Just a little background, I had fourteen, yes, fourteen, novels, novellas, and short stories released in less than twelve months. And, by the end of those twelve months I was not only tired, I was on my way to a major burnout. I have two kids, a husband who is military and not always around, so my life is full. Count on all the promos, the editing, and trying to carve out time writing books that weren’t contracted, and I had very little personal time. Heck, I didn’t have time to get my hair trimmed, and after a fall down the stairs thanks to a Barney book, I was behind on my contracted work.

So, a couple months ago, during one of those days when I thought about throwing in the towel, I listed things I missed. Number one was time with my family. But you want to know what the second one was? Reading. And not reading because it is in my genre. But reading because one of my favorite authors has just released a book.

Let’s face it. Most of us became readers when we read a book and thought, “I want to write like this.” It is what brought us to writing to begin with. For me, I accidentally picked up the Linda Howard book, All the Queen’s Men, thinking it just a suspense novel. I had never read romance, but when I read that book, I couldn’t get enough of romance. I practically devoured books. So, after some planning with my husband, we carved out time for the family, we made an effort to do family outings. Then, I had to get back to reading. Is it a priority? You betcha.

When I read a book, and reread(my copies of many Amanda Quick, Nora Roberts, and Christina Dodd books are so worn it is almost embarrassing) a book, I can escape. And don’t all of us need that escape? Sure, when I write, I live in that world, but am I really escaping? I need to step into another author’s world, experience those characters. I had not realized that it was very important to my writer’s soul. That need to feed, for lack of a better word, on another writer’s creativity for the joy of it, is vital to me. It replenishes my own creativity. By ignoring that need, I was actually starving a part of my ability to create.

It seems simple, but it isn’t. We put ourselves behind others, at least I do. And, to many people, in the great scheme of things, reading isn’t that important.(I know, disgusting aren’t they? I think they actually walk by bookstores and don’t look!) But, think of the first time you read a MacGregor book, or maybe your first vampire romance, or you remember the first time you read a Crusie book and laughed so hard you were worried about the state of your underwear. Don’t feel guilty when you go by a bookstore and see the newest book from your absolutely favorite author. Pick it up(and don’t forget to pay for it) and indulge. It might get you out of a writing slump, give you a new idea, or just get your jazzed about writing.