I am a book slut, I read devour about 2/3 books a week sometimes one a day--of all genres, I've even been seen reading Mills and Boon:) And if you think it's easy writing then you try to write one.

Because I am a judge for a couple of national book awards, I often have quite restricted reading...at the moment I am reading all "literary" fiction published in Australia or by Australians for 2004--nearly 60 books to read within 3 months. Each year I judge the Ned Kelly Book Awards--usually about 30 come my way for that one. I love getting the free books and love reading them but deciding which one is best is a pain. I also have to clear the house out.

I am also a writer--but of academic books (one on Victorian fiction, one on reality tv, one on pulp fiction and I am currently writing one on "South Park"--yes the tv show to be published in 2006). I have contracts for two more books but there never seems enough time. I am a frustrated fiction writer and have several partially completed mss in my bottom/top drawers. I will finish themm one day. Writing is a chore to me not a pleasure.

My fav books: I am reading Rowlandson's Japanese detective stories at the moment and have enjoyed Saylor's Rome series; you can't go past Jasper Fford for clever literary detective yarns tho' I read where I am, in New Mexico I enjoyed McMurty's western stories. When in Europe, devour 19th century French authors esp Dumas and Gaboriau. In the UK, it's Trollope for me; though Dickens has his moments. I can never read enough plays--and tend towards traditional authors such as Tom Stoppard, Joe Orton and Louis Nowra. Returning to the Romantic Poets is always a pleasure and my bedside always has a paperback anthology; though I prefer contemporary American poets such as Wilbur Wright and WD Snodgrass; Aussie Geoff Goodfellow is great for bluecollar issues. I hate bad poetry writing--it's sooo easy to do too. I cannot bear to be stuck anywhere without something to read and on a recent trip to Mexico was devasted to finish my five books in the first four days. Luckily my hubby had three more; we had more books than clothes but that's normal for me. Who cares what you look like when there's a ficitonal world waiting for you?