Ten Crazy Things I've Done Because I Love Books!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018.
It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
Every once in a while I participate in this one when I either
1) Like the theme, and/or 2) Have the time!

This week's topic:

TOP TEN (OUTRAGEOUS) THINGS I’VE DONE BECAUSE I LOVE BOOKS!

Oh, this topic is fun!!! I couldn't get to ten, but I still wanted to take part!

In no particular order...

1) GOING TO A BOOK CONFERENCE

Book Conferences can be expensive, especially in New York City! I've been lucky enough to attend multiple Book Expos now, and it's the "vacation" I take every year. All my family and friends who aren't book-lovers don't really get it and think it's a strange thing to do -- especially when I have os many unread books!  

2) MULTIPLE EDITIONS

I try to be really good about this. My little hoarding heart WANTS all of the editions. I get distraught when every store has its own exclusive edition. Now, it's even worse with all the exclusive editions in book boxes! How can I chose? It was hard enough choosing US or UK cover at times. I try not to own multiples, but I definitely still have a few. (And, okay, I'll have three copies of FINALE by Stephanie Garber next month...)

3) SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY TO ATTEND A BOOK SIGNING

There have been a few times I have paid $30 for a round-trip train ticket to NYC just to go to a book signing. It doesn't happen often because they are usually at 7 p.m., and later buses are once an hour and I get home really late. I usually only do it if it's a weekend -- and the best ones are usually on a Tuesday launch night, so that helps my wallet a lot! Though there WAS one time I actually paid to book a hotel room and stay the night for the launch of someone I really loved!


4) BUYING A CRAZY EXPENSIVE SPECIAL EDITION BOOK BOX 

I really shouldn't have spent the money, but last month, I couldn't resist importing a specially curated  FairyLoot box featuring FINALE by Stephanie Garber -- even though Owlcrate was ALSO doing a specially curated box (And, being US/CA based, was much cheaper!) Well, okay, I bought BOTH boxes. And then I bought the Barnes and Noble Exclusive Edition because I'm probably not going to actually READ the two fancy editions... ^^;;;

5) GONE UP TO STRANGERS AND GIVEN A RECOMMENDATION

A couple of weeks ago, I was walking through Barnes and Noble on my way to the movies (It's located inside a mall near the theater). I got REALLY excited when I walked past the YA section and saw a teen holding one of my favorites, GRAVELING by Kristin Cashore. I started gushing and totally giving her my unsolicited opinion about what a good book she'd picked up. And this is definitely not the first time I've done this, either! Plus, I'm usually NOT a Chatty Cathy and can be pretty quiet, especially when /i don't know someone! Books bring it out, though, because everyone needs to read our favorites, right!?

6) BUYING THINGS I DON'T NEED FOR "PROPS"

I'm not great at Instagram and don't own a lot of fancy props like the best bookstagrammers. I have definitely spent money on stuff that I could see in a photo or two, though. Most of the time, it's from the dollar store, though I've also bought a few things online -- or bought a book subscription box (or past item in their shop!) because the revealed item is so cool-looking!  really shouldn't have spent the money, but last month, I couldn't resist importing a specially curated  FairyLoot box featuring FINALE by Stephanie Garber -- even though Owlcrate was ALSO doing a specially curated box (And, being US/CA based, was much cheaper!) Well, okay, I bought BOTH boxes. And then I bought the Barnes and Noble Exclusive Edition because I'm probably not going to actually READ the two fancy editions... ^^;;;

7) BEEN ON PANELS TO TALK ABOUT BOOKS!

I'm a pretty quiet person. I don't like getting up in front of others and talking. But I've been invited to be on blogging panels at my local bookstore as well as on a larger scale at last year's BlogBound Con in NYC the night before the Book Expo began. I've also been asked to moderate an author discussion a couple of times. Always so daunting -- especially if the author is a legend -- but fun, too!

8) WON A "READING AWARD" IN SCHOOL

In elementary school, there were always summer reading contests. We got prizes based on how many books we read. There were a couple of years where I was #1 in the school. Then kids started making fun of me for it and I reported reading fewer books and didn't place #1 and was teased about no longer being the best at it, so I couldn't win, right? But I had an award certificate or medal or something for reading all those books!

9) READ TOO LATE AND BEEN A ZOMBIE AT WORK

I mean, who hasn't? When you're so caught up in a book, you just HAVE to know how it ends! It's happened at least twice already this year. There's a part in COURTING DARKNESS by Robin LaFevers when you finally discover who somebody is and have to keep reading. Then there's only a couple hundred pages left, then a hundred, and what's the harm... Or a book like THE 7 1/2 DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE by Stuart Turton where eI had to have all of the answers and it was just so brilliant and gripping... DEFINITELY A ZOMBIE THE NEXT DAY, THOUGH!

8) TAKEN A CRAZY  (POSSIBLY DANGEROUS?) TRIP FOR AN AUTHOR

In college, one of my favorite authors was going to be doing a book signing a couple of hours away. I didn't know the area. I didn't have a car. I had an internship. I requested out of the internship for the day and took a Greyhound to an area I wasn't even a little bit familiar with -- that actually wasn't in the best area, either! Oh, and I was knew to book signings, and also had a card and bought a present (that was probably really dumb) and the whole nine yards. And then the people there made a big deal out of how far I came and how long I was waiting for the signing when the author arrived!

What are some "crazy" things you've done for the love of reading???  ^_^