Hello! I'm Susie, and I love to read. Bet you couldn't have guessed that, huh? I'm 30 years old and am very happily married to a wonderful guy named Jeff. We live in the northwest corner of Georgia in the United States. I work full time (and then some) for a great company in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Besides reading, I also enjoy following current events, watching the weather, trying new recipes & restaurants, traveling, and taking naps on Sunday afternoons. However, as much as I like doing other things, there's just nothing better than cuddling up with a book...

Why Do I Read?

• I love how reading is a form of traveling; how you can sit down in your living room (or wherever you like to read) and journey to another time and place. How else can you travel the world for only a few bucks?
• My own life is blessedly boring, and I savor exploring the experiences and characteristics of others, whether they are real or fictional.
• I love the rush of satisfaction that comes when I close a finished book. Although it's sometimes bittersweet to complete a special read, it's always neat to know you've been entertained or you've learned something new.
• It's a great way to increase vocabulary.
• How many times have you flipped through the many channels available on television and exclaimed, "There's nothing on TV!" Well, there's never nothing to read. Even if you've already read every book in your house, you've probably saved a few that were really special to you. And there's nothing wrong with reading something more than once.
• I'm a quotation collector. Enough said!
• The smell of a bookstore is one of my absolute favorite scents on earth.
• I have over 400 books on my shelves, just waiting to be read. Alas, I still ask for gift cards for Christmas and birthdays so I can buy more books. And I am an avid user of PaperBackSwap.com, which has helped my library to grow in an affordable manner. It's really an addiction, but a healthy one, in my view.
• Some may not understand the feeling of enjoying being alone. I'm not like that all of the time, of course; I love being with my husband, family, and friends. But there is just nothing more refreshing to me than a couple of hours of solace, spent with a book.
• Above all, I read to learn and grow in wisdom.

I love to hear from my readers! Please leave me a comment here, or email me at thestuffedshelf -at- gmail -dot- com.

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