Series and Trilogies

As you all know, I love collecting books - yes, I have a huge collection which is growing by the day - but I also love collecting books in their complete series before I start reading them. 

Weird I know, but I want to know the book I need next is right there in on the shelf for me to pick up and read when I finish the first one. 

So far, I have the complete 'Dark Tower Series' by Stephen King, 'Lord of the Rings' is six books kept in three volumes. I have that in one big thick volume, and in three volumes as well as in the six separate books. Then, there's 'The Talisman' and 'Black House' which are a part one and two by Stephen King and Peter Straub. Garth Nix put out a brilliant trilogy I own and have read - must re-read it again. Then, I have my vampire books one of my friends - Debbie Behan - gave me when she and her husband moved up to the Sunshine Coast and they wanted downsize. The P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast books; there's gotta be around ten of these - all in order. I also have quite a few of the Janet Evanovich books - all the numbered sleuth ones - which go from 1 - 18. I don't have all of them, but I have a few of them; would love to have the rest so I can read them all at some point. I have the first one, then ten, twelve, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen and eighteen. Then, there's two other books of hers I have that aren't part of that series. I also have Tad Williams' two books - which I haven't read yet - and other books around the place which are the second books in chronicles of something by other authors; and I've yet to find the first of those, as well as the rest of those books.

Sometimes I wonder if it's all worth it. Like 'The Wheel of Time' books. Yes, the series which outlived the author who wrote them... is all worth the time and effort for the reader and fans to go out searching for these books? I know it takes time to write these books; but if it's going to take so long to do all of this, and once you're finished, you get kinda stuck with the books. However, I'm the type who goes back and rereads a book over and over for the sheer joy of it... of being in familiar territory. So, what about you? Do you enjoy collecting books and the series for the joy of them being around you? Or is it just the hunt you love so much? I love both of these ... the hunt and the joy of having them around me. Reading them is the luxury of all time; especially when it's something I've been wanting to get my hands on for years. Until my next post, happy reading! 

So Many Books!

My townhouse has a little room filled almost to the brim with books. I love these books and I go through them from time to time - to keep the amount of them from becoming too much. 

However, I'm looking at them all now and have found that I really need a new bookcase in the spot where the brown one is - this brown one is old and looks like it's going to fall down soon.

This means I must go through my books and look at them seriously. 

Yes, I'm going to either release the ones I've held onto for far too long into the Wild, control release them (if you don't know these terms, look them up on Bookcrossing.com) or donate some of them to a charity. 
The last time I went through my books, I got rid over around 50 mystery/thrillers and was very pleased with myself - and had a lot more space to fill with other books. Now, I have this problem again. 

However, it's not just the amount of books I have here in the office, it's my townhouse. As much as I enjoy the idea of having my very own little library - of almost 2,000 books - at my beck and call, I really do need to move from this place as my furniture is far too big for this place... my book collection is becoming far too big for this townhouse bedroom/office. 

It makes me wonder how other people with small spaces around the world work with their collections. I've been trying to work with my collection - and feel as though I'm failing in controlling it. So, have any of you - my followers - have any ideas on being able to keep my collection and yet still have the space around me in a small home to enjoy it? I know this sounds like an impossible thing to do, but I'd like to see how this goes. Until my next post, happy reading.

Been Offline

It's been a good while since I last posted; there's a bad reason for it. No, I've not been lazy. My internet connection has been cut for the last 2 weeks. Yep, I've had to borrow my Mum's Telstra Hotspot connection and so I haven't been staying online for the long hours I've wished for.

But today, I had a breakthrough! Yes! Optus called me and we talked and the guy put me back online. He didn't tell me why my internet was cut (I think he couldn't tell me) but he did help me out with it. He asked who I spoke to and how I was treated and was honestly disgusted in how things turned out.

However, since my internet has been on the blink, I have been looking at my book collection and wondering if I really should have everything in proper sections - you know, all the series and trilogies in one area, the poetry in another. Yes, my book collection is a bit of a mess. I did sit down and start reading 'Lord of the Rings' and enjoyed the freshness of it all - after all it's been over 20 years since the last time I read it.

I've also been looking at new patterns on how to make tote bags. They look great! I'm hoping to be able to make one for my brother's girlfriend for her birthday this year - and if not by then, well, one for her for Christmas, along with a few for other people by then too. 

So, I've been reading and looking at patterns for presents this year for birthdays and Christmas (yes already! I'm really getting like my Grandmother; she'd be so pleased with me). Until my next post, happy reading!