I’m the sort of person who stays in the house for fun. Really. When people ask what I’m doing, expecting that the life of an author is a socially busy one full of launches and parties, I laugh. I mean, it is, and could be, but no thank you. When I’m not in meetings that could have been emails, or sitting with a Word doc open in front of me, begging the words to come, I’m flying through books, or watching music videos on TV.
So, here for you, are my book-based tips for self-isolation: 1) Don’t go out and buy a thousand books. Much like holiday reading, you almost certainly won’t get through them all. Your to-be-read pile will be too overwhelming and reading might feel like a chore. Three is enough for now and we don’t need any more looting. I’ve had an absolute nightmare finding oat milk this week. 2) Keep your reading relatively light. I probably wouldn’t read anything apocalypse-themed for now. We’re all anxious enough without having to think about how we’ll recreate Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel. 3) If your eyes are tired and you need to switch it up, download yourself an audiobook. Most of the joy of reading without having to do anything. 4) Keep hydrated. But that’s just a rule for life.
