What My TBR pile looks like now and how I am making a change in 2018

It is the start of a brand new year and one thing I have learned is that I was kidding myself. Kidding myself in thinking that I was superwoman. *Sadly I have no cape. You know, I was thinking I could do it all. *cue the epic music.

After seven years of going at breakneck speed, in blogging, reviewing, freelance writing, publishing and you name it, I have decided that I really was being unrealistic. My concept of my limits was way out of wack and 2018 is the year I am going to change that! I mean, after all, my family (bless them) were getting a frazzled mom/wife and I decided, ENOUGH!  I honestly just had to clean up my inbox and reduce it from 3000 unread emails/notifications, down to just under 200 now. Not perfect, but manageable.

This change is happening on all fronts, I am de-cluttering my house and my brain (if that makes sense) and for the first time in my life I feel the freedom and see the sense in not doing it all. With less around me, on my schedule, and on my mind, I am a happier person, with more time to be present in the moment, and not thinking about all the things I should/could be doing. I can actually pay attention- well, sort of, I still have that squirrel tendency sometimes.

So, what does that mean exactly?

That means that I have had to say no to a few review requests (GASP!)…and a few blog tours, (DOUBLE GASP) and a reader’s event or two (TRIPLE GASP—-*has to sit down now and breathe into a paper bag)…and yes, make some changes in my TBR pile.

The reality is, I can’t read more than one, maybe two books a week, but I was scheduled to read way more.  I have my realistic schedule all set up and ready to go for 2018 and folks, it is looking good, it is not giving me hives at all.

So I put on my big girl pants and got ruthless with my TBR pile too.

Does that mean that I will no longer be open to writing a review? No, it just means that I will be taking my schedule and limits into account before I say, yes.

One good thing is that there are still those authors out there who have the “drop-everything-now-and-read-this-book” factor. Those will not be going away anytime soon thankfully, but the key is, I am going to be reading those because I want to, I can’t not, and NOT out of obligation or guilt or trying to squeeze them in between my already full life.

Please don’t get me wrong, it’s not about you, it’s all about me. That sounds rather selfish, doesn’t it? What I mean by that is, if you see me on the interwebs and I have not signed up for a blog tour, or ARC or something, it is NOT because I don’t love your book, blog tour, or whatever it is, it is just because I can’t manage more than what is already on my plate. Nothing personal. Or…..it could mean I missed the sign-up notification…oops! It happens. So you can still ask, I may have an opening in my schedule, who knows?

I still love reading, I still love promoting Christian Fiction, I still love my fave authors, so please don’t think that is going to change, but it’s the workload I can take on that is changing.

It also means I am setting aside more time to write my own stuff. What that exactly means, time will tell, but it is all good.

MY 2018 TBR PILE

(in no particular order)

The Saturday Night Supper Club – Carla Laureano

Reclaiming of Shilo Snow– Mary Weber

Renegades – Thomas Locke

Where We Belong – Lynn Austin

Unbreakable – Sara Ella

Where Hope Begins – Catherine West

The Man He Never Was – James Rubart

A Most Noble Heir – Susan Anne Mason

Love in Three Quarter Time – Rachel McMillan

No One Ever Asked – Katie Ganshert

A Dangerous Legacy – Elisabeth Camden

Caught By Surprise – Jen Turano

The Start of Us – Jill Lynn Buteyn

Lady Jayne Disappears – Joanna Davidson Politano

I am leaving room for a few unexpected additions, and awaiting final approval for others, but this is the start.

Happy Reading,

What is on your TBR pile this year?

Melony Teague is a freelance writer who believes everyone has a story to tell and each story is unique and sometimes wilder than fiction. She loves to uncover the good news in society and writes human interest and community pieces. As co-author of As the Ink Flows, she loves to inspire and motivate others through her written words. In her spare time, she reviews books and interviews authors. These reviews can be found right here on her website. She also teaches seniors in her local community to write their own personal story. Melony Teague was born in South Africa and immigrated to Canada. She now lives in Toronto with her husband and their two children and two cats.