Why I've Given Up Reading for Fun
And animated book covers
I’ve given up reading for fun.
It’s not because I’m too busy.
(I am).
It’s not because there are no good books.
(There are so many good books).
It’s not because I want to focus on more “productive” activities.
(Ha!)
It’s because reading is no longer a luxury.
It’s a necessity.
In the face of today’s digital onslaught, reading long fiction is the best way I can figure to keep my mind intact (and maybe do some rebuilding as well).
How bad are things getting?
At a social media conference I attended this week, one presenter mentioned that the average person sees (not reads) 10,000 posts a day.
A day.
Another speaker said goldfish have a 9-second attention span. Today, humans have an 8.7-second attention span.
I don’t know where either of these presenters got their data, but both factoids seemed depressingly plausible.
And it gets worse.
In a 2025 paper, US scientists reported feeding months of viral social media content into an LLM (i.e., an AI system).
The results?
The LLM’s reasoning fell by 23%;
It’s long-context understanding dropped 30%;
It’s “personality” tests showed spikes in narcissism & psychopathy.
Social media is so bad, it isn’t just breaking our brains, it’s even breaking computer brains.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
The Stoics (who were a big influence on my writing and on my UnTarot deck) believed that the only thing we had control over was our mind.
We still get to choose what we put into our brains.
So I’ve stopped scrolling on Instagram before bed like some techno-crackhead.
I’ve ditched my e-reader too.
It’s back to paper and ink.
Now, I keep a paperback by my bedside and read some quality fiction every night before heading to dreamland.
I’ve taken to carrying a paperback in my purse as well. That way I can dip into it when I’m waiting in lines, etc. Agatha Christie short story collections are ideal for this.
I’m not reading fiction for fun (though of course it is fun). I’m reading fiction for my sanity.
What are you reading tonight?
And no, I’m Not Becoming a Luddite.
Because I must admit there are some positive aspects to the new technologies.
Namely, I recently used Grok to animate my Mystery School book covers.
Now readers can click the new QR code inside the books and watch the animated cover do its magical thing. 🔮
Since the Mystery School series is interactive, with an app and emails from the mystery school that readers can get delivered to their inbox, animated covers fit the theme.
So if you haven’t tried out the Mystery School mystery novels yet, now might be a good time.
(Plus, it is the season of the witch).
You can start anywhere in the series. It’s not chronological.
My personal favorite is Shadow of the Witch, though my editor likes Whispers of the Witch best. Legacy of the Witch is the first in the series, however, for those who like doing things the “proper” way.
Survey Results and Some Backstory on A Deathly Display
Thanks to everyone who took part in last week’s poll!
Many of you asked for more behind-the-scenes on my cozy mysteries.
Your wish is my command.✨
Since I’m putting the finishing touches on A Deathly Display, here’s a little bit about my upcoming entry in the Paranormal Museum mysteries.
When last we left Maddie, she’d just returned from Sicily and her sister’s disastrous wedding party.
I thought it would be fun to bring her sister back to San Benedetto. Melanie needs a chance to lick her wounds… and to bring some high-drama diva comedy to town.
Then I realized Melanie’s return would neatly parallel Maddie’s own return home after her career implosion in book 1, The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum.
This gives Maddie an opportunity for reflection on how far she’s come, both personally and professionally, as well as to assess where there’s still room for growth.
(Sidenote: there’s always room for growth).
And if, at this point, you’re wondering, Yeah, but what’s the murder about???
So was I, at first.
When I plot my cozy mysteries, the murder puzzle generally comes secondary to the characters.
Plotting a murder is easy. Figuring out the psychology of the players is a bit more complex (for me, at least).
Next week, I’ll tell you more about the inspiration for the actual murder mystery in A Deathly Display (no spoilers though).
Did you miss the cover reveal? It’s here:
Want more thoughts on cozy mysteries? Try this:
More on writing character development? Check this post out:
