Mature and dry. Heh. Quite possibly a description of me. But the part I am getting at is the disengagement + tumbling away = Marie's brain of late.
I wanted to account for my apparent absence, in case anyone notices. I don't expect many to, especially with the holiday season approaching and your own busy lives, but I'd feel better knowing that I had this explanation in place for when the wind blows you in this blog's direction and if you begin to question whether I'll ever post again.
The short answer is: YES, I will still be posting reviews. (Sporadically).
It seems that there is a life-cycle of many book blogs. A few years under your belt and you're good to go. Which means many do go.. on permanent hiatus. Hobbies come and go, priorities change, families are born.. etc...I am coming up on the three year mark, which usually is my limit for current phases. (Such as stitchery, scrapbooking, gardening.. all attempted but never fully completed). Even though I won't be posting like a happy little blogger that I used to be three years ago, I will be posting my reviews when I get that elusive "round tuit."
While maintaining this blog, I have always worked full-time and managed to juggle the family plus the job plus the blog without much of an issue. My typical timeframe consisted of being able to have a review post weekly. The reason for this blog was the actual reading and reviewing part (& keeping up with my reads), but I haven't had much time to read and review because I have recently taken on a second job in retail. Before I took this drastic step, I considered many options such as selling all my things, attempting to do product reviews to get free stuff! (Ha ha)..babysitting (but my kids would wonder why I watch other kids and not them) and wound up with the most reliable option and where I am most comfortable: Retail work. (Insert your favorite variations of crazy woman screams or tortured, lamenting weeping). Time is limited, sleep is limited, sanity is limited, therefore reading is limited. (Again, insert horror repertoire here).
All theatrics aside, retail is kind of second nature to me and the job can be a lot of fun if I keep a good attitude about it. Retail was my very first job in 1989, and I didn't stop retail work until 2005. It was the hectic schedule that made me leave retail in the first place (very difficult with young ones and retail shifts!), and the economy that has now made me add it back in to my schedule. So, now I have the best of both worlds: an office job during the day, and a fast-paced job with fun products during the evening (and weekends, boo!).
The books that I am reading now are primarily going to be for Historical Novels Review magazine, and the reviews I do write cannot be published here till they are published there.. which for some we are talking three months in the future. (I already have three reviews ready to go for February!) So things may be a bit quiet till the blog catches up with the HNR schedule.
I have updated my review policy to state that I am not accepting any review requests. For those queries that are still coming in, I am referring them to the HF-Connection blog that I also co-own. You can find some great guest posts and giveaways that are scheduled throughout November on that site.
I do have some non-HNR reviews to do at some point, but I won't hazard a guess as to when that will happen. I have some goodies such as the new Sharon Kay Penman and the new Alison Weir to read and review, but those will have to wait patiently. In the meantime, I shall be working, and spending time with family when I am not. When the kiddos go to sleep, I try and read a few pages before my slumber, but those few pages don't get me very far. And I can't forget the much-needed cuddle time with the furball! She starts attacking my hair if I don't show her enough attention.
I hope y'all are getting to read great books, I'll catch up with you sometime! And Happy Holidays to you, in advance!
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