazing bed-times stories from my father; being read to by my mother; inventing little "stories" with my siblings while we played together. 

When we sit together around the table, we are constantly telling stories - what we did, what we thought, what we wanted to do.  We make each other laugh.  We read the Bible together.  We share stories.

Does anyone else live in a book-loving family?