Many listeners and past guests on WSIRN have shared their stories of reading dry spells due to chronic illness, anxiety, and disability. Today’s guest Kate Mitchell has experienced polar opposites in her reading life, going from a period of time when reading was literally her job, to stretches where reading was literally impossible because of chronic illness. Kate is sharing some of the wisdom she’s gained on her roller coaster of a reading life with us all, including practical tips for how to accept reality and adapt your reading life if you’re having a rough go of it yourself.Anne and Kate also chat about what realism looks like in the fantasy genre, books wayyyy too big to keep in your purse, and Kate gives Anne the student-debt-free cheat sheet to reading like you’ve got a Masters degree in literature.Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/177Hear more from Kate about her reading life and chronic illness at katethealmostgreat.com.Get closer to the creative process by joining WSIRN’s behind-the-scenes family on Patreon. Visit https://patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext for bonus episodes, outtakes, exclusive booklists, livestream chats with Anne, and more.Thanks to today's sponsors:You can find new and archival episodes of WSIRN, completely ad-free, on Stitcher Premium. Get a free month of Stitcher Premium with the code WONDERY.With Prep Dish, you shop once, prep once—Then enjoy delicious home cooked meals for the whole week in just 20-30 minutes a day. Check out PrepDish.com/READNEXT for a free 2-week trial.