Reading to Writing

I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately.

I've been desperately trying to claw my way out of it, with mixed results.

One of my recent attempts was What the River Knows. As a lifelong fan of The Mummy (1999), I was excited by the promise of Egypt, magic, and historical mystery. Unfortunately, it just wasn't the right book for me.

That happens sometimes.

What did stick with me, however, were the illustrations scattered throughout the book. Doodles played a surprisingly important role while drafting Marmalade Skies, and seeing artwork included in a novel got me wondering whether I might want to include some illustrations of my own someday.

The more I think about it, the more curious I become.

Do illustrations enrich a story? Or do they pull readers out of the experience?

I genuinely don't know.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, one book I unexpectedly loved was Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage.

I picked it up entirely based on vibes. That's honestly how I choose most books these days.

What surprised me wasn't the romance—it was how effectively the author handled arguments between characters. Dialogue disagreements are something I've struggled with in my own writing, and without even trying, I found myself learning from the book.

That's one of my favorite things about reading.

I rarely pick up a novel intending to study it. Yet somehow the techniques that work their way into my subconscious often reappear later when I'm writing.

Maybe that's why they say the best writers are readers.