I don’t know when I became this boring. When did I stop taking risks and start refusing chances of being seduced by strangers? I guess that all of the gut-wrenching disappointments I’ve been forced to deal with during the years didn’t help. But even so, there’s no good excuse for being a boring reader. That’s unforgiveable. I don’t how that I let that happen. I’m totally fine with taking chances in my romantic life. I go out with every single person who asks me. And I really enjoyed both of those dates last year.

       So this year, I’m changing my reading habits because somewhere along the way I got fixated on only reading books which I knew for certain that I would like. So, with the exception of YA/children’s books, I read mainly non-fiction. Our time is precious and let’s face it; there are far less risks with reading non-fiction books. Even if they’re badly written, you’re bound to learn something; it’s never a total waste of time. And most of the books I read last year were brilliantly written: “In Manchuria,” “H is for Hawk,” “Team of Rivals,” and “Confederates in the Attic.” But they all fit neatly into my headspace. I knew that I would like them. That was the problem.

       I can’t even take credit for recognizing how boring I’d become. Nope, I had to hear it from a stranger–Mr. Michael Dirda, courtesy of his book, Browsings. Books about books usually discuss literary classics which you’ve already read or which you didn’t want to read, and you still don’t want to read. But Mr. Dirda’s book is different. He discusses all kinds of interesting books with a special shout-out for science fiction and detective fiction, two genres that are pretty much virgin territory for me.

       I’ve compiled a random reading list of two hundred books from Browsings. So far I’ve read books by Robert Schekley, John Buchan, Barbara Pym, Philip K. Dick, Terry Pratchett, Frank Gruber and Diana Wynne Jones. I was enraptured by all of them (and I read one other book which I didn’t enjoy at all).

       My goal is to have a “B” for Browsings Year and read all of the books on my list in 2016. I feel like A.J. Jacobs who chronicled his quest to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica in a year. (Great idea and great book!). If you want to join in my noble quest, please get in touch and I’ll send you the reading list. No matter what degradations 2016 might have in store for us, if we stick to our reading list, we’re still bound to have at least a “B” year.” 

       With all the must-do reading ahead, it’s a little inconvenient to have to make time for work and that small “b” for bill-paying. Luckily, I find the work very fulfilling. I’ve got a book to finish writing, and I’ve got two books to promote, my thriller, The Exclusion Wars (newly released in the eBook edition), and the second Evie Brooks novel which comes out in the U.S. and Canada on March something.

       I mostly enjoy the challenge of doing the promotion. But when I feel jittery, I browse tech start-ups sites. There’s a lot of good energy and inspiration and practical business wisdom on those sites. I especially like stories where successful founders talk about the year they spent living in their car . . . although I enjoyed those more before I received that email from my parents informing me that they’d sold my car.

I try all kinds of marketing/promotion avenues; some work and some don’t. I don’t feel shame about doing it. Back in 2011, the billing rate for my services as a litigation attorney was the standard New York City law firm rate of $605, yes, six hundred and five dollars per hour. (It’s the five dollars tagged on at the end that I found the most embarrassing part). So asking people if they have any interest in reading a very good book (Eoin Colfer says so!) which costs only a few dollars, doesn’t feel like something to be ashamed about. I think I’d feel ashamed if I wasn’t trying as hard as I could.

       I don’t mind if people aren’t remotely interested (which is handy because often they are not). The only response I received that irked me was from my older brother, and it was actually a nice response. I think we just expect a lot from our families. And, when I received his response, I’d just reeled out of the cinema after watching The Hateful Eight. I was in a disturbed frame of mind.

My brother’s very innocuous text said:

       “Happy New Year Sheil. I’m looking forward to reading your book but you know what a slow reader I am!”

       I snorted. I know nothing of the sort! What do you mean you’re looking forward to it? You mean you haven’t started reading it yet?

       I began to tap out a response on my phone with a sudden fury:

       “Right. Well, I DEDICATED THE BOOK TO YOU!!, something you’d know if you’d actually bothered to click the book open!”

       Hmm, I thought, it is the new year. Maybe, it would be nice to refrain from starting it on a sour note. I deleted the email and tried again.

       “Hi! You know my friend Sandra, don’t you? Her brother, Alan, read the book. Wow! I’ve never even met him! And he has quadruplets, 4 girls, eighteen months old. AND guess what was almost the first thing that happened after they brought the babies home from the hospital? Yes, good guess! His wife got pregnant! So now they have five baby girls. AND Alan has a full-time job as an engineer, AND the Dad left him the farm in Meath so he works on that as well in the early mornings. Oh and he takes care of their elderly mother. Makes her lasagna. Every single night! Because that’s the only thing she will eat now. And despite all of that, he found the time to read my book and even post a review online in THREE DAYS!”

       No, I did not exaggerate one word of that! It is phenomenal. My friend Sandra’s brother Alan is my favourite person in the whole world and I don’t even know him.

       But after tapping out my email at hyper speed, my thumb hovered over "send." No brother would enjoy being compared to Super Brother. I don’t think my brother even knows how to make lasagna. And, on reflection, Alan did have to stay up all night with all of those babies. So he had a lot more reading time than most people who sleep all night through.

      I deleted that whole response as well and typed a new one.

       “Happy New Year! Ok, that’s fine, get to it when you have time. It’s not War and Peace.”

       I didn’t need to add a smiley face. My brother would get that that was a joke and also not a joke. I felt that I had struck the right balance, i.e. I’m a teeny bit peeved but not a raving lunatic. I think that’s a reasonable start to a B year.

I wish all of you adventurous reading in 2016 and at least a B+ year!