The Library is my gym

People go to the gym for more than the equipment. They go because they like being around other people who are exercising. It inspires them. Or at least that’s what I’ve always imagined. When I go to the gym, I’m too distracted by the smells, the sounds and the people. I find myself thinking up a character sketch for that grunting weightlifter. Wondering why that woman on the treadmill looks so dejected. I can’t concentrate on my own routine.

But the library is a different matter; the library is my gym. You see, sometimes, I’m just not in the mood to write. I’m tired of my perfect writing space. I’m sick of my routine and any self-imposed deadline has lost its power. When that happens, I go to the public library. There are several gorgeous ones nearby and the atmosphere inspires me. All those other people quietly reading and working make me feel like working too. And books are evidence that civilization is wiser than current events would suggest. I sit quietly and savor that thought, the light, the muffled sounds and before I know it, I’m back in the writing groove again.

So it’s extra meaningful to me that my book, The Badass Widows, is now on the shelf at my public library. Actually, it’s not on the shelf, it’s checked out and there are 10 people waiting to borrow it! How cool is that?