What I’m Reading: The Truth About Rapunzel By Heather Greer

You know the story of Rapunzel, the girl trapped in the tower who escaped using her extraordinarily long hair? I think she was an avid reader. Hang with me here.

I think she wasn’t trapped there due to nefarious reasons. No. I believe that’s what she wants everyone to think because the truth is too embarrassing. She’s a reader with an out of control To Be Read pile. Without the benefit of eBooks (because they definitely didn’t have those in her time), every story she collected was added to the pile.

Soon, she had a book fort. Cool, she thought. I’ve created my own little reading nook. This isn’t so bad.

If only she understood the truth.

A few more trips to the bookstore and the walls around her grew. Before she realized what was happening her bookish walls were so high she had to order her books and have them delivered by carrier pigeon. When she realized what was happening, it was too late.

Rapunzel was trapped in a tower of books with no way out. Her To Be Read pile was more than any person could get through in a lifetime. There was no prince or magic hair to free her from her self-inflicted tower. Again, those were just to save face with the non-readers in her life. With all those books she read, Rapunzel had an active imagination.

No. Rapunzel’s escape came from sharing the stories she read with others. She also determined to stop buying books until the ones she had were finished. As she refrained from acquiring new books and shared treasured favorites with those passing by her tower, an amazing thing happened.

The walls of her book tower shrunk. Rapunzel was free. Well, she was free until the next big book sale. Then, her sad story started over again.

You may be asking yourself what this incredibly inventive retelling of Rapunzel has to do with what I’m reading. I’ll tell you.

Hello. I’m Rapunzel, er, Heather Greer, and I have an out of control To Be Read pile. With free and 99¢ sales on eBooks, my tower may stay (mostly) contained to my tablet, but it’s growing at unbelievable rates. And as much as my husband is in support of me working from home as an author, he’s a little less favorable toward me becoming a stay-at-home-reader. Though I think that should be a real thing.

I often hear him utter one question. “Do you really need more books?” The answer is always yes. And that is why, as I’m supposed to be sharing with you what I’m reading, I felt the need to share Rapunzel’s true story with you. I am Rapunzel. And something tells me if you’re reading this, you may be too.

If you are, you’ll understand what I’m reading is not one book. There are multiples I’m working through as time allows and my mood dictates. I just finished The Girl with Fire in Her Veins by Dawn Ford. Next up is The Lost Property Office by James R. Hannibal. But I’m already reading Window of the Heart by Amy R. Anguish, Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson, and Upcycled by Tina Yeager.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll finish any of those before others on my TBR are read. I go where my mood takes me. And right now I have 360 unread titles on my tablet and probably close to fifty unread paperbacks on my bookshelf.

Don’t feel sorry for this Rapunzel, though. I’m fully aware my tower keeps growing. Just thinking of all the amazing stories I’ve yet to read is exciting. I always have the right one for whatever mood I’m in.

And, if you happen to know of any great stories I can add to the tower, feel free to share. I’m not feeling the need to escape my walls quite yet.