C-SPL October Reader of the Month

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Meet the C-SPL October 2024 Reader of the Month, Sara Goranson!

I am a multitasker! I always have an audiobook in my ear as I garden, walk my dog, clean the house, mow the yard, drive and a multitude of other tasks. I average about one audiobook per week, depending on the length. I just can’t get enough! I have a very busy and creative mind… Audiobooks allow me to complete my daily tasks as well as keep my mind focused. I love the performance of an audiobook as it allows you to imagine the characters, and experience the drama of a live performance via the voice actor. In the summer, I read much more than the rest of the year. I am an avid gardener and I spend 2 to 3 hours each day outside pulling weeds, pruning and playing outside. I have lived in 4 states: Minnesota, Iowa, North Carolina and Colorado. Dubuque has been home for 11 years and I love the people, river culture and small city living with plenty of big city activities.

C-SPL October 2024 Reader of the Month Q & A:

Q: What book(s) are you currently reading?

A: I am currently reading “Friends and Strangers” by J. Courtney Sullivan and just finished Secrets of Rose Briar Hall by Kelsey James.

Q: What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)?

A: What a great question! Really anything by Ann Pachett. I would say she is my favorite author. I re-read “Patron Saint of Liars” and “The Magician’s Assistant” over the summer because I just can’t get enough of her amazing stories.

Q: What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?

A: My life is too chaotic/busy to sit and read a book. I use audiobooks and the Libby or hoopla app to deliver books directly to my ears. I love to be outside and stay in the yard/garden after my kids go to bed until the bats start fluttering around the trees. In the winter, I find projects or deep cleaning to keep me busy at night so I may enjoy my books and keep my body moving.

Q: What book are you most excited about reading next, and what about it is exciting?

A: I have been on the waiting list for “The Paper Palace” by Miranda Cowley Heller and “The Cliffs” by J. Courtney Sullivan for over 3 months! I am eager to listen to both of those books! J. Courtney Sullivan is becoming one of my favorite authors and I have heard rave reviews about “The Paper Palace.”

Q: Have you read any books recently that change the way you think about something?

A: Recently I read “The Women” by Kristin Hannah. The book revolves around women who served in Vietnam and it is extremely well researched and thought-provoking. My step-father is a Marine Corps Veteran who served in Vietnam. It was interesting to compare his experience and memories to historical fiction. I went down a bit of a rabbit hole and have a few nonfiction books about Vietnam on my list to read this fall.

Q: When do you decide to stop reading a book? In other words, do you read every book to the last page, or is there a moment when you decide to stop?

A: If a book gets too “romancy,” I often stop reading it. I don’t know why–I am just not a fan of romance/love scenes in literature.

Q: Do you remember when your love of reading began?

A: When I was a child, I would stay up for hours reading after “lights out.” I have always had a passion for reading–I loved spending time at my local library and school library. I thought I was so smart and that my parents didn’t know I was up late reading. Now with my own children, I encourage reading after lights out. I hope that I have instilled in them the joy of reading.
Oh, the adventures to be had while reading a book!

Q: What other library resources do you enjoy (DVDs, CDs, board games, baking pans, digital content, etc.)?

A: I love the Seed Library! What a wonderful idea and opportunity!

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Check out Sara’s Favorite Books and Audiobooks
Be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!
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