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Fall is quickly approaching, and that means summer is on its way out. Which means there’s no time like the present to reflect on how I spent my summer vacation.

While this summer included trips to North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma, visiting with family and friends, and teaching in the second summer session, where, yes, I did allow dogs to come to class (see photos at the top of this blog post for a hodgpodge look at my summer), my main goal was to read lots of books. I decided this would be my summer of Tsundoku, a Japanese term related to having a lot of books but not reading them.

For me, this meant that I would ONLY read books I already had on my bookshelf (physical and virtual via the Libby library app). I would not buy anything new, I would not make any new requests from the library (again, physical and virtual), nor would I check out any new library book, and I wouldn’t peruse the Free Little Libraries in my neighborhood for free book gems.

I would, however, read any library book that I had previously requested and came in during the summer months. Most of those books were delivered via Libby, and some of them I had requested months ago and then kept letting the next person in line read them while I waited for a “better time.” If summer’s not a better time, then I don’t know when it will be!

I also made an exception for my Romance Trope Book Club, which selects a different book each month for discussion. I could cheerfully request those books from the library.

And let me tell you – it was SO HARD to walk into my library to pick up each book club book and not check out any other book. As a form of torture, I allowed myself to look at all the new books on display.

Lastly, I had a few required reading books, as I led two different summer-long workshop series that used Atomic Habits as our “textbook,” and I co-hosted a Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators workshop that featured NY-Times Best-selling author Megan E. Freeman, so, of course, I had to read her latest.

You may think that with all my exceptions, I wouldn’t have time to read anything I set out to. Well, I did read a lot from my shelves.

I really thought I would end up reading more. There are still at least 10 more books on my bookshelf just waiting for their turn.

Unfortunately, they might end up waiting a while because I officially ended my Summer of Tsundoku on September 1^st, which was the plan all along, given the start of the fall semester. This past Friday, when I went to the library, I checked out three books I’m really excited about, and there were so many more just waiting for me! I will never get over the idea that libraries are free books for anyone who wants to read them.

I also didn’t fully keep my word about not acquiring any new books this summer. I’m not too concerned because the first book I acquired was by a debut YA author whom I met at an indie bookstore in Denver for one of her book release events. The second book was a Hank the Cowdog book that I bought at the Cimarron Heritage Center in Boise City, OK, as a way to support their museum efforts.

I’m hoping that even with the start of the semester, I’ll be reading more this fall. As is my usual tradition, I gave myself the gift of a month-long break from social media for my birthday in August. Since then, I’ve only dipped my toe in once this month, and it reminded me of why I take breaks in the first place. So, theoretically, I should have more free time. Not enough for an Autumn of Tsundoku, with all the other books I want/need to read, but enough that I should get through at least two or three more books on my shelves.

Here’s hoping.

Enjoy the remaining days of summer, everyone!