reading schedule

I have a problem when it comes to buying books. I can't walk into a bookstore (or even Target or Costco, anymore) without walking out with a new book. Now this may not seem like a big deal, since I love to buy books, and they look good on my shelves, but it keeps me from reading the books that I buy in a timely manner.

See, when I buy a new book, it automatically takes my attention from the last new book I bought. So even though I might be excited about getting a new book, the 3 or 4 books I buy right after that distract me from it. So, in an effort to actually read these books that I buy, and to stop jumping from one randomly-chosen book to another, I'm going to create a reading shecdule that I will follow. I hope.

I'll start with 5 books, beacuse I don't want to get too ambititious. I've always loved the short time between books when I can look at my bookshelves and ask myself, what should I read next? So I don't want to schedule too many books, but 5 seems like a good round number to start with. Here goes:

1. The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan -- I'm already 200 pages into this book, so I might as well start with it.

2. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle -- I want to read some of the Sherlock Holmes stories, and this is supposed to be one of the best.

3. The Final Solution by Michael Chabon -- I know I just read this, but I'm really curious to read it after finishing a Sherlock Holmes story. Plus, it's only 120-some pages, so it shouldn't take long.

4. The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan -- Next book in The Wheel of Time series. I don't want to go too long between books, since I'm trying to get caught up for the most recent one.

5. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman -- I got this book for Christmas, I've been really excited about it, but somehow I keep getting distracted from it. No mas!

Now I actually have to follow my schedule.

And not buy new books.