May 3, 2008
Impulse buys
Written by Cindy Kirk in Jaunty PostI have a confession to make. I came back from the Spring Fling 2008 Conference in Chicago (it was fabulous, BTW) with a bunch of new books to read. All by authors I love.
Then…I went to the grocery store and strolled by the book section. While I can walk by almost any other display, I always seem to have to check out the books….see what’s new, move my friend’s books to a better placement…you understand.
Anyway, one book caught my eye. Oceans Apart by New York Times Bestselling Author, Karen Kingsbury.
I’d never read any of her books but the plot sounded intriguing: Eight years ago, during a stormy weekend on the shores of Hawaii, Connor Evans broke his vows. He’s kept his secret, until the woman from Connor’s past dies, leaving behind a young son…Michele never thought her family was perfect, but they were happy. Now her family is on the brink of destrcution. Will a lonely child help bridge the distance between them–before it’s too late?
Okay, I admit…the blurb hooked me.
Debbie Macomber’s comment on the cover, “I found this book impossible to put down” pushed me to the check-out stand.
And, while waiting to check out, reading the first couple pages warned me I was playing with fire. Yes, I loved this book. And like Debbie Macomber, I found it impossible to put down.
Even though I had a thousand other things to do Sunday, I read it in one sitting. Oceans Apart is definitely on my “highly recommend” list and you can bet I’ll be looking for other books by Karen Kingsbury.
But, back to the point. I had a bunch of other books to read…yet I bought another one. It reminded me of having a new purse, yet buying another before you’ve even started using the other one. I tell myself to :talktothehand: but I do it anyway.
I’m not really an extravagant person…but books and purses are my weakness.
Please tell me I’m not alone.
Do you find yourself buying books, purses or
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J Perry Stone Says:
Hey, we’re impulse twins, Cindy. My TBR pile is leaning over, and now I have another book to add to it.
My other impulse buys are
-shoes
-shirts that are long enough to wear with those low-rise jeans (so nobody has to see my stretch marks)
-hair/skin products
-chatchkies (someone please tell me how to spell that damn word?).
Margay Says:
Absolutely! I am the same way with books. It doesn’t matter that my tbr pile has turned into a tbr mountain, I will still buy more books if they catch my attention or I’ve heard good things about them. If you could be addicted to books, then I am. As a matter of fact, if I’m in the store with my daughters and I disappear on them, they inevitably find me in the magazine/book aisle. I can’t seem to pass by without giving it a quick glimpse!
Margo Maguire Says:
Oh yeah - I buy books! I’m like you, Cindy. I can’t pass a book aisle in any store without looking to see if anything in particular catches my eye.
As to purses … I’m past it
I only like purses with a long shoulder strap, and those are out of style, so I don’t even have to look any more. I just recycle one of my OLD purses when I get tired of the one I’m carrying.
RobynDeHart Says:
Cindy, you are so not alone. I think I told everyone about my recent book obsession - the JD Robb books. Well, I can’t stop buying those. So far I’ve collected a little over half of them and though I’ve tried, they’re not even all in order. Buying these hasn’t stopped me from buying other books as well. It’s an addiction.
Don’t even get me started on purses. Although since I started writing full-time and am home more I don’t buy them quite as often as I used to.
brownone Says:
skechers and books. Those are my obsession. It’s actually an illness. I haven’t seen a pair of skechers I don’t like!
Fedora Says:
Books… definitely books–I have so many already that I’m not sure I could finish what I have in a few years, but I still keep acquiring new ones… I’m a bit addicted, I think…
Cindy Kirk Says:
Fedora states: “I have so many already that I’m not sure I could finish what I have in a few years.”
I just finished a book at the bottom of my TBR pile…it was autographed by the author in….1998!
Amy Says:
My husband and children do not understand the need to go down the book isle first. I have to go to the store on certain days because those are book release days, and then I spend money that I don not have and that makes my husband mad, but me happy, so there you go. It is truely a mystery, but a need of some sort…LOL
ladydawgfan Says:
Count me as another who has to visit the bookstore frequently, even though the TBR cases are overflowing (Yes, I have 2 full book cases of TBR’s!). Unless you are a reader / author, you just are not understood, but this is an addiction that I hope I never overcome. Where else, but through a book, can you visit far off lands and times, meet famous, and oft-times long dead people, and generally lose yourself in stories that always close with a “happily ever after??”
Now, if you will kindly excuse me, I have more books to buy . . . :wigglebrow:
Rainy Says:
I am soooo addicted to collecting books and I don’t know when I’ll ever get to many of them. This doesn’t stop me in the least from acquiring more. I am in a desperate need for bookcases.
But I do love the feeling of having all of hese books around and never, ever feeling like I couldn’t pick up a book to read at any time.
I was collecting purses, but found I would wear the same one all the time and I got tired of purses attacking me from the top shelf of my closet.
Shana Says:
I have stacks of books, but most of them are from the library. I try not to go to the bookstore much unless there is a specific book I want (usually by one of the JQs). If I go to browse, I come home with more books!
Laura Says:
I definitely have this problem. I went back to school in January and haven’t had time to do any leisure reading, pretty much since then. But it hasn’t slowed down my book buying obsession a bit.
So many books, so little time.
Shirley Karr Says:
One can never have too much chocolate or too many books.
My addiction is so bad I have more than one *autographed* copy of the same book — and it’s happened more than once.
Last spring when I was nesting I donated or sold more than 150 novels that were in my office, and it didn’t look any less crowded in here. Now I don’t buy as many romances because I have almost zero time for pleasure reading, but I’m buying childrens books instead. And I have to be careful I don’t buy toys that are too similar, though really, can you ever have enough teething toys?
Hey Margo — I thought I was the only one left who liked purses with long straps!
Sólveig Says:
A room without books is like a body without soul!!! That says it all were I´m concerned. Every room in our flat has books :yes: and every week we buy at least two new books. My favourite author is Margit Sandemo. She is a Scandinavian writer and I hear they have started translating her most famous books into english. PLEASE Check out http://www.margitsandemo.co.uk. As for handbags… OMG! Red is my favourite color at the moment
so no you are definately not alone!
Joan Woods Says:
I definitely buy book even though I have plenty to read already. Reading is my passion. My other impluse buying is things for my grandson.
Clarisse Says:
My addiction is jewelry but that’s an expensive hobby. But books . . .ah, where else can you get all the possibilities in the world for such a few dollars. Book aisle is always my first stop in any store that carries them.
eap Says:
I can relate to this addiction…although I am checking the public library’s web site before buying a book. It helps my budget a lot. My library seems to buy anything I request.
I enjoy Karen Kingsbury’s books as well (inspirational/women’s fiction) If you liked Oceans Apart you should try the Redemption series (the first is Redemption…)
Cindy Kirk Says:
I’m happy to hear I’m not the only one with a book and purse addiction.
EAP- thanks for the recommendation. I was definitely going to pick up another of Karen Kingbury’s books–so I’ll start with the Redemption Series!