As usual I did NOT read as many books this year as I planned. How does that happen? I spent a busy year marketing and promoting my book Camp Follower One Army Brat’s Story, which turned into more fun than anticipated. Many signings, travels, family events; it was a high-school renunion year; it was my father’s 80th birthday year; my son moved far away…so much travelling and visiting. I also had planned to start my next book, a fiction this time. I did, somewhat, but again, it is not as far along as I had hoped it would be by now. Alas. Someone once said, “Life is what happens while you’re making other plans.” Certainly true for me! So here’s my list of what I did read in 2018: (How about you?)
- Inspector of the Dead – David Morrell
- Kilimanjaro and Beyond – Barry Finlay
- Pure Red Sand – M. Negrijn
- The Night They Came for Til – Rebekah Lee Jenkins
- The Sybiot – Michel Weatherall
- Bazaar of Bad Dreams – Stephen King
- The Fold – Peter Cline
- Anil’s Ghost – Michael Ondaatje
- Stranded – Bracken Macleod
- The Operation – Kim Harrison
- Anansi Boys – Neil Gaiman
- Falcon of Sparta – Conn Iggulden
- Seven Dials – Anne Perry
- Starless – Jacqueline Carey
- Tides of Honour – Genevieve Graham
- Ruler of the Night – David Morrell
And my favourite of the year? So tough – I read such different genres, it doesn’t seem fair to compare. Here are some notes of the faves, though:
Kilimanjaro was great because I’ve always wanted to do that climb and secretly know I may never do so. Reading about it allowed me those vicarious thrills without the altitude sickness.
The Night They Came for Til – This is by a local Manitoba author and is set in the early 1900s in the town where my father lives. A little out of my genre-zone (too much romance for me), it was surprisingly engaging. I would read more from this author!
Stranded was so good I read it in a couple of days non-stop – it was like I was watching it as a movie! Sci-fi. Loved it.
Falcon of Sparta – maybe my favourite favourite. Love this author and this story was historical and fascinating (not least because he wrote in depth about the Spartan army’s march with focus on the “camp followers” – the families and civilians who were on campaign with the warriors! Sound familiar to any of my own blog followers? 😉
Tides of Honour – maybe my other favourite favourite of the year. WW1. Nova Scotia. Halifax explosion. Great story that I shamefully knew too little about. Now I know more, via this love story that I didn’t mind was a love story!
So, all in all, a pretty good reading year. Bring on 2019!
Stevie Szabad, Author 
You’re so organized! I always mean to keep a list, but then don’t. Your book was one I read this year, and you already know I thoroughly enjoyed it. Keep working on your fiction! I’m waiting to read it.