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Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Hole In Head

Dear Wendy,
This is your guilt-ridden conscience speaking. I know that you had a nice day yesterday. You took the day off work, and you visited your former library to attend a baby shower for the only person you hired while you were manager. There was pizza and cake. Very good cake. Very sugary cake. Which is why your subsequent visit to the used bookstore could possibly be blamed on the resulting sugar high.

Now, I know you used to frequent this bookstore a lot when you were working at the library. It's only a couple of miles down the road, and it was a great lunch-break refuge when you needed to "escape." I also know that the owners of this used bookstore don't believe in organizational skills, because it's very hard to shop there using a "list." So instead, you browse.

Wendy, don't you know by now that you get into serious trouble when you browse?

So the fact that the series romance wasn't in any sort of discernible order should have been a hindrance. Yes, all of the Harlequin SuperRomances were shelved together, but how? Not by author? Not by numerical number? Just sort of tossed on the shelf.

Did this stop you? Oh no. Those lovely folks at Harlequin revamped the cover art within the last year, so it was easy to spot the "newer" ones. So you whipped out your series shopping list, pulled all the "new" looking titles off the shelf and lost your damn mind.

You walked out of that store with 20+ HSR titles, and a Mary Burton Harlequin Historical (The Perfect Wife).

Wendy, you need more series romance like a hole in the head. It's bad enough that for the last 3 years you've been living in California you've never invested in one measly book case. Oh no, you've got the books stored in Rubbermaid totes by type. Well girlfriend, your "series" tote is full. Overflowing in fact. It's at the point that when you get through your review books you're going to have to go on a series reading bender. There's no other choice. Your hand is forced. It's either that or do another weeding, although you've done two in the last three years already.

So for my sanity, please stop buying Harlequins until you read through some of the ones you have. Yes, I know you love the HSR line. But really, enough is enough.

Sincerely,
Your Guilt-Ridden Conscience Suffering Under the Crippling Effects of TBR Anxiety

10 comments:

RandomRanter said...

Oh, pshaw. I say buy a bookcase instead. Or more totes.

Alie said...

LOL I'm the exact same way, though I don't think my TBR pile is like your's!

shayera said...

I'm with randomranter, a new bookself is called for. Heck, you can get nice ones at Target, you don't even have to go to Ikea.

Wendy said...

Shayera and RandomRanter:
Neither of you is helping....

Rosie said...

Once you take them out of the rubbermaid totes you are toast. Why? Because then the totes are empty and you realize how many books you have because there are more than will fit the brand new bookcase you purchased.

I say stick with the totes, the guilt and the promise to go on a reading bender.

P.S. I went berserk at Borders yesterday. Was it something in the air in SoCal?

Jennie said...

How could a SuperLibrarian not love a SuperRomance? :)

Lil Sis said...

Wendy - the first step in getting better is admitting you have a problem. :) Step two? I have no idea...I never get past step one with my issues. :)

SandyW said...

It is not possible to have too many books. It is possible, however, to have insufficient shelf space. Or tub space, as the case may be.

Lady Rooster said...

Mary Barton's book is good, I rated it B+...you might not like her alpha hero but I love how she tell her readers about the west.

Have you lined your Harlequin SuperRomances on one shelf together?

I have mine keeper and TBR of HSR on the same shelf...it is about to be s_h_e_l_v_e_s!!

Wendy said...

Jennie: Tee Hee

Lil Sis: The Boyfriend is thinking of staging an intervention. Expect a phone call.

~debbie~: I do have one hanging shelf, but it's currently devoted to my HH collection. Since my Tub O' Series romance was overflowing I pulled out several and set them on my desk. I plan to dive in just as soon as I'm done with my latest batch of review books.