Reading to Recharge

I don't have as much time to read as I used to, but reading fiction really helps me to refresh and write my own work with more energy. When I go too long without reading, I feel empty - like I'm out of fuel. So while reading is an important tool to learn how to write well, it's also an energy source.

So finding the time to read is really the trick. Once I started writing my book, all the spare time I used to read turned into my time to write. That's not going to change any time soon so it's time to find another way. I'm coming to a point where I need to read to keep sane. I haven't figured out what to do at home, but I'm using my upcoming beach vacation to read the first book in the Gideon Trilogy. It's taunting me from across the room as I write. Just a little bit longer, and it's all mine!

As a writer, how important is reading to you? What do you like to read? How do you make time for it?