Goodreads | Cathy C. Hall Writes

I opened the inbox today to find my Goodreads Year in Books!

I love Goodreads so ridiculously much! At the start of the year, I sign on to the Reading Challenge and get motivated to pile up the reading points. (My goal this year was 60 and yep, I made it!) At the end of the year, the Goodreads team gives you all kinds of stats about the books you read.

For example, I read 12,143 pages this year. Which sounds pretty impressive, even though I know about a dozen of my books were picture books. But a book is a book, no matter how small. And goodness, I read some wonderful big AND small books this year!

(Thanks to Goodreads, I can even remember them.)

Psst. What was the best book you read this year?

I am not such a fan of real snow–well, not so much the snow as the fact that, generally, it’s cold outside when it snows–but I do so love the snow here at Cathy C. Hall’s!

And here is something else I love:

Wheeee!! Now I have some great, medium-great, and so-so great ideas to start my year of picture book writing. (I’m not counting the not-so-great ideas. I mean, what was I thinking, writing down an idea about a cow patty???)

And I kinda love this, too:

Um, yes, well…okay, it’s not the winner’s badge. But I’m two-thirds of the way through that rewrite, and rewriting is a whole lot harder than writing because you have to, you know, really think about all those swell writing things that you’re supposed to know but maybe left out. And I had to weave all sorts of nuances through the story and add character development and…fine. I didn’t finish the rewrite. But I’m still giving myself a small “w” wheee! (one exclamation point). I will finish that rewrite before the end of December, friends.

And here’s something else I’ll finish:

You have read 71 books toward your goal of 75 books.

There is something about the word “challenge” that’s very motivating for me. The Beneficent Mr. Hall might say I’m “too” competitive, but what is the point of playing a game if you’re not going to try to crush your opponent?

Um, anyway, I’ve been dominating that reading challenge at Goodreads, and just in case the December hectic hits, I’ve got a couple picture books around here to make sure I reach my goal.

And now it’s your turn. Here it is December already, and I want to hear about your Wheee!! (or even wheee!) moments. Because it’s a snowy kind of check-in day, here at Cathy C. Hall’s, and I so love a good, inspirational story!