Late last year I decided to read 100 books in 2017.

It was an easy call. I love reading and always wish I were doing more. My family got me some amazing books for Christmas.

Perhaps most critical from a “why I really HAVE to do this” standpoint is my determination to write in a long, focused way. I have pieces and scraps all over the place. They need to come together. I need to make them come together.

You can’t write if you don’t read. I deeply believe this. Hence, the personal challenge.

It occurred to me that other people probably have had the same idea and yep, it’s been a thing and I just didn’t know.

If you’re taking up the #100books challenge, let me know, especially if you’re posting about it. I’ll link back and we can check in on each other.

I found the Mashable post “What happened when I tried to read 100 books in a year” first and liked the idea of offering a 1-5 rating for each book, so I may do that. The Autodidacts post “What I learned by reading 100 books in a year” goes more into choosing books that deepen intellect and broaden outlook.

I won’t be doing much of that. From where I sit I can see a Twain book and Lincoln biography that are on the must-read list, but I know the Vietnam War history next to them, while important, would derail me. Maybe in 2018 I’ll read one challenging book per month.

This year, expect to see a lot of horror and dystopia, my favorites. Feel free to offer suggestions in the comments.

I have two books that I already have begun, but I’ll be counting them. One is the third in a William Gibson trilogy, and I’m less than one-quarter through. The other is a horror anthology of which I’ve read only one story for far.

As I finish them, I’ll post covers and impressions. Some will be books I’ve read straight through, but I anticipate that some will take several months of picking up and putting down to complete. I’ll note that, too.

I am loving this already. Happy New Year indeed.