1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:16,440 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 1: tip is that if a book club isn't an option 4 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 1: for you, consider getting a reading pen pal. You will 5 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 1: still get the social reading experience, which could make reading 6 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 1: a lot more fun. So I know plenty of people 7 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: love their book clubs. It is fun to connect with 8 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: other book lovers. You may get more out of what 9 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:42,239 Speaker 1: you read when you discuss it with other readers, and 10 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: the structure of a book club might mean you read 11 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: more than you otherwise would. But if a book club 12 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: doesn't work for your schedule right now, or you don't 13 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: want to make an ongoing commitment, you can get similar 14 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: benefits by finding a reading pen pal and reading a 15 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: book or two together. What is a reading pen pal. 16 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 1: It's someone who agrees to read a book at the 17 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: same time as you, and then you send notes back 18 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 1: and forth to each other about what you're reading. So, 19 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: for instance, maybe you and a friend could decide to 20 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: read Huckleberry Finn and then Percival Everett's James. You agree 21 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: on a reading schedule, and then as you read, you 22 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:25,119 Speaker 1: text or email each other when there's something you want 23 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 1: to connect about. Maybe it's a scene that you liked, 24 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: or maybe it's a question you have about a character, 25 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: or maybe it's something that confused you. Some days you 26 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:40,119 Speaker 1: might end up texting back and forth numerous times. Other 27 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: days might pass without any interaction, but you have the 28 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: shared experience of reading the books together. You could do 29 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 1: the same with poetry. Maybe you and a reading pen 30 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: pal read a poem a day from the new Billy 31 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 1: Collins collection. Self improvement books are especially well suited to 32 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: reading pen pals. When you are reading a self improvement 33 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: book with another person, you have a thought partner as 34 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: you figure out how to apply the strategies in your 35 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:13,799 Speaker 1: life to gather you can troubleshoot any challenges that come up. 36 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 1: Hearing how your pen pal is applying a strategy in 37 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: her life might spark your thinking about how you could 38 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,839 Speaker 1: apply the idea in your life. With a reading pen pal, 39 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 1: you may feel a sense of accountability to try the 40 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: strategies rather than just reading about them. Sometimes a self 41 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: improvement book is so engaging that you devour it in 42 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: one sitting, which may mean that you don't really digest 43 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: the strategies. With a reading pin pal and a deliberate 44 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 1: pace you will ensure there is time to reflect. Lots 45 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:49,920 Speaker 1: of books, including novels and self improvement books, come with 46 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: book club guides or discussion guides. These may be found 47 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: in the back of the book, or perhaps on the 48 00:02:55,880 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 1: author's website or on the publisher's website. For instance, can 49 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 1: access a book club guide for my book Tranquility by 50 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: Tuesday on my website. These guides can help you start 51 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 1: a conversation with your reading pin pal. Many years ago, 52 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: before electronic communication, having a pen pal meant sending letters 53 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:20,359 Speaker 1: back and forth in the mail. This was a lot 54 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 1: of fun, but you did have to wait a while 55 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 1: in between messages. The good news is that these days 56 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 1: you could have the fun of the back and forth 57 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: conversation instantly. Most of us just discuss random things, but 58 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 1: we could give these discussions a lot more shape. So 59 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 1: if a book club isn't for you right now, consider 60 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: a reading pen pal. Having a reading pin pal can 61 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: deepen your appreciation of a book and perhaps increase the 62 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: impact of the book too, while also letting you connect 63 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 1: in a new way with a friend. In the meantime. 64 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: This is Laura, Thanks for listening and here's to making 65 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:18,279 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. 66 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach 67 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast 68 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 1: is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, 69 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:40,720 Speaker 1: please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 70 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.