Out with the old

I have way too many books.

What? Is there such a thing? I hear you cry with outrage.

Yes, there is. I have no more room in my favourites bookcases (2), nor in my reference bookcase (1 + four shelves over my desk) - and we're talking seven foot tall bookcases here. Add to that two more seven footers (one double stacked) and two four foot bookcases and we're talking a lot of books. Oh, and the ones still packed in... hmm... three boxes. There just mine. In the rest of the house there are three seven foot, one eight foot, one three foot, a seven foot break front and five width-of-the-house fitted shelves. All filled with books.

When I think about it, it's a what the...? moment, who reads this much?

Answer: my family.

My mother jokes that we have someting on everything, and she's not far wrong. I don't think I have ever wanted for information on something, no matter how obscure. As for fiction, we have an author (or more) representing the complete alphabet. From Asimov to Zorkoczy and more genres than you can shake a Whippy Stick at.

My books are my pride and joy; without them, I'd never considered being a writer. The problem is, I'm running out of space. And, no, buying yet another bookcase is not the answer. The answer is to trade in some of the books I've not read for ten years or more and have no urge to.

So, I traded a seven-book set of fantasy (author to remain nameless) for a couple of reference texts: one on astronomy and one on birds.

Now I have room to put my next re-readables: Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series. The first four now sit with my David Webers, Elizabeth Moons, Laurel K. Hamiltons, Eoin Colfers, Terry Brooks, S.L. Viehls, Holly Lisles, Anne McCaffreys, Tara K. Harpers, J.K. Rowlings, J.R.R. Tolkiens and Andre Nortons - yeah, just my sci-fi and fantasy favourites bookcase.

It's been a long time since I felt the need to add a series to the favourites, but I love this one. Jim Butcher's comment, You'll never watch the Weather Channel the same way again, is wonderfully accurate.

Too bad I don't have time to finish the next book in the series. I'll just have to leave it until my deadlines are over: a reward for hard work. Then again, I still have time yet...