It's time to load those kiddies on the bus and get back to "me" time, or at least some sort of schedule where the kids are sent to their rooms at 8:00 sharp so you can enjoy some reading time in peace! Can I get an Amen?
So with that, let's celebrate! We deserve it after chauffeuring those kids to ballgames, pools, beaches, and sleepovers all summer long! And good news my friends, August is the answer to our demands. It's loaded up with all kinds of bookish holidays to partake in and enjoy.
Let's party!
National Read a Romance Month
That's what I'm talking about! Spicy or sweet, historical or contemporary, time travel or paranormal- the choice is yours! And the tropes- we mustn't forget the tropes! Friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, love triangles, fake dating, forbidden love, close proximities, second chance, insta love, marriage pacts, age gaps, damsel in distress, unrequited love- okay, I'm tired! There are over 150 romance tropes to choose from- you have options!
The point is, pick one and read it! Then tell us all about it on Bookstagram!
Fun Fact: the one requirement for a book to be classified as a romance is that it must have a HEA (Happily Ever After).
8/2: National Coloring Book Day
I'm a Gen Xer, so coloring books aren't my thing. I was taught to suppress my feelings or drown them at a good party. But I definitely see the benefits of adult coloring books.
They're nostalgic.
They help us detox from our devices.
Coloring is a creative outlet.
Coloring promotes extended periods of focus.
However, I think coloring got a bad rap when it became associated with weak-minded people not being able to cope with minor disappointments as we saw videos of snowflakes crying in coloring rooms. Coloring books were the butt of a joke, and since 2015, the coloring trend has swiftly turned downward. But I'm cheering for a comeback. Maybe August 2nd is just the boost this fad needs.
Let's all color a page and post it on social media. It is guaranteed to brighten the artist's day as well as the viewers'.
8/8 International Cat Day
IYKYK! Cats are almost a required accessory for book people. You can try to get away with a cute pup on your lap as you read, but nothing quite captures the reader's life like an open book, a cozy fire, a knitted blanket, a cup of steamy deliciousness, and you guessed it- a CAT!
Now, if you're not a cat person, be careful not to let that cat out of the bag, if you know what I mean. Some zealots will say you aren't truly a bibliophile if you are not simultaneously cat obsessed. These are not my rules- I just live by them. So go ahead and adopt the decoy cat and join the party.
8/9: National Book Lovers Day
Need we say more? This is your day! This is your invitation to the bookstore! This is your get-out-your-wallet free card! This is your no strings attached, guilt-free permission to buy a book (or two, or however many you need to feel like a book lover)!
Here are some stats so you can stay ABOVE average and count yourself as a true lover of books:
The average person owns 29 books.
The average American buys 12 books each year.
A home library of 100 books adds an extra 1.5 years to a child's grade level.
A minimum of 500 books makes a room feel like a library.
1,000 books is the estimated minimum of a self-respecting home library.
Bottom line? Respect yourself! Take your Bibliophile title seriously!
If you're interested in creating a home library, here are 2 posts you may find helpful:
8/14: Love Your Bookshop Day
Did I tell you we were going to party or what? I mean, just reread the above holiday description as to why you should celebrate Love Your Bookshop Day. But if you need it spelled out for you, here's a list of excuses you can give to your significant other as to why you need to buy more books:
Honey, do you want our kids to be stupid? If 100 books make our babies 1.5 grades smarter, just think of what 500 (or 1,000) could do! We might save money on college!
The Bookstagram experts agree that a house is not a home without a library, and some other expert said a self-respecting library has a minimum of 1,000 books, and I need you to respect me right now.
We got to shop local or we'll be shamed. I can't suffer another shamin'!
You're welcome book friend! I got your back!
8/15: National Relaxation Day
The powers that be know what they're doing! They've set up this month like an All-Star batting line-up. They loaded the bases with Cat Day, Book Lover Day, and Bookshop Day and then dialed up the big hitter- Relaxation Day for a grand slam!
So, give yourself a long pour of your favorite beverage, unpack those bags of new books from your local bookshop, summon your new friend, Fluffy, to your lap, flip on the fire, kick up your cozy socked feet, and have yourself a day! Bonus points for bubble baths and face masks.
8/18: Bad Poetry Day
Here's my humble ode to bad poetry:
This poem won't make you think,
or feel, or even look at life some kinda way,
or make you happy or sad, or any other kinda way,
but it's still a poem. Boom.
Or should I say,
Wham! Bam! Thank you, ma'am?
I highly encourage you to check out Instagram on this day! I know we're going to see some doozies and we gonna laugh!
8/21: Poet's Day
Life is all about balance, thus we must equalize the bad poetry with some good stuff written by the experts. Pretty much the exact opposite of Bad Poetry Day, today Insta will fill our feeds with word art. So many good poets are living on Insta- how blessed are we?
If you're not a poet, here's a small list of American poets you can Google for inspo:
Walt Whitman
Robert Frost
Emily Dickinson
Langston Hughes
Syliva Plath
T.S. Eliot
E.E. Cummings
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Maya Angelou
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Read a few of their odes, pick out one that speaks to you, then do one of the following:
Memorize it.
Make it into a work of art.
Post it on social media.
Create a poem in its likeness.
Create a poetry scrapbook.
If you want to dabble in poetry, treat yourself to a book like this: (This one is my favorite go- to.)
8/26: National Dog Day
Well if cats get a day, you know every dog gets hers! And I know I said dogs are not suitable substitutions for cats. However, there is also no rule against having a dog in Book World... as long as you also have the cat. No exceptions! This is according to statute 3120, Code CRDD, Section #411. Again, I don't make the rules, I just inform you of them.
So post those cute furry critters with your favorite literary treats and make us smile!
8/29: National Red Wine Day
If this isn't the cat's meow! August is a treasure for book lovers. So, what you're going to want to do today is... swap out that mug of hot deliciousness and trade it in for something a bit less caffeinated that makes you a bit more inebriated. Cheers!
8/30: National Beach Day
The grand finale of this amazing month of literary holidays is none other than a call to the beach! You're going to need to load up them best sellers you bought on Bookshop Day, drop Fuzzy off at the kennel, pack your leftover wine bottles in the cooler, and take Fido to the beach for Relaxation Day round 2! Maybe color a picture or write a poem while you're there!
Party like a bookworm friend & follow me on Bookstagram @staceywritesandreads.
Happy Reading,
Stacey Faubion