I was a library kid. My happy place was a quiet corner, surrounded by books, far from the constant noise of home—my dad’s bagpipes, my brother’s piano practice, and the general chaos of family life. Yet despite my love for books, there was a long period when I barely read at all.

What happened? School.

In the Netherlands, we were forced to read “real” literature for every language we studied—Dutch, English, French, German. And let me tell you, German post-war literature? Absolutely soul-crushing. When I asked my English teacher if I could read The Lord of the Rings, he frowned and said, I’m not sure if that’s literature. That moment killed something inside me.

Then came seminary. Again, reading—but only textbooks. Theology, philosophy, heavy-duty stuff. No time for fun books. Then I became a priest, and reading felt like a luxury. If I had free time, surely I should be praying or doing something “useful.”

And then, Harry Potter happened.

I was studying in Rome when I saw the first Harry Potter movie. It unlocked something in me. I devoured the books. I felt like a kid again. That led me back to The Lord of the Rings and other books I had once loved. But it wasn’t until the pandemic that my reading truly took off.

I discovered the Goodreads Reading Challenge. It gamified reading, and suddenly, my ADHD brain was hooked.

Audiobooks became my secret weapon. Running? Cleaning? Driving? That’s prime listening time. Storytel, a European audiobook service, let me consume books like never before. I figured out exactly how many hours I needed to hit my goal. And somehow, I did it.

This year? Disaster. I was so focused on writing my own novel that I didn’t read anything for six weeks. But I realized something: I need to read to write. Books feed my creativity. So now, I’m catching up—19 books behind, but I’ll make it.

I’m reading books strategically too. The Fourth Wing? Not my target audience, but I read it to understand why it’s so popular (and, let’s be honest, to roast it a little). The Way of Kings? I like Sanderson, but I also know his books draw a huge audience. Reading isn’t just a passion now—it’s part of my work.

And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.