Second, I’ve always thought my multiple-books-at-once reading habit was due to my schizophrenic nature vs. any subconscious language seeking, but it’s nice to hear a writerly justification of it! Can’t tell you that it’s necessarily aided my figurative language ability, which remains fairly poor, but I do know that it enriches my life — exploring the realms of the real and unreal, picking up humor one afternoon and historic non-fiction in the eve, etc.

I believe what this habit might actually be doing for me is less direct. In thinking about multiple spheres on a daily basis, I’m often struck by the juxtapositions of different subcultures, worlds and speech patterns. I do find myself experimenting with disparate characters in my fiction, mostly as a source of humor of course, since that’s what I write…but still. Food for thought.

Hope this new path inspires similes as original and brave as the Icelandic nudist luge squad. (See? Told you I wasn’t that good at them… .)