Shelf Clearance, Kindle and Giveaways

I have so little space (well none actually) for my many books that even I am going crazy because of it. The fact is, at this rate, I'll never get to read all the books that I have because it will take me too many years to unearth them from all the boxes, storage trunks (I wish I was kidding) and bookshelves around my house. Also, I may have to substitute furniture in my room for boxes and trunks of books if I do not find a solution soon (I reckon the bed will be first to go - storage trunks with a mattress on top will do the job just fine). I know many of you are thinking 'you can never have too many books', and I agree, as would my Mum. Or at least she would have agreed until I started to transform myself into a modern day Don Quijote (or should that be Doña Quijote in my case).



And it gets worse - last year I got a job which involved working with ebooks. I started using an e-reader and it started  new love affair (I know that was pretty late to come into the world of e-reading but I have been on an extremely tight budget or, more honestly, I've been broke. When I left, my love for e-reading remained, so I bought a Kindle 3g. In part, it helped with my lack-of-space problem (although it didn't cure it and I have discovered that buying print books is a pretty serious addiction). On the other, it started another facet to my problem. When I'm at home I like reading print books, but when I'm out I like my Kindle, and sometimes I might be reading a print book but need to go out so, what do I do? - that's right, I duplicate. I have some books in print and on my Kindle too. Granted, this addiction is reserved for my favourites (like Department 19 by Will Hill which is great or, in the words of my cousin and fellow blogger Kamz Kool, is "so awesome and really needs to be made into a film. Everyone would watch it." This was followed by berating me for not having finished it yet and bombarding me with spoilers due to his over-enthusiasm and determination to have me bear witness to the greatness of Will Hill, whom he met at the secret event for The Rising.)

I digress. Between my full shelves, duplicate print and ebook copies and massive TBR list, even I have accepted something must be done. And I thought the best thing to do was a series of give-aways.


Even so, giving books away is no easy thing to do, so I am taking it one step at a time. I know they say that pulling off the plaster quickly is better, but this is a pretty big plaster that is pretty well adjoined to my skin, and I don't think I can handle the mess it will leave behind if torn off at once (sorry to be so graphic, but such is the love I have for my books).

So, I will be doing a series of give-aways on this blog and on the EBT Facebook page until some sort of balance is restored. A link to each give-away will be posted on this page so you can check them out, enter and help me to reduce my shelves. The give-aways will take lots of different forms and will include all sorts of adult, YA and children's literature, both fiction and non-fiction.

Also, if you have any practical tips for how to solve my problem and remain sane, they would be much appreciated. Or, if you suffer from a similar illness, I'd love to hear from you. It helps to know that I may not be alone in this.

Here is a list of the giveaways - click on the links:

• Shelf Clearance: YA Giveway