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BBAW Day 2 – Blogger Interview!

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Day 2 of Book Blogger Appreciation Week 2011 – This year’s theme is Cultivating a Community of Bloggers and Readers.  Today’s topic is blogger interview swap.  My interview partner is Linda from Silly Little Mischief ( http://sillylittlemischief.blogspot.com/). When I looked at her blog, I was amazed at her history – quite a lot to see and read! – and at the list of books that she reviewed and read.  I asked to be her friend on Goodreads and found that we have quite a few books in common.  What a fun way to meet a new friend!

The questions I asked Linda had a lot to do with her blog and blogging and less to do with her books and reading, but hopefully you learn something fun here!

Introducing, Linda…

Wow – you’ve been blogging a LONG time (since 2007!)!  Can you talk about your blogging beginnings?

I started blogging because I needed a place to dump all my thoughts on my 2008 wedding. Since then I’ve added posts about my life (books, food and travel).

Your blog is really organized and interesting to look at.  Can you talk about the technical aspects of your blog – have you always used your format or have you tweaked a lot throughout the years? Do you get help from someone? Do you have any sponsors?  

Thanks. I’ve switched templates several times over the years. I know a little HTML but I rely on premade templates for most of my blog. If I see something I like on someone else’s blog I’ll email them to find out how I can get it. I don’t take sponsors or paid advertising.

Do you follow a blogging schedule?  Where do you look for topic inspiration?

I usually blog Monday through Friday. I try to post every day. I look for inspiration everywhere-other blogs, my life.

How about your blog reading – do you catch up daily? Twice daily? Weekly? with the blogs that your read? 

I check blogs twice a day-in the morning and at night usually. I have 422 blogs in my Google Reader. I need clean that up but I’m sure BBAW will add to that!  (Yikes!)

We have read a lot of the same books – I’m definitely going to look for you on goodreads.  Do you have a favorite genre or style of writing? 

I generally read fiction (sci-fi, chick lit, YA, classics) but I will read nonfiction too. 

What book do you love that other people seem to dislike? 

I get a lot of grief from my real life friends about the amount of YA I read. A lot of them think I should be reading more adult books. 

What book did you dislike that others love?

I’ve been trying to read some classics-Catch-22, The Sun Also Rises. I haven’t really enjoyed too many of them. I did read Jane Eyre and enjoyed it.

What do you find to be the most rewarding thing about book blogging, or blogging in general?  

I love the dialogue that comes with blogging. Not just the comments but the posts that come out of what someone else said. I don’t blog in a bubble and I love interacting with other bloggers and my readers. 

Great questions! 

Thanks Linda!  Great to meet you!

Off to read!

40 Things (14)

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Elizabeth tells her father that Darcy was resp...

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Following along with Boof’s 40 Day Challenge leading up to her 40th birthday, her next topic is:

14) A favourite 19th century novel

I am going to be very unoriginal and say “Pride & Prejudice.” I love everything about Austen’s novel and will re-read it every few years forever. Easy peasy.

#14 on my list was to Apply for a New Job.  See yesterday’s post for how that went. I was content to happy in my old job, so although I applied for part-time work occasionally (the library or B&N) I wasn’t ever serious about looking for a new job.

Off to read!

BBAW – Day 1

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This week is Book Blogging Appreciation Week – year four!  I’m not sure I will participate in all of the daily topics, because I am trying to do the 40 things with Boof and another post per day may be a bit much, but you never know!

A great majority of the blogs that I read daily/weekly are book blogs.  I attempt to keep up with 79 blogs and am in awe of those who keep up with hundreds.  How does that happen???

Today’s BBAW topic is about community – giving a shout-out to those blogs that you admire, aspire to be, turn to for advice, or feel connected to.  I feel new to the book blog scene (just over a year) and the amount of bloggers out there overwhelms me.  (Maybe I need a new format to read them??)

A few that I can relate to and read frequently have ties to Minnesota, so I’ll name them first!

Book Snob is new to me, but discovered when she posted about a book that I read and loved this summer – The Girl in the Garden.  She is a Minnesota blogger (and the book was written by a MN native) and I’ve really enjoyed everything she has posted!  There’s so much to see on her blog!

Sheila at Book Journey is also living in Minnesota – up nort’, I believe.  It’s fun to read about her crazy-busy life as well as her perspective on books.

Mari at Bookworm with a View has moved a few times but I believe has ties to Minnesota. I discovered Mari through Lian at the Chaos Chronicles and have followed her probably the longest!  We have similar tastes in books and she also has some pretty fun adventures.

Obviously I’ve been following Boof quite closely at the Book Whisperer, and have been playing along with her 40 things challenge lately.  What fun it has been!  And I’ve just met Linda at Silly Little Mischief through BBAW’s Book Blogging Interview Swap.  She interviewed me and I interviewed her, and our posts will be up tomorrow.  We also have a lot of books in common.

Good stuff, blogging!  And now…

Off to read!

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40 Things (13)

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Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

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Following along with Boof’s 40 Day Challenge leading up to her 40th birthday, her topic today is:

13) A book that made me laugh out loud

Now that’s what I’m talking about. 🙂  There are a lot of books that make me smile the entire time I’m reading them – that’s the kind of books I choose, I guess.  As for laughing out loud, I have a vivid memory of reading “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,” and literally laughing until I cried. It’s not a great book, but it was the mood it put me in.  What a treat that was!  My daughter thought I was going crazy, on the other hand. I also chuckled a lot while reading Louise Rennison‘s books about Georgia.  How silly are they?

I love books like this, so I’m hoping for more recommendations!

#13 on my list of 40 Things was to make/update my resume.  I didn’t get around to that until recently – I guess I was content (lazy?).  Resume writing is so different now than the first few times I wrote mine.  I’ve decided it is an ever-changing document, because it needs to be tailored to the job that I’m applying for.  No more printing out dozens of copies on parchment paper (gosh, am I old??).

Off to read!

40 Things (12)

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Portrait of Jane Austen, from the memoir by J....

Portrait of Jane Austen, Image via Wikipedia

Following along with Boof’s 40 Day Challenge leading up to her 40th birthday, her twelfth topic is:

12) A favourite historical novel

I’m assuming a historical novel is written in present day about the past, rather than a book written in the 1800s about the 1800s.  I don’t have many of those on my goodreads list!  I know that back in the day, when I had more time and read anything I could get my hands on, I read a few “bodice rippers.”  They were good fun, but not earth shattering.  I’ve read quite a few books set in the past (Austen, Laura Ingalls Wilder, etc.) but most of the contemporary fiction I read is set in the 1900s, so although some historical (Water for Elephants, Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society – both great books set in the 1900s) I took this topic to mean a little before that time.

#12 on my list of 40 things was to “Read a good book every month!” and I think I’ve succeeded at that!  I know that I’ve become a much more purposeful reader – creating a list and choosing books off that list to read.  When I was in college I once described myself as a “book slut – I’ll read anything and everything,” but that is no longer true.  While a lot of things I read may not be considered great books, I am more intent on reading more good books.

Off to read!

40 Things (11)

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Cover of "Little Bee: A Novel"

Cover of Little Bee: A Novel

Following along with Boof’s 40 Day Challenge leading up to her 40th birthday, day 11 –

11) A book that made me cry

I wrote earlier this week about feeling negatively towards books that make me cry by manipulating my emotions (“Sister’s Keeper” and “Beatrice & Virgil”). I cry a lot during good books and movies (and TV shows), but when I read this topic, my first thought was of “Little Bee” by Chris Cleave. What a beautifully written, sad story that was. And no negative feelings attached to it. Good stuff.

#11 on my list of 40 Things is: Write More Letters.  Again, not very specific or measurable, but something I made a conscious effort to do. I still try to write letters and send snail mail, because I know that getting mail other than bills or junk is so much fun.  (I don’t hardly get bills anymore, because everything is online! Mostly junkmail!)

Well, I’m going to write a few letters RIGHT NOW because I even have some cool stamps!  So much fun… (Happy Birthday, Troy!)

Off to read!

40 Things (10)

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Creepy Woods

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Following along with Boof’s 40 Day Challenge leading up to her 40th birthday, day 10 (not sure I’ve ever posted ten days in a row before!):

10) A book that gave me the creeps

Hmmm again. I tend not to read books that give me the creeps. “The Giver” gave me the creeps (don’t like dystopia anymore) and I remember reading “Amityville Horror” as a teen, and that is memorable. Whenever I see a lot of flies in a room, I remember…

I don’t like to feel creeped out or grossed out or scared, so I really choose not to “feed my head” things (books, movies, TV) that would make me have any of those feelings.

On my list, #10 Watercolor – a class? just for fun?

Again, pathetic. I did some watercolor classes in the past and have dabbled in it a bit, but never to much finesse. It is relaxing and fun. I wonder where my watercolor/art tub went… I think I loaned it to someone before the flood and haven’t gotten it back yet!  Must call her…

I took a Chinese brush painting class and spent quite a lot of money framing my “masterpiece” of that day, but it doesn’t match my decor at this point so it is in the closet.  Ah, well.

Off to read!

40 Things (9)

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Institute of Arts

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Following along with Boof’s 40 Day Challenge leading up to her 40th birthday and her next question is:

9) A favourite crime fiction book

It isn’t a genre I read often, but I have read some good ones.  On audio I have enjoyed Patricia Cornwell‘s novels about Kay Scarpetta, Diane Mott Davidson’s catering sleuth, and Sue Grafton‘s alphabet novels about Kinsey Milhone.  I remember staying up all night reading John Grisham‘s “The Firm” – I couldn’t sleep until it was done – and feeling just as compelled to read Dan Brown‘s “DaVinci Code.”

#9 on my list was to “go to the Minneapolis Art Institute,” which I did with Deadra and John in April of 2007!  I should make it a yearly pilgrimage, as there is always so much to see in a museum and I just love looking at art.

Off to read!

40 Things (8)

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Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Image Co...

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Playing along with Boof’s 40 Day Book Challenge, her next question is:

8) A book that blew me away

I’m not sure how to define “blew me away.”  I’ve read books where the ending was a total surprise and I’ve been a basket case (“My Sister’s Keeper,” “Beatrice & Virgil“), but although I feel “blown away” I never like that feeling.  I feel manipulated and left with a negative feeling towards the book.

“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” by Jonathon Safron Foer is a beautifully written book that “blows me away” without manipulating my emotions.  It could be because of Oskar’s personality guiding me through the book… it’s just such a good book.

#8 on my list was to “Have Dinner Parties” which I am pretty good at.  I love to entertain and sometimes use it as a way to “experiment with new recipes” (see #7) but often it is less about the food and more about the fellowship, in which case we order in.  I should plan another soon!

Off to read!

 

40 Things (7)

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower

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Following along with Boof’s 40 Day Challenge leading up to her 40th birthday, her next question is:

7) A favourite YA book

I had to go to goodreads to find a list of “best YA books” to see if I had read any – and of course I have read quite a few!  The Harry Potter series would rank up there as favorites, but also “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and Louise Rennison’s books about Georgia (“Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging” et al).  When I was a YA, I read and re-read “A Wrinkle in Time” and as a grown adult with a YA of my own, I tried to read it and found it slightly disturbing.  So interesting how your brain changes…

#7 on my list of things to do before 40 was to “experiment with recipes.”  Wow.  How vague is that?  Since my daughter went to college in ’06 and the flood of ’07, I have cooked less and less.  When I do I like to try something new.  I set it as a goal in 2011 to cook weekly and have mostly failed at that as well.

What I am learning from reviewing my list of 40 things is that I need to be better at setting measurable and specific goals!  Although, it still was fun to create a list of the way I wanted things to be.

Off to read!