Importance of Reading

From the Author Blog of Joseph Lewis, Author

Importance of Reading

My grandson, Mason, just turned two. Already, he has developed an interest in reading. This is due to his mother and father, my daughter and son-in-law, who are avid readers.

Each night before bed, Mason gets to pick out two books for either his mom or dad to read. It has become a ritual. And what is nice is that during the day, Mason will grab a book and either look at the pictures himself, or more likely, seek out his mom, dad, grandpa or grandma to read to him while he sits on a lap.

I remember growing up in the old house by the river, and even though we didn’t have much money, I had my own little library of books. Either I read them myself or mom or dad or one of my older sisters would read to me. Reading, along with writing, became my passion.

Later during elementary school, I’d wait for my father to pick me up from work to go home to supper. Where did I wait? The library across the street from school. I’d wander around the stacks looking at covers, reading the descriptions, and often would sit on the floor by the stack to read them. It was a wonderous time for me.

And I found out years later, courtesy of Stephen King, that reading is essential to writing. He is quoted as saying, “Unless you read, you will not have the tools to write.” I have to agree with him. I’ve learned much from reading- not only by reading in my own genre of thriller-crime-mystery, but outside of my genre. Setting, word choice, certain phrases, sentences and paragraphs have stuck with me to this day. Here are my reviews:

“Understanding one’s past can be difficult. Confronting one’s past and finding justification for it might be impossible. That’s the dilemma and task facing August Simms as he travels back to Rhome, Texas, in 1897 in Brian Kaufman’s brilliant novel, A Persistent Echo. While it might be categorized as a work of historical fiction, it defies strict placement in one genre, as he deftly blends and blurs lines. Filled with wit and wisdom, his prose is poetic, yet sparse with only what is necessary to keep the reader turning pages. Simms faces his past and tries to reconcile what happened to him, to his wife, and to those who were affected by a murder and lynching that took place so long ago. If you read one book this year cover to cover, this book by Kaufman needs to be it. A passionate 5 Star recommendation!”

“In Danger of Judgment by David Rabin, you find a bright and tenacious pair of Chicago detectives who team up with one of the most interesting, quirky characters I’ve come across in a long time. The trio tries to solve a series of murders that echo executions and put away a former army operative who they discover is behind it all. Throw in two rival gangs vying for control of the city’s drug trade, and you have a thriller that keeps you turning pages until you reach the ending. Honestly, this is one of the best books I’ve read in a very long time! I wanted to put it down only to prolong my reading of it, but I couldn’t. The pacing, the characters, the action were spectacularly crafted. I can’t believe this is Rabin’s first book, and I can’t wait for book #2. An enthusiastic 5 Star recommendation!”

Terminal Exchanges by Gary Gerlacher is #5 of the Docker/Banshee series, and while I enjoyed the other books, this might be his best. Set in Miami, Docker is an emergency room doctor. A gang storms into the hospital and assassinates one of his patients, but it doesn’t end there. He discovers that a woman and her young son might be next. So Docker does what he does best- besides heal patients. He and his trusty former police dog set out trying to find answers, only to discover that there is much more to this than just a gang. Terminal Exchanges is intricately crafted, fast-paced, and the action is nonstop. Gerlacher creates characters the reader can connect with, and he has a knack for creating tension. His writing sticks with you long after you close the book. A wonderful, fun read worthy of a 5 Star recommendation.”
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I posted all three reviews on Goodreads, BookBub, Substack, and if possible, on Amazon. Gerlacher’s book isn’t available currently on Amazon yet, hence, I will have to wait until it comes out to post it there.

Authors and I exchange books for several reasons. One, we can add constructive criticism on the books which is helpful for all authors. Second, we can add a review for that author on various sites to help get the word out.

Reviews help authors so much, more than you realize. Word of mouth “promotion” is a wonderful source to help us sell books. When a book hits 50 reviews on Amazon, that site will promote that book to its users. Free advertising, which is helpful.

Pro tip: please, please, if you read a book, leave a review. Obviously 5 star and 4 star reviews are the best, but each review has weight and creates momentum for that book and the author who wrote it.

If you’ve not found my website yet, I encourage you to toggle over to

https://www.jrlewisauthor.com where you will find each of my books, their covers, descriptions and a purchase/buy button in case you want to give one a read. All of my books come in three formats: Kindle, Paperback, and Audio. The only book not in Audio is my latest, Black Yéʼii but it is currently being worked on and should be available in this format shortly.

Here are two different interviews I’ve taken part in about my writing and specifically my book, Black Yéʼii.

I would love to hear what you think about my books or other books you’ve read that you enjoyed. Drop a comment in the area below this post. As always, thank you for following along on my writing journey. Until next time …