Bookpacking is custom made for people who like to read. Many backpackers have packed a tattered paperback novel into their rucksack in case they are held hostage by rain pummeling the outside of their tents.

Packing a book for a bike trip, a hike or boating excursion engages both the body and the mind into an outing.

via Bookpacking Combines Travel With Reading | Suite101.

I think it's great someone has come up with an actual word for this. I bookpack every day. Even when I'm not hiking, exploring or road tripping.

I discovered the Bookie Brunch while writing a post about book hoarding... I mean keeping, for HubPages. It seems to be about a year since anything new was added to the Bookie Brunch schedule. But, I liked the ideas. I would like to hear the discussions, literary, bookish and readers talking about books too. Bookie Brunch on YouTube:

Special project, founded by Sasha Soren ('Random Magic'). Bookie Brunch is a weekly meet-up, held every Sunday, where book bloggers can have a cup of tea and chat about a particular bookie question of interest. Pull up a chair and feel free to join us! Current series from July 2011 through December 2011. Every Sunday. Feel free to drop by and have a cup of tea and enjoy some good company. Will try to collect all Bookie Brunch videos at the channel, to make it easy to find them, and have separate, special playlist just for BB!

Questions from past Bookie Brunches:

• Question: Are books better with or without love triangles? Related topics: Do you root for a particular character in the love triangle? If so, why? What is your favorite literary love triangle?
• Question: Do you prefer e-books or print copies of novels, and why? Related topics to consider: Do you have a specific e-reader that you prefer? Why did you choose that particular e-reader, did you try any others, and what were your experiences with them?
• Question: Do you think people only read classics because they're classics, or because they're actually enjoyable? Related topics to consider: Is there a classic you don't think should be a classic? If so, why do you think that?
• Question: Fantasy versus realism. People often tackle the issue of characters or plot being unrealistic or not possible in real life. Are you on the book-must-be-believable/realistic side or not? Why or why not? Related topics to consider: Do you prefer books with fantasy elements, or books which stick to the world we know? Do you think it's important that contemporary literature remains true to life or do you welcome deviations from what would normally happen?
• Question: Do you prefer hardcovers or paperbacks and what are the reasons for your preference, either way? Related topics to consider: Would you consider buying a book that wasn't in your preferred format (hardcover vs. paperback) - if so, what would be your reason for doing so?
• Question: Are you likely to select or read an e-book because of an appealing cover or does the description/synopsis of an e-book weigh more heavily? Related topics to consider: Please show us a link to two or three e-book covers that captured your attention recently, and tell us why. -
• Question: Have you ever stopped reading a series due to unexpected or disappointing changes in the characters, writing, etc.? Do you consider going back, or do you give up on the series? Related topics to consider: Do you think series should be never-ending (going well past 10 books), or do you think it keeps it fresher for an author if they stop after a certain number of books in a series?
• Question: What's the most important part of a book for you, the characters or the plot? Related topics to consider: Would you consider buying a book because you liked the characters even though you disliked the plot, and vice versa?
• Question: What is one book that made you cry, and what was it that affected you about that particular story? Related topic to consider: Are you a Happily-Ever-After kind of person or do you like tragedies more?
• Question: What are three songs that remind you of your favorite book? Related topics to consider: Why do the songs remind you of that particular book?
• Question: What is your favorite kind of magical/mythical/supernatural creature to read about? Related topics to consider: Is there any kind of mythical creature you'd like to see more, in fiction? Or less?
• Question: Discussion of all things magical within the book world (would like to take time to include Random Magic). Related topics to consider: Specifically related to Random Magic (if you've read the book): What was your favorite magical place that Winnie and Henry visit? What made it so magical for you? Related topics to consider: Unrelated to Sasha Soren's book (Random Magic): What books would you recommend to those of us in love with the magical world? What types of magic do you gravitate towards the most - spells, enchanting places like Wonderland/Narnia, or magical beings like witches/faeries?
• Question: Which is your favorite classic novel, and why? Related topics to consider: What would your second pick be, and for what reason?
• Question: Are you more of a book buyer or a book borrower? Why? Related topics to consider: Do you lend books or are you too possessive? Do you buy books after borrowing them if you like them?
• Question: What are your thoughts on books that are an unusual size? (i.e., coffee table books, larger than trade paperback or hardback, miniatures, non-rectangular, pop-up books) Related topics to consider: Do you own any unusual-sized books? If so, what was it about them specifically that appealed to you? If you don't own any, do you have any on your wishlist? Please provide title(s) and author(s).
• Question: Since we're close to Halloween, I'm curious - if you could be any magical creature for three days (three's a good number, since it lets you have a fair run at it), what would you be? Of course, you'd be able to turn back into yourself after three days. Related topics to consider: What traits or powers in particular appeal to you about that specific magical creature?
• Question: What's your favorite spooky story? Alternatively, if you don't like spooky stories, why are they unappealing to you?
• Question: Do you like the smell of books? Related topics to consider: Do you have any other odd book-related obsessions? For example - must have matching covers in your series books, must be the first to open the book or crease the cover, or can't stand creased covers or pages, or if you have both paperback and hardcover versions of a series, the cover art has to match, etc.
• Question: Does cover art influence what you read? Related topics to consider: If you aren't familiar with an author, and you don't like the cover art, would you try the book? Have you ever loved the cover art, and didn't enjoy the book?
• Question: How do you discover new books? Related topics to consider: Do you look for recommendations on book blogs, ask your friends, go to the library? All of the above? None of the above? Have you ever received a book recommendation from a completely unexpected source?
• Question: Are relationship-oriented dilemmas (girlfriend-boyfriend relationships, to be specific), important for the success of a novel? Related topics: An example of a book without this particular type of twist, that's still a page turner of a story?
• Question: Has blogging changed your reading habits? If so, in what way? Related topics: Do you read new genres? Are you bothered by them or do you welcome the changes?
• Question: When it comes to the paranormal and the magical - how much do you believe in what you're reading? For you, are your books pure fiction or do you secretly hope that maybe there might be some truth to all of the stories?
• Question: If you could invite three authors to dinner, who would be on your guest list, and why?
• Question: What do you think of festive themed books? Related topics: Do you have a favourite christmas book to read? If so, What is it and why? or will you be avoiding them?

From vvb32 Reads:

What's Bookie Brunch all about?: Bookie Brunch is a weekly meet-up, held every Sunday, where book bloggers can have a cup of tea and chat about a particular bookie question of interest. The discussion is open from Sunday through Wednesday, and you're welcome to drop by any time to add your opinion or read what other people have to say. This discussion is open as well to general readers or bloggers in a different field, authors, publishers and publicists. Find Bookie Brunch You're invited! Feel free to join us every Sunday for great company, fun discussions, and occasional goodie giveaways. Some upcoming dates are listed below, it'll be great to see you there. Calling all bookies - grab a seat and let's talk books. We'll be talking about... e-readers vs. print editions fantasy vs. realism in books characters vs. plot and lots of other cool and bookish questions

Kimberly Raye Writes the Dead End Dating Series with Lil Marchette

Lil Marchette is a fashionista vampire. Labels matter and she does like her clothes. But, keep reading. Lil wants her own life. She begins her own dating agency for paranormals like vampires and werewolves (who are real party girls). Lil struggles to keep her business afloat while keeping her vampire status from her friend and solo employee.

Lil meets Ty, of course there has to be a hunky vampire guy... but Ty is not for Lil. Ty isn't a born vampire and only born vampires are able to have children. Lil's parents would never approve and though she wants her own life she can't leave her family behind. Even though they are pretty high on the eccentric level. (Not by their own born vampire standards of course).

Dead End Dating is the ongoing story of Lil as she tries to balance her life, her business, help friends and dating clients and keep her family from intruding into what she has built as her own life, for herself. Plus, she is a vampire and has those kind of needs too.

I don't identify with the world of the fashionable types. It was a big plus for me that Lil is written as a woman who likes life, colour and being her own person. I like Lil because she wants to make something of herself and she doesn't give up. I also like her efforts to pay her bills and get her dating agency off the ground. Things don't always go her way, like someone in a romance novel.

Resources for Dead End Dating Fans

• Wikipedia - Kimberly Raye
• Goodreads Kimberly Raye

Certainly, electronic books have overcome their technological obstacles. Page turns are fast enough, battery life is long enough, and screens are legible in sunlight. Digital sales now account for 14% of Penguin's business. But there are reasons to reject the idea that the extinction of the printed book is just around the corner, just as there were reasons to reject the notion that e-books would never catch on because you couldn't read them in the bath and, y'know, books are such lovely objects.

Source: Is this the end for books? The Guardian.

I believe reading will be around in one form or another. Books have been a part of our world for such a long time they can't just fade away too quickly. But, things do change. Think of the current generation of teenagers. How many of them have every played a record, dialed a rotary phone...?

For me, reading a paperback book is my own style of comfort food (without the calories and concern about cholesterol). I read in bed, late at night. I read at the coffee shop. I never need to worry about a paperback book falling off my bed when I fall asleep reading. I don't feel too bad if I shove around a book in my purse and get it a little dog-eared. It's just been a bit more well read, enjoyed.

Digital technology is changing how we read as well as what we read. People are impatient, expecting near instant feedback to emails. Attention spans are getting shorter as well. How long will it take before people can't focus long enough to read at all? Everything will become visual in order to catch attention and keep it long enough to drill their message/ information into wandering minds. Already there is too much information, an overload of distractions.

I think we need to keep our brains able to read a good book. To wind down, focus on something for a longer time period and become more involved than just on the surface level.

(http://readtheprintedword.org/)Found on Domestic Cherry while looking at bloggers I used to visit regularly when I was part of Entrecard.

Read the Printed Word - We support the printed word in all its forms: newspapers, magazines, and of course books. We think reading on computers or phones or whatever is fine, but it cannot replace the experience of reading words printed on paper. We pledge to continue reading the printed word in the digital era and beyond.