What Are You Reading This Summer?

One of my favorite memories of being a kid in small-town Wisconsin was checking out books from our local library and reading to my heart's content. While everyone else was swimming and tanning and spending every second possible outside, my nose was always in a book.

Of course, my summer reading experience wasn't complete without a tall glass of icy lemonade by my side—even if I was reading indoors, it was a must.

And it was during those hot summer months (and yes, it gets quite balmy in Wisconsin, too) when I discovered Judy Blume and Jane Austen, and later on, "The Babysitter's Club" series and Robin Jones Gunn. I'd read books about places I wanted to travel to someday and biographies of the professional athletes I liked 'cause I was really into sports at the time.

Funny thing was, no matter what I was reading, my thoughts would inevitably turn to the book I wanted to write someday. In fact, I'd get downright giddy thinking about my byline on the front cover of my very own novel—and what font it would be in (yeah, I'm a giant dork).

Reading is such an important part of writing, and I still credit my summer adventures in reading to why I love to write so much today.

So with that said, I'm dying to know...what are you reading in your downtime this summer and has it inspired your writing?

I'm reading a new novel called "Apron Anxiety" at the moment and am totally loving it.