annethology
  • Home
    • About Annethology
    • About me >
      • A little more about me
    • About my books
    • Author talks
    • Contact me
    • Forthcoming events
    • World Mental Health Day
    • Privacy
    • Sign up for my newsletter
  • Debut novel and encore
    • Sugar and Snails >
      • Acknowledgements
      • Blog tour, Q&A's and feature articles >
        • Birthday blog tour
        • S&S on tour 2022
      • Early endorsements
      • Events >
        • Launch photos
        • Launch party videos
      • in pictures
      • Media
      • If you've read the book
      • Polari
      • Reading group questions
      • Reviews
      • In the media
    • Underneath >
      • Endorsements and reviews
      • Launch party and events
      • Pictures
      • Questions for book groups
      • The stories underneath the novel
  • Matilda Windsor series
    • The accidental series
    • Matilda Windsor >
      • What readers say
      • For book groups
      • Interviews, articles and features
      • Matty on the move
      • Who were you in 1990?
      • Asylum lit
      • Matilda Windsor media
    • Stolen Summers >
      • Stolen Summers reviews
    • Lyrics for the Loved Ones
  • Short stories
    • Somebody’s Daughter
    • Becoming Someone (anthology) >
      • Becoming Someone (video readings)
      • Becoming Someone reviews
      • Becoming Someone online book chat
    • Print and downloads
    • Read it online
    • Quick reads
  • Free ebook
  • Annecdotal
    • Annecdotal blog
    • Annecdotal Press
    • Articles >
      • Print journalism
      • Where psychology meets fiction
    • Fictional therapists
    • Reading and reviews >
      • Reviews A to H
      • Reviews I to M
      • Reviews N to Z
      • Nonfiction
      • Themed quotes
      • Reading around the world
  • Shop
    • Inspired Quill (my publisher)
    • Bookshop.org (affiliate link)
    • Amazon UK
    • Amazon US
    • books2read

Welcome

I started this blog in 2013 to share my reflections on reading, writing and psychology, along with my journey to become a published novelist.​  I soon graduated to about twenty book reviews a month and a weekly 99-word story. Ten years later, I've transferred my writing / publication updates to my new website but will continue here with occasional reviews and flash fiction pieces, and maybe the odd personal post.

ANNE GOODWIN'S WRITING NEWS

A wonderful addiction: My year in books

30/12/2014

14 Comments

 
Ever since I’ve been writing seriously, I’ve made a list of the novels I’ve read across the year, highlighting those that particularly impressed me. Halfway through 2013, I was seduced by the lovely book-cover icons on Goodreads into doing it electronically. At the beginning of this year, they invited members (?) to register for a reading challenge. Although I don’t need a challenge to motivate me to read, I signed up on the basis that their software could calculate my reading total more rapidly than I could. I set my target at 60 books, this being a rough average of the numbers read in recent years.
So I was somewhat surprised when, only two-thirds through the year, I passed it. Now, as I approach the year-end, it seems I’ll have read – gulp! – 96 books at around 29,000 pages. Even knowing that monitoring behaviour can bring about a change in the desired direction, an increase of over 50% seems rather a lot. I’m wondering if, in the process of becoming a book blogger, I’ve turned into an addict.

2014 Reading Challenge

2014 Reading Challenge
Anne has completed a goal of reading 60 books in 2014!
hide
89 of 60 (100%)
view books
I never intended to write regular reviews on my blog. Of course, writing about writing encompasses writing about my reading but I thought I had that covered via my debut novelist Q&A’s and my series on fictional therapists. Now and then, I’d write about a book I thought would be of particular interest to other writers and/or attempt to analyse what I’d learnt from a particular novel. But I made the leap into more standard-style reviews when I discovered that it wasn’t only professional reviewers who could obtain advance copies from publishers. I’ll admit it: if you love books, isn’t there a childish thrill in getting to read them before they’re officially published? Now, even though I get the majority of my books post-publication, I’m hooked.
Picture
Almost half of the novels I’ve read over the year (43) were debuts, twelve of which I enjoyed so much I wanted to quiz the author about how they went about it. Across the year, I’ve published eight Q&A’s with the authors of debut novels featuring dementia; attachment to home; the surrendered wife; lifelong friendship; World War II from the German perspective; death of a child within a Mormon family; a makeover prompting memories of Greenham; and fortitude in the face of loneliness – with three more lined up for early next year.

Picture
Novels I especially enjoyed which aren’t featured in my Q&A’s featured a Zen retreat at a concentration camp; a tiger and dementia; a post-apocalyptic travelling theatre group; the complexity of desire; survivors of the death railway; paedophilia within the Catholic Church; the rehabilitation of post-war Germany; and family life as a psychological experiment.

Although not a conscious choice, and not something I monitor particularly carefully, I seem to favour female authors and, perhaps unsurprisingly, there’s a predominance of both British and North American writers. I’ve also read seven novels in translation, of which I’ve reviewed only three, with the reviews of my two favourites coming soon.

Picture
Although it might have been fun to have achieved a full century of novels (to match my 100th post of the year), I don’t want to pressurise myself by setting such an ambitious goal for the year to come. As it stands, I’ve still another ten novels read but with reviews outstanding, three of which are debuts awaiting responses to the author Q&A’s and a couple more awaiting publication day.

I'd hoped to include more in this post on my general approach to reviews, especially as Norah asked on this blog a few months back if I read differently for reviews. I didn’t give her a very good answer at the time and I don’t think I can do much better now. And neither is much of an advancement on what I said on a post over a year ago. I think I read with a mixture of mindsets: for my personal pleasure; for something new (hopefully) to write on the blog; for my learning about what, in fiction, works and doesn’t work.

Picture
Thanks for indulging my reading addiction. In case you’ve missed any, here’s a reminder of the novels I’ve reviewed this past month. You can find a list of all the books I’ve reviewed (not just for this year) on my reading and reviews page. Do let me know what have been the highlights of your reading year.

Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think. If you've enjoyed this post, you might like to sign up via the sidebar for regular email updates and/or my quarterly Newsletter.
14 Comments
Norah Colvin link
30/12/2014 05:39:17 am

Wow Anne, congratulations- that's awesome! That's a growth mindset if ever I saw one! I look forward to reading more about your good reads in 2015. :) Maybe I'll even read one or two of your recommendations!

Reply
Annecdotist
30/12/2014 09:25:52 am

Thanks, Norah, I appreciate your reading the reviews even if you don't have time to read the novels. (I once had a fictional character for an abandoned novel who was extremely up-to-date with the literary world solely through reading reviews back in the day before we even thought of blogging).
Re a growth mindset – but that still apply if the growth is unintended? Or perhaps the mindset was buried and I didn't want to admit to myself how competitive I could be?

Reply
Charli Mills
30/12/2014 03:55:29 pm

The blue ribbon for most voracious reader f the year goes to you, Anne! What focus your mind has. I have learned much from reading your reviews, including process, perspective and pushing the reader. I've also expanded my own list of books to read! I look forward to what you introduce us to in 2015, including your own debut novel!

Reply
Annecdotist
31/12/2014 08:15:45 am

Thank you for that honour, Charli, and for reading with me over the year. I'm glad you've found the posts useful and I'm sure you'll hear more about my novel before July!!!

Reply
Norah Colvin link
30/12/2014 06:31:08 pm

I don't know how it happened, Anne, but when I read your post last night I concluded with your admitting your addiction. I'm pleased I came back and read the rest this morning as there's lots more there to delve into. I agree with Charli in looking forward to your debut novel. I don't suppose you'll be doing a review on that one!!!! :)

Reply
Annecdotist
31/12/2014 08:18:34 am

I think it might be because I've added a "Read more" option so that it's easier to scroll through posts (although if you come via the link to a specific post you don't see that). Haha, sorry I confused you, must have looked like a short and sweet post!
While I can't get away with reviewing my own novel, I'm sure there'll be lots of posts alluding to it over the coming year. Hope it doesn't get too boring.

Reply
Terry Tyler
31/12/2014 01:45:51 am

All the subjects you listed are ones that interest me - will have a good peruse later on!

Interesting about your mostly female writers thing - for fiction, I tend to prefer male writers. Of my top 5 in my post this year, 4 are male. I don't know why this is - it may be because I don't like overtly feminine orientated stuff, I don't know!

Reply
Annecdotist
31/12/2014 08:22:06 am

Thanks, Terry, do let me know if you get to read any of these recommendations.
Interested in what you say about gender differences, as I read quite a lot of hard-hitting novels, particularly about World War II, that were by women.
Also, when I looked at your list, perhaps the very top places are taken by men, but you are giving shouts for quite a lot of women too.

Reply
Safia Moore link
31/12/2014 08:16:02 am

Wow indeed! I get the impression that you are probably an early riser and a late to bedded, Anne, yet I know you are not at your desk all the time, and manage to fit in walking on the Moors and choral singing to name but 2 extra-curricular activities! We don't always agree on which books we like, I know, but your blog is so full of suggestions, that's bound to happen. You are an inspiration and I might just start making a note of the books I read in 2015. Happy New Year and looking forward to the publication of 'Sugar and Snails' mid-year! Sx

Reply
Annecdotist
31/12/2014 08:27:55 am

Thank you, Safia, and I always enjoy our bookie discussions, even when we don't quite see eye to eye. I tend to do most of my reading in the evenings, hardly ever go out (!) and rarely watch TV.
And I think you've named my ONLY two activities outside reading and writing.
You'll be seeing in the New Year before me so hope it's a happy one. Thanks for your continued support.

Reply
geoff link
1/1/2015 03:44:20 am

hWow. I am truly gobsmacked by the volume, let alone the quality of the analysis that follows every time. Forensic and fun: how come? You must have some Faustian pact that grants you a 28 hour day in return for an afterlife committed to watching cricket or writing your memoire. Having just finished the Aftermath (brilliant) I'm off on a narrow road to the far north, all courtesy of you, Ms Goodwin. Thank you, really truly deeply for the effort you put in on behalf of those of us who stumble along the bookshelves wondering what to read next. One day I'll take a lesson in reading and gardening together since you surely must; or is it tramping and reading without plunging to your doom? May your eyesight remain crisp and your sitting bones comfy for all our sakes in 2015.

Reply
Annecdotist
2/1/2015 07:13:28 am

Thanks, Geoff. As you can well imagine, not even the prospect of more reading time would entice me into such a pact. But I had forgotten how much reading and writing time gets eaten by the garden - probably because it was under a ton of snow when I posted this!
Glad you enjoyed The Aftermath – I'm always delighted when my review prompts people to read the novel, even though I haven't particularly enjoyed (although, I do know I liked this one).
I wish you good reading throughout 2015.

Reply
Irene Waters link
3/1/2015 12:15:18 am

I too am in awe at the volume you read and so obviously absorb. I would love to read a post on how you read a book to review - do you read it and immediately write what sticks out, read and take notes as you read or ?? You have certainly given me some books which I have added to my booklist for when I am free to read whatever I like. Look forward to the creation of the list for 2015.

Reply
Annecdotist
6/1/2015 09:21:42 am

Thank you for your support, Irene and sorry for the delay in acknowledging it. As my reviews, with each book it's different, but I always try to write it up at least in draft as soon as possible after I've finished – and if I have too many ideas buzzing around in my head, even before I've finished reading. And I do take notes, but not many. Maybe I will do a post about it; you certainly got me thinking.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Free ebook: click the image to claim yours.
    Picture
    Available now
    Picture
    The poignant prequel to Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home
    Picture
    Find a review
    Picture
    Fictional therapists
    Picture
    Picture
    About Anne Goodwin
    Picture
    My published books
    entertaining fiction about identity, mental health and social justice
    Picture
    My third novel, published May 2021
    Picture
    My debut novel shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize
    Picture
    Picture
    My second novel published May 2017.
    Picture
    Short stories on the theme of identity published 2018
    Anne Goodwin's books on Goodreads
    Sugar and Snails Sugar and Snails
    reviews: 32
    ratings: 52 (avg rating 4.21)

    Underneath Underneath
    reviews: 24
    ratings: 60 (avg rating 3.17)

    Becoming Someone Becoming Someone
    reviews: 8
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.56)

    GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4 GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4
    reviews: 4
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.44)

    The Best of Fiction on the Web The Best of Fiction on the Web
    reviews: 3
    ratings: 3 (avg rating 4.67)

    2022 Reading Challenge

    2022 Reading Challenge
    Anne has read 2 books toward their goal of 100 books.
    hide
    2 of 100 (2%)
    view books
    Picture
    Annecdotal is where real life brushes up against the fictional.  
    Picture
    Annecdotist is the blogging persona of Anne Goodwin: 
    reader, writer,

    slug-slayer, tramper of moors, 
    recovering psychologist, 
    struggling soprano, 
    author of three fiction books.

    LATEST POSTS HERE
    I don't post to a schedule, but average  around ten reviews a month (see here for an alphabetical list), 
    some linked to a weekly flash fiction, plus posts on my WIPs and published books.  

    Your comments are welcome any time any where.

    Get new posts direct to your inbox ...

    Enter your email address:

    or click here …

    RSS Feed


    Picture

    Tweets by @Annecdotist
    Picture
    New short story, “My Dirty Weekend”
    Picture
    Let’s keep in touch – subscribe to my newsletter
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Popular posts

    • Compassion: something we all need
    • Do spoilers spoil?
    • How to create a convincing fictional therapist
    • Instructions for a novel
    • Looking at difference, embracing diversity
    • Never let me go: the dilemma of lending books
    • On loving, hating and writers’ block
      On Pop, Pirates and Plagiarism
    • READIN' for HER reviews
    • Relishing the cuts
    • The fast first draft
    • The tragedy of obedience
    • Writers and therapy: a love-hate relationship?

    Categories/Tags

    All
    Animals
    Annecdotist Hosts
    Annecdotist On Tour
    Articles
    Attachment Theory
    Author Interviews
    Becoming Someone
    Being A Writer
    Blogging
    Bodies
    Body
    Bookbirthday
    Books For Writers
    Bookshops
    CB Book Group
    Character
    Childhood
    Christmas
    Classics
    Climate Crisis
    Coming Of Age
    Counsellors Cafe
    Creative Writing Industry
    Creativity
    Cumbria
    Debut Novels
    Disability
    Editing
    Emotion
    Ethics
    Ethis
    Family
    Feedback And Critiques
    Fictional Psychologists & Therapists
    Food
    Friendship
    Futuristic
    Gender
    Genre
    Getting Published
    Giveaways
    Good Enough
    Grammar
    Gratitude
    Group/organisational Dynamics
    Hero’s Journey
    History
    Humour
    Identity
    Illness
    Independent Presses
    Institutions
    International Commemorative Day
    Jane Eyre
    Kidney Disease
    Language
    LGBTQ
    Libraries
    Live Events
    Lyrics For The Loved Ones
    Marketing
    Matilda Windsor
    Memoir
    Memory
    Mental Health
    Microfiction
    Motivation
    Music
    MW Prequel
    Names
    Narrative Voice
    Nature / Gardening
    Networking
    Newcastle
    Nonfiction
    Nottingham
    Novels
    Pandemic
    Peak District
    Perfect Match
    Poetry
    Point Of View
    Politics
    Politics Current Affairs
    Presentation
    Privacy
    Prizes
    Psychoanalytic Theory
    Psychology
    Psycholoists Write
    Psychotherapy
    Race
    Racism
    Rants
    Reading
    Real Vs Imaginary
    Religion
    Repetitive Strain Injury
    Research
    Reviewing
    Romance
    Satire
    Second Novels
    Settings
    Sex
    Shakespeare
    Short Stories General
    Short Stories My Published
    Short Stories Others'
    Siblings
    Snowflake
    Somebody's Daughter
    Stolen Summers
    Storytelling
    Structure
    Sugar And Snails
    Technology
    The
    The Guestlist
    Therapy
    TikTok
    TNTB
    Toiletday
    Tourism
    Toxic Positivity
    Transfiction
    Translation
    Trauma
    Unconscious
    Unconscious, The
    Underneath
    Voice Recognition Software
    War
    WaSBihC
    Weather
    Work
    Writing Process
    Writing Technique

    Archives

    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Picture
    BLOGGING COMMUNITIES
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from havens.michael34, romana klee, mrsdkrebs, Kyle Taylor, Dream It. Do It., adam & lucy, dluders, Joybot, Hammer51012, jorgempf, Sherif Salama, eyspahn, raniel diaz, E. E. Piphanies, scaredofbabies, Nomadic Lass, paulternate, Tony Fischer Photography, archer10 (Dennis), slightly everything, impbox, jonwick04, country_boy_shane, dok1, Out.of.Focus, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, Elvert Barnes, guillenperez, Richard Perry, jamesnaruke, Juan Carlos Arniz Sanz, El Tuerto, kona99, maveric2003, !anaughty!, Patrick Denker, David Davies, hamilcar_south, idleformat, Dave Goodman, Sharon Mollerus, photosteve101, La Citta Vita, A Girl With Tea, striatic, carlosfpardo, Damork, Elvert Barnes, UNE Photos, jurvetson, quinn.anya, BChristensen93, Joelk75, ashesmonroe, albertogp123, >littleyiye<, mudgalbharat, Swami Stream, Dicemanic, lovelihood, anyjazz65, Tjeerd, albastrica mititica, jimmiehomeschoolmom, joshtasman, tedeytan, striatic, goforchris, torbakhopper, maggibautista, andreboeni, snigl3t, rainy city, frankieleon