The Signs that Give Book Lovers Away

Lots of people read, but how do you recognize the real book lovers? There are some pretty easy signs to watch for to tell the real booknooks from the casual readers.

Book lovers spend a lot of time in libraries and bookstores. That's a no-brainer. But book lovers, when they were kids, spent a lot of time in the library by choice. Not because they were sent there after school to get them out of their mothers' hair for a while, either. Most other kids didn't have their parents call the library and ask that the child be sent home now for supper (or bedtime).

Book lovers always ask if you've read X or Y, or the latest by ABC. The language of publishing books and authors is on the tips of their tongues all the time. And if you'll listen, they'll talk about any of the subjects at length. And if you haven't read any of the couple dozen they can rattle off, they probably have one of them in their bag to loan you right now, because you just have to read it.

Book lovers are the ones underneath all the umbrellas at the beach. They're not allergic to the sun or afraid of burning. They just can't stop until they find out who killed the guy with the limp and why the maid was acting so suspicious all along, and will the heroine ever end up with the handsome hero or will her dreams be shattered? Or, other things. Sorry sunshine, you have to wait, I'm reading.

Book lovers also tend to put many necessary activities second or even with reading. A true book lover, no matter how hungry, can only shovel in lunch as fast as she can turn pages. A whole sandwich can sit and get stale because she forget to keep eating once she found out the horrible secret on page 152! Which we won't give away, in case you haven't read it.

Book lovers also love everything associated with books. And there are lots of things to love. Bookmarks are a big hit with book fans. Those little jobbers keep us from wasting more than a second finding the exact spot we left off so we can jump right back into the story. Funny bookmarks, profound ones, those with pictures of loved ones, or that slightly used napkin from lunch that was all we had-we can't crease the page, you know. Bookmarks are the best.

As are bookplates that say "This book belongs to me!" book covers with pretty patterns, lapdesks designs for readers, bookbags, and even things designed to let us organize books, like book shelves and book-related software. Book software is the newest book "fun stuff" for book lovers to enjoy, that lets you list your books with a click or two, then play to your heart's content.

Once all book lovers discover this fantastic software, though, the bookstores will be overrun. All those book lovers will suddenly know exactly which books they have, and which they still need to buy!