Elizabeth Pantley, author of Sprites and Scuttlebutt, a novel in the Magical Mystery Book Club series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to tell us why it’s fun to try reading new genres.

Welcome, Elizabeth. I’ll turn the floor over to you –

We all have our favorite kinds of books to read. Our favorite places to read, and our favorite times to read. Those things make us happy. They feel comfortable. They don’t require any real effort on our part. But sometimes, it’s fun, exciting, and even exhilarating to step out of your box and try something new, especially if you’re in a reading slump and nothing sounds good. That’s the perfect time to step out of your comfort zone.

A New Genre

It’s easy to get into a pattern of picking books that fit your favorite themes and styles. Often, we just automatically go to the themes we enjoy most. I like magical cozy mysteries, and there are so many of them to choose from. I could read one a day and never run out of books!

One day, I got an offer from a friend to read her new cozy mystery – no magic involved. The story featured …. a baking competition, no paranormals included!  The characters were funny and fresh. The story took me in a different direction than my usual reads. And I had a really great time! Now I’ve learned that I can have more than one favorite kind of story as a go-to when choosing my next read.

A New Reading Place

I read while curled up on my sofa with a cup of tea, and then every night when I get into bed propped up on pillows. Of course, I’ll always read in those two places, because I love them! Ever since I downloaded books onto my phone, I’ve found a million new places to read! Okay, not a million, but plenty! If I’m in a long line at the grocery store, I open my book and sneak in a chapter. Waiting room at the doctor’s office? Read! At a football game? Hah. Yeah. Read! Bored with dinner conversation – Read! (Okay, don’t tell anybody that one, since the book is hiding on my lap…)

I’ve also learned that listening to audiobooks opens a whole new world of loving books. Now, when I’m cooking, I can listen to a story. When I’m taking a long drive, I can be entertained instead of annoyed. I even listened to an audiobook during minor foot surgery! It took my attention away from the doctor and into a fantasy world of fun.

Opening your mind to new kinds of books and new places and ways to read can revitalize your reading life in a very pleasant way.

Thank you for sharing this with us, Elizabeth, and good luck with Sprites and Scuttlebutt, the latest book in the Magical Mystery Book Club series.

Readers can learn more about Elizabeth Pantley by visiting the author’s website and. her Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads pages.

The book is available online at the following retailers: 

Amazon Purchase Links: US  CA  UK   AU

About Elizabeth Pantley is the author of fourteen fun, magical cozy mystery books, as well as the international bestselling No-Cry Solution parenting series. She simultaneously writes well-loved cozy mysteries: The Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic book series and the Magical Mystery Book Club series. Elizabeth lives in the Pacific Northwest, the gorgeous inspiration for the setting in many of her books.