Over the past few years, in my capacity as a full time editor, I read a lot of manuscripts. The equivalent of three to four full length novels a week. Throw in things my crit partners sent, and the contests I judged…that’s a lot of books. But those were unpublished manuscripts.

As for real books–both ones you can hold and digital–I’ve got several hundred sitting on my shelves, floor, tables that I received either as gifts or at conferences as freebies given out by various authors and publishers. I haven’t had time to read them yet. Some of them, I never will because they just don’t draw me in. So what to do?

Lots of things. I haunt two stores that handle used books–Aaron’s Books in Lititz, PA and Cupboard Maker Books in Enola, PA. Both are small, independent bookstores that sell both new and used books. I recently donated almost 700 books to Cupboard Maker (mostly because they had the room to take them), but I’ve also given ones to Aaron’s. In addition, I’ve donated to women’s shelters and local libraries (when I moved to the town I now live in, I donated almost 1000 books to the local library for their sale).

Even with all that, I still have stacks and stacks of books to read. My husband cringes every time I go near a bookstore because he knows I can’t resist. There is nothing better than having a good book in hand to read.

Now that I am “retired” (hah!), I don’t have so many manuscripts to read so I can actually get around to reading some of those books I have sitting around. I am looking forward to it.

Do yourself (and the businesses) a favor and go to a local indie bookstore and buy some books from them. Don’t go in, look around, then buy what you want online (and yes, a lot of people do this). Help a small business out and purchase from them. And when you’re done, consider donating your used book either back to the store or to some place like a shelter or library.