I'm a retired now - I learned to read before I started school, and was punished with a ruler on the back of the legs for 'reading on to the end' rather than following the other readers' 'the-cat-sat-on-the-mat' monotone. Consequently reading was not one of life's pleasures for me.

I read books to my kids but could never sit down and read for myself - I was always too busy. But not now! I started to read avidly at the end of 2004 and have read more than 250 books in the first year. I often finish a book a day and always have about ten library books on my windowsill at any time. Maybe I was too busy working! It also helps that I don't have a television.

My preferred genre is murder / mystery. I like the American style of writing, somehow the British ones are rather tame. I'm currently getting books from the library by reason of Author - I have a list of authors who write in the style of my favourite - John Sandford. Unfortunately I've read everything he's written but some of the alternatives are proving to be just as good.