This post is by Abbie Johnson Taylor.
Thanks to StephJ for inspiring this. Since I love to read as much as I love to write, here are my answers to some questions about how I read.
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Do you have a specific place for reading?
Because of my visual impairment, I prefer listening to books, either in recorded or digital print formats. For this reason, I can read while eating, doing dishes, putting away laundry, etc. Most of the time, I prefer to read in the recliner that once belonged to my late husband Bill or in the back yard where he also enjoyed sitting. I like reading in these places because it makes me feel closer to him.
Do you use bookmarks or random pieces of paper?
The devices I use are capable of keeping my place when I leave a book and return to it later. They have bookmark features, but I rarely use them.
Can you just stop anywhere or must it be at the end of the chapter?
I try to stop at the end of a chapter, but some authors end chapters with cliffhangers, so that can be more easily said than done. Also, some chapters are lengthy, and if I start nodding off, forget it.
Do you eat or drink while reading?
Whether I’m reading or writing, I’m always drinking water. In mid-afternoon, I drink Dr. Pepper. Occasionally, I’ll listen to a book at the kitchen table while eating.
Do you listen to music or watch TV while reading?
Since I listen to books instead of reading them, this can be tricky, so I usually don’t.
Do you read one book at a time or several?
I read one book at a time. I finish it, or not, then move on.
Do you prefer to read at home or elsewhere?
With my portable devices, I can read anywhere, but I prefer to read at home.
Do you read out loud or silently?
Most of the time, books are read to me, either by a human voice on a recording or by my device’s text to speech engine. Sometimes though, especially when reading poetry, I read material aloud to myself with my device’s Braille display.
Do you read ahead or skip pages?
It depends on the book. With a novel, I don’t dare skip anything because I don’t want to miss an important plot twist. With a book of essays, short stories, or poems, I skip material that doesn’t appeal to me.
Do you break the spine or keep it like new?
Most of the time, I’m not dealing with spines. Occasionally though, if I really want to read a book and can’t find it in an accessible digital format, I’ll buy a hard copy and scan it. When I do this, I try to keep the book intact.
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Now it’s your turn. You can answer any or all the questions above, either in the comments field or on your own blog. If you do this on your blog, please put a link to your post in the comments field here. In any case, I look forward to reading about your reading life.
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Author Abbie Johnson Taylor
How to Build a Better Mousetrap: Recollections and Reflections of a Family Caregiver
That’s Life: New and Selected Poems
My Ideal Partner: How I Met, Married, and Cared for the Man I Loved Despite Debilitating Odds
Click to hear an audio trailer.
Writing Wranglers and Warriors 
Great questions. Thanks for sharing. Doris
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I like to read in a recliner and the tv on for background noise. A drink of water beside me. It has to be quiet. Morning is the best but evenings are usually the times that I find time to read. Thanks. Barb
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Thank you, Barb happy reading.
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Made me think. 1. I don’t have a specific place for reading. 2. I like to use a dollar bill for a marker. But I will use anything that’s handy. 3. I like to read to the end of the chapter. 4. Unfortunately, I eat and drink no matter what I’m doing. LOL 5. I watch TV no matter what I’m doing, but I usually get so engrossed in my other activity that it’s just white noise. 6. I often read more than one book at a time, unless I am really interested in one, then I will quickly finish it, staying up all night if necessary. 7. I read anywhere, doesn’t matter. 8. I read silently, and I don’t move my lips as I do it. 9. I don’t read ahead, but I do skip pages, especially if there is too much description, cussing, or lovemaking. 10. I don’t give much thought to the spine. Sometimes I finish a book and it still looks new, other times it’s bendy.
These are great questions, I may use some of them in my next Author Interview. Cher’ley
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Back when I lived in North Carolina, I’d travel up to Ohio to visit family. That’s about a 9-hour trip. I’d get tired of listening to music, so I began to buy audiobooks, mostly fantasy genre, and listen during the trip. It definitely made the trip go faster.
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Great post, Abbie. and great questions to ponder. Shows how different, or alike, we all are. I listen to music when I travel or books on CD. I read either in bed or while in my recliner, and I do have several books going at once!
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Thank you, Gayle, it’s interesting finding out people’s different reading habits.
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Great questions, Abbie. I use any scrap of paper to hand as a bookmark. i do like, when possible to end a chapter or obvious section before laying down a book.I read in different places and don’t like background buzz which can be distracting because having a hearing problem it means I’m straining to hear and not paying so much attention to the reading. I never read the last page first and don’t even want to read most blurbs in case it give away too much of the story!
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Thank you, Nancyeax’s interesting to see how different people read and write.
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Interesting questions. I am a random piece of paper kind of girl. I generally only read one book at a time. Yes, I need to stop at the end of a chapter or a definite pause when I read. I have never listened to an audio book but I can see the advantages.
As for where I read, I don’t read very many books at hone. There is always something else demanding my attention. So I read when I am in the waiting room, or in my car at lunch, or when I am on the road. Generally the places I stay don’t offer television. I consider it a plus if I find a place that has electric and running water when I am on the road.
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