Busting the Newbie Blues!!

Welcome to the second
Busting the Newbie Blues event!

Starting out as a new YA book blogger is a ton of fun. You meet a bunch of new people who all share in your passion for YA books, you become a part of a friendly community, and you're continually exposed to wonderful new books.

But sometimes things can be a little discouraging when you're just starting out. You look at your blog and then look at some of the awesome established bloggers out there and wonder if you'll ever make the grade.

So here's to Busting the Newbie Blues! Don't be discouraged. Instead, take action! Participate in the Busting the Newbie Blues event at Small Review, which will run through the entire month of January!

This event is designed to:

• Put new YA book bloggers on the map
• Increase blogger interaction
• Start a discussion by sharing our experiences as new bloggers
• Learn about what it was like for established bloggers when they were newbies

So how does this work? Simple:

• Be a YA book blogger (oldie or newbie)
• Select the questionnaire that best applies to you (there's no "wrong" choice, so just pick whichever one you feel most comfortable answering)
• Create a post on your blog with the questions and your answers

1.  When did you start your blog?
I started my blog on the last day of December 2009 when I wrote my first post.  I remember being so excited, not because of the post itself, but because I managed to figure out the technology to be able to post.   I laugh now, but it took some time for me to figure out some of the technology to be able to post some of things on my blog.  You should have seen how excited I was when I was successful with my first Youtube video.

2.  Do you ever still feel like a newbie?
It depends on what is going on.  I still feel like a newbie in the technology department because I have trouble with the HTML stuff and have messed up by blog a few times by playing around with the design; now, I just hire someone to do it as it's far easier and my blog doesn't have the potential to go 'poof' because I did something seriously wrong.  When it comes to posting, I feel more confident in what I am doing and am not as concerned about things as I used to be.  I am still in awe of some blogs and the time and effort they put into some blogging events; I wish I had the time to do some of the things that are done, but my day job is way too demanding.  It's not because of newbie tendencies anymore, but because there aren't enough hours in the day and now I know how much effort goes into some of these events.

3.  What has been the biggest challenge you've faced so far?  Did you make any mistakes new bloggers can learn from?
I still make mistakes every day and every week.  The biggest challenge is realizing I cannot do it all, including reviews, contests, and big events.  When I first started blogging, I took on too much and I was overwhelmed and started to hate blogging.  After a two week hiatus, I looked at what I enjoyed, and cut back on a lot of things, and now blog with more reasonable time frames.  I also spent too much time on the follows and the memes, which took up a lot of time away from the blogging part I enjoyed the most which was interacting with others and visiting other blogs.  Unfortunately, now it's my job that is pulling me away from this.

4.  What did you find most discouraging about being a new blogger?  How did you deal with this?
I think it was wondering if anyone would actually read my blog and start interacting with me.  When I first started blogging, I spent so much time on other people's blogs posting comments that I was hoping others would do the same.  I just kept going.  J. Kaye was the first to become a follower and as she was the blogger I admired most at the time, I remember being so incredibly thrilled when I saw that little follower list. 

5.  What do you find most encouraging?
Other people's wonderful comments and their email messages.  After my father passed away before Christmas, I got some beautiful email messages from some followers and I can't tell you how much that meant to me.  I find the whole spirit of the book blogging community is usually so wonderfully supportive and encouraging as a whole.  And any time I needed advice, I knew I could email any one of the more established book bloggers with a question, and any one of them would always respond.  It's something I try hard to emulate now that I've been doing this for a couple a years myself because I remember what it was like for me in the beginning.

6.  If you could go back in time and speak with your newbie self, what five bits of wisdom would you tell yourself?
1. Don't stress over followers on your blog and on twitter.  If you're patient, they will come. (Isn't there a movie with that line? LOL)
2. Post whatever you like, whenever you like.  Who cares if people like it or not.  Creating controversy is sometimes fun!!!  Quality is more important than quantity.
3. You blog for yourself, not for others.
4. Have fun.  Once blogging is no longer fun, quit or take a break.
5. Interact, interact, interact!!!

7.  What do you like best about the blogs you read?  Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?
I like the humour in some of them.  I like the originality and the creativity in some of the events.  I stay clear from trying to replicate or copy as it would seem completely fake; what I do is mine and based completely on my personality.  I tend to be very private and I don't think I could change that even if I wanted to, which I don't really want to. 

8.  What do you dislike about blogs you've seen?  Do you try to avoid this?
The colours.  I stopped following several blogs because I couldn't read them and there is no point to following if you can't read them.  Really bad grammar also puts me off.  I followed one blog for a while whose posts looked like something from a text message, and I just couldn't handle it any longer.  I also tend to avoid blogs that have really erotic content on them as I tend for a more family oriented blog.  I also stopped following several blogs as soon as I saw attacks towards other bloggers and / or authors that were very negative.  I just don't think a public domain is the place to attack someone, especially with vulgarity used in the process.  I try really hard to be positive, even in my more negative reviews.  Of course there are books that I have actively disliked, but I have come to the point in my reading life where I either do not finish them, or I do finish them, and then contact the publisher and / or author personally and ask their opinion about what they wish me to do with the review.  We then come to a mutual agreement.

9.  How did you bring your blog to the attention of so many people?
I participated in a number of events, especially in my first year of blogging.  Blogmania was a great way to visit new blogs and I participated in one of those, plus I hosted some contests.  I also participated in some hops.  Other than that, it was pretty much word of mouth and it happened slowly. Oh, and I networked and interacted big time!!!!!!   I finally caved in and now have a Twitter account that I should really learn how to use properly; I have to look up what some of the short forms mean on a cheat sheet I found on the Internet, isn't that horrible?  And I finally joined Networked Blogs about a month ago.  The Google+ thing I have, but I don't really know how to use it as I haven't had time to play with it.

10.  When and how did you get your first ARC (or your first ARCs)?
I had actually been a reviewer for several years for another company, and a blog before I decided to start my own blog.  It was actually at the suggestion of a rep from a publishing house that I began my blog in the first place as she said I could receive my own ARCs rather than get them through someone else on someone else's schedule.  So that's what I did.  My situation was rather different and before I knew it, I was getting books from Penguin Canada.  My advice for newbies is to read your own books at first, be patient, and not expect the ARCs or other books; it will all come with time and with patience, and before you know it, you will find a request in your email for books.  Another way to go about it is to put your name in for independent books, there are manyy sites, and have indie authors contact you.  A lot of their books are really good and you may be surprised at the results.  Established authors from publishing houses are switching to independing publishing so you never know who may contact you.  Many of them use ereaders, so you may want to invest in one as well.

Saturday 9: Melancholy Man - Saturday Fun!!

I was browsing some blog sites today and I found this weekly meme, Saturday 9, which looked interesting so I thought I would join in this week.  I like to do these occasionally as they're fun and they're different from doing the usual book reviews, posts, etc...  It's also a way to share some fun and interesting things about me that doesn't often come out in book reviews.  There are 9 questions to answer; some weeks the questions are focused around themes and others are just random questions. 


1. Are you more melancholy on occasion?
Oh, definitely.  I can brood with the best of them, especially if I don't get enough sleep and particularly during the months of November and February, which I tend to find gloomy.  Lots of walks, and plenty of reading material, especially of the dark nature, help me get through those moments.  If I can find books where the heroes and heroines have it pretty rough, it makes my life look pretty good, you know??

2. What did you think you looked like when you were a teenager?
Let's just say that there are pictures of adolescence I definitely do not want to show anybody.  I was gangly, grew almost six inches in one year, was shy, and had low self-esteem outside of a pool, but in the water I was aggressive and strong. I often get asked by my students if I ever had the chance to go back to my teenage years if I would, and my answer is a definitive "NO".  I enjoyed them, but too many turbulent emotions, and too many changes happening for my emotional mind to handle. I prefer things now.

3. Whose advice are you least likely to listen to?
I don't know.  If I was asked this question twenty years ago, this would have been easy to answer, but now, I tend to listen when given advice.  Whether I follow it or not is another thing, but I always tend to listen.

4. Tell us about a job that you liked when you were younger.
I was a lifeguard / swim instructor and I loved it.  It taught me a lot about myself and about teaching and about young children. 

5. Would you lie to someone if you knew the truth would end your friendship or relationship?
It would depend on the situation.  I know lying isn't great, but I have been in the situation where I didn't so much as have to lie as have to withhold the truth about something, and although it bothered me to the umpteenth degree, the truth wasn't my truth to tell, so I didn't.  It all came out in the end and the person and I are still friends.

6. What do you have little or no patience for?
Where do I begin? Slow drivers who get in my way, people who don't listen and ask the same question multiple times, rude behaviour such as not holding doors open for other people and jumping into line, people who can't throw their trash in the garbage even if they're standing five feet from a garbage can, smokers who throw their butts all over the ground, my daughter when she gets her back up, and the list goes on.  I try not to let it get to me too much, but there are times I find some things really irritating.

7. What is there never enough hours in the day to do?
Sleep, enough said.

8. What is the most productive thing that you accomplished in October?
It's sad when you have to think of this one.  I'm in the midst of preparing new courses for work so I don't always feel very productive, but I guess it would be accomplishing my goal of having a balance in my life between work and home.  I think that's pretty productive as work can get pretty busy.

9. What have you always wanted to learn but haven't yet?
Another one of those where do I begin things - golfing, learning to speak several other languages other than the two I speak, flying an airplane, repelling (down a mountain), and a thousand and one other things that I would love to try.  It's time to revamp that bucket list.

Fall Into Reading: Question #5

Fall Into Reading is hosted by callapidder days

Question #5: Do you skim? Or are you faithful to every word?

I'll totally admit I do both, depending on what I am reading.  I do try very hard to read every word as I love descriptions and try to soak up the atmosphere as much as possible in a book.  I like paying attention to how authors string concepts together and how everything is drawn together in such a way that is mesmerizing and intriguing. 

My husband tends to read each word much more than I do, while I have a tendency to skim over passages and things that I don't think are helpful to a story or are pointless, and this includes dialogue as well and not only descriptive passages.  There are many descriptive passages that are wonderful reading fodder and add so much to the story and these I read word for word.  I also tend to skim through the sex scenes in a novel, especially if they go on and on, and end up being very descriptive and detailed, and the novel wasn't classified as erotica, a genre I typically avoid. 

In general however, I tend to read each word more than I skim as lately I find that if I'm skimming too much it's because I'm not enjoying the book and it's time to find another one.  I'm long past the days of reading everything through to the end as I just don't have enough time in a day. 

Some Bookish Questions & Other Info

Hi everyone!  I'm off for another few days at my wonderful home-away-from-home, my trailer.  I don't have internet there so I'm not compelled to check my blog every couple of hours or my email to see what is going on.  I wish I could get more reading done while there, but there is so much happening and so many people with which to socialize, well...the reading just doesn't happen as much as I wish.  There are some pretty neat things happening here though, and I'm really looking forward to some exciting scavenger hunts, some nifty guest posts, and some blog hop giveaways.  I haven't participated in one of those in a while, so I thought, why not?

I went to the library yesterday in search of a book for my son, and I'm so proud of myself as I came out alive and with only two books for myself.  That is quite the accomplishment as I have a few other books on the agenda and I don't have time to indulge in library books at the moment.  I don't think I've ever come out of a library with only two books before in my life.  My son has developped a huge interest in Harry Potter and I've realized I am missing book 2 for some reason (don't know how that happened as I am so fastidious over series I loved), and as he finished book 1 at midnight the other night, I was sent searching for book 2 as the situation was 'dire'.  As I have been in that situation more than once in my life, I understood, and went directly in search of book 2 for him.  Luckily, I still have the others and this situation won't happen again.  Dealing with an 11-year-old who is reading until 2 in the morning is a new situation for me though. 

http://btts.wordpress.com/

Question: There are so many crappy biographies … would you rather read a poorly-written biography of a fascinating life, OR an exquisitely well-written, wonderful read of one of a not-so-interesting life?



Poorly written work is rather a pet-peeve of mine and I would rather read a wonderful, well-written one of someone who is not-so-well-known than a biography of someone who is well-known, knowing the research is not well-done and the facts are distorted.  Personally, if you are going to write a biography, then you should put the legwork in and research the facts as they are and not just fill in the blanks to suit your own whimsy.  For example, there are a lot of biographies on Elizabeth I, some great and some...well, you understand, if you've read them.

I'm also not interested in reading biographies about people in order for sensationalism, just to sell a book.  The 'tell-all' biographies turn me right off, such as those written about celebrities, ones that are full of 'juicy tidbits' about celebrities' personal lives.  Maybe this sounds somewhat 'stuck-up' (sorry, I don't know what other term to use), but I'm just not interested in reading about that kind of thing.  Don't mistake this for not reading about the lives of celebrities, as I will read a well-written account of a celebrity if I know it is written by someone who is reliable and writes about the person because they found them interesting, not because they had a 'big' scandal and wants only to talk about the 'scandal'.  Am I babbling, or making myself clear?

What I really do enjoy are biographies about historical figures as I have an obsession with history.  I don't blog a lot about them on my blog as they're for more personal reading, but I have thought more than once about starting a historical reading blog.  Unfortunately, I just don't have the time at the moment to run both.  For those writers who take the time to research and write beautiful, intriguing, and truthful biographies about the people whom they choose to write, please continue to do so for those of us who devour them.

TGIF - Hoard or Lend?

I found this interesting, interactive meme that discusses books based on a weekly question.  I've seen a few of these around the blogosphere and I think they are fun as you get to interact with other bloggers and check out their answers.  It's a great way of getting involved and for me, it's a great way to check out some other blogs.

Ginger at GReads is asking this week:   Do you share your books with others? Who was the last person you sent a book to?

This has always been a touchy subject for me as I tend to hoard books in the way that some people collect spoons or cow figurines or fancy designer dolls.  I have a few prized books that are out of print and would be very difficult to replace; these are hidden away so even my friends and family don't know I possess them and therefore, are completely out of temptation's reach for anybody.  While I'm not such a purist anymore, I also have a problem when books are returned in a different condition from the way they were when I lent them out.  I had a friend, in particular, who didn't care about the treatment of her books, and continuously returned my books with the front cover half missing, pages ripped, corners bent, and so on.  I drove me absolutely crazy and I ended up not lending her any more books.  For one thing, I paid good money for them so I figured people should at least take care of somebody else's possession, but it seems that books don't always fall in this category for many people. 

Speaking of hoarding, I have gotten a lot better in the past few years, and don't have as much of a problem giving books away as I used to.  There are certain ones that I will keep for myself because I enjoyed them so much, and I usually tend to keep those that are signed by the author.   Lately, I've been sharing some of them with students in my classes and they seem to be enjoying them.  I've also been thinking of donating some of them to my school library as they can always use a few extra fiction novels and would appreciate it.  I still have an issue with books being returned in a bad state, but only because I feel people should take care of other people's possessions, not because of the treatment of the book itself.  If it belongs to you, do what you want with it, except please don't treat first editions and other rare books as if they can be replaced.  Take care of those ones!!

I'm off to go for a walk with my family and enjoy this absolutely beautiful spring evening.  Cheers, everyone!

Some Bookish Questions & More About Me!!

I really enjoy doing this on Thursdays as it's such a nice way to open up a little bit and have a little fun.  I finally got my new ereader yesterday, and I am thrilled to have one again.  If you are a regular follower of my blog, you will know that my other one literally went "kaput" several weeks ago for no reason other than to send me into hysterics, especially with review deadlines approaching.  I had to return it in order for it to be replaced, but now I have to download all of the books onto it again.  At least I have a working ereader again.  You know, I never thought I would be so attached to the thing as I was originally opposed to them, but now I would rather leave the house without my cellphone than leave the house without my ereader.  Go figure!!

The weather has been fantastic this week, and I am now counting the days down until my holidays.  It's getting tough to focus and with exams still to go, and a ton of marking still to do, it's hard to want to concentrate on that stuff when the sun is shining and the heat is finally here.  I love the rain, but I definitely don't want to see it again for a few days.  I really feel sorry for those folks who have it tough right now with all of the flooding and the terrible thunderstorms and tornadoes that have hit so many parts of Canada and the United States.  My heart goes out to all of you who are affected!!!

Reading has been going great these past few weeks.  I feel rejuvenated and want to get my hands on every book out there.  The only problem being that work is getting in the way so I can't read as much as I would like.  I've been sent some pretty interesting books too, and I've now got a book going in almost every room in my house and at my trailer.  I also have one sitting on my desk at work, but so far have resisted the temptation to touch it as that would be very bad, very very bad.  I have to say though, even I am pretty impressed by my willpower. 

http://bttw.wordpress.com/

Question:  Do you read book reviews? Whose do you trust? Do they affect your reading habits? Your buying habits?

I do actually read book reviews, but I make it a point of never reading a book review on a book I am going to review.  Otherwise, I am happy to read reviews and points of view as I find them fascinating.  I love to discuss and debate books, so if someone has a different opinion than mine, I like nothing more than to discuss the why and wherefore of their reasoning and thoughts.  Such fun!  I have a specialist in literature, so I really enjoy analyzing books in all contexts, although I really have to watch when I am writing reviews that I don't go too literary.  I would love to have a feature on my blog where I take a text from a novel and analyze it; I just don't have the time right now to do it.  Later, perhaps. 

Reading book reviews doesn't usually affect my reading habits as I usually tend to prefer making my own judgments on what I read.  It will stop me from buying a book once in a while, and borrow from the library first however.  But I was never one to run out and buy just any book anyway as I was a selective buyer and always made use of the library.  If I hadn't, I would never have been able to buy my house.  Buying books = no money. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and there will always be books that other people like that I don't and vice versa.  The Twilight saga is a perfect example of this; while I didn't mind the first book in the series, I am definitely not a big fan of the other books in this series, while others simply feel they are their all-time favourite books.  I would never read them again and would never purchase them and am glad I borrowed them from the library.   There are some authors however, I will buy no matter what, like Jean Auel.  And there are some reviewers whom I love to read their blog posts and highly respect their opinion. 

On to another weekend, and hopefully a sunny one.  My children are off because of a PA Day and I am incredibly jealous and will probably grumble tomorrow morning when everyone gets to sleep in and I have to haul my tired carcass out of bed at 5:30, otherwise known as "o-dark and ugly".  Grumble, grumble!!

Armchair BEA: Blogging About Blogging

Today's theme is about blogging itself - the technical aspect, the social aspect, the ups and downs of blogging, and the reasons why you may blog in the first place.  There are definitely some things I learned over the past year that I have found incredibly helpful when it comes to blogging.

Keep it fun - Although I've been blogging for less than a year and a half, I did go through a period where I didn't actually enjoy what I was doing.  I put a lot of stress on myself to post almost every day, to visit other blogs and network, to try to come up with original content, and I found myself quickly running out of steam and looking for ways to avoid blogging.  After a break of about three weeks, and a lot of thought, I changed my approach which was less stressful for me, and it rejuvenated my love of writing on my blog.  I think I just got caught up in the stats and in the numbers and forgot why I blogged in the first place.  There was nothing really negative in the comments or anything, other than the comments about maybe focusing on one genre, which will never happen on my blog, but it was the stress I put on myself over the stats and the followers. I remember it being such a big deal whenever I lost a follower. Now,...!?!?  Once I refocused on why I blog, I loved doing it again.  I have taken all the stats counters off my blog, except for the followers, and will never put them on again.

Learn to say no - This is a rule I had to learn the hard way as there are just so many interesting and fascinating books out there, I had a difficult time saying no to review copies.  This has changed and I may have to go through periods where I don't accept any, or hire another reviewer for my blog.  It is so easy to get caught up in the excitement of being asked to review books that it is easy to get carried away and get stressed out.  You can't do anything about books being sent to you randomly, but you can take control of those you are asked to review.

Keep a calendar - I now keep a separate calendar for book review posting dates, guest blogs, and interviews as it is so easy to forget about them, especially when you are asked to do them months before.  With a really demanding day job, sometimes my blogging has to take a back seat, especially at certain times of the year, and it is easy to forget about blog deadlines.  I love working with certain tour book groups and with certain publishers because they always send reminder emails.  I almost forgot about one recently and if it wasn't for the reminder email, I would never have published the post.

Keep an open mind - I was dead set against e-books until I finally purchased an e-reader last year.  To my utter amazement, I have developed a fondness for my e-reader that is borderline obsessive.  When it went caput last week, and I had to return it and was told it will take 2-6 weeks before I will get a new one, I was almost in hysterics.  I actually feel lost without it as I am so used to having it always with me.  Who knew I would catch up with technology like that!!  I still can't figure out all of the HTML stuff on my blog and tend to mess it up (I'm so glad I have the amazing Emily from Blogaholic Designs, who designed my blog, to fix anything up when I play around with it), but I am slowly learning.

There are so many different reading blogs out there, so many different types of memes, so many different types of contests, that it can be overwhelming and confusing to those who are new to the game.  When I first started blogging, I found myself doing a lot more memes, but now tend to avoid most of them except for a few I really enjoy doing.  I like Waiting on Wednesday, Enquiring Minds Want to Know, Booking Through Thursday, IMM, and It's Monday! What Are You Reading?  I do not however, participate in these every week anymore, only when I have the time or when I find the questions really interesting.  I still participate in some of the contest hops, but not all of them.  I also never make 'following' a requirement for any of my contests anymore; I also tend to be turned off by contests that make following a necessary requirement for entering.  I follow if I enjoy the content on a blog, and I hope people follow me because they want to read what I have to say.  One day, I would love to have the time to really include a lot of the things I would love to write about.  For example, I would love to take passages from novels and analyze them like we did in university as it would be fun.  I used to love the debates as we would argue about what they really meant in terms of the characters and the events in the novels.  Such fun!!!  I want to include more travel writing in my blog as I travel a lot and would love to share my experiences.

One of the things I wish I had more time to do is visit other blogs.  I try to catch up on those I follow whenever I have time and bookmark certain posts that I think look interesting to read later, but time is so short I've learned I can't do it all.  There needs to be a good balance between life and blogging, and my family definitely comes first in my life.  If I don't post for several days, so what?  I can't keep up with bloggers who are single or those who have made blogging their jobs, nor do I ever want to.  When I do have time, I like visiting and commenting on other blogs as it's fun and interesting, and I love reading what people have to say.  Networking is definitely important at all stages of blogging.  It also reminds people you are still there and still blogging.  I find Twitter to be great as I have reached so many authors and people through that medium; I am still learning the game on Twitter so I tend to make a lot of posting mistakes on that medium.  You need to be patient with me.  And one day, I will show up on Facebook.  Promise!

I was a book reviewer long before I began this blog, so the blogging just sort of happened as part of the reviewing process.  I didn't expect it to be anything more than a platform where I could write my thoughts about something I love to do and will continue doing for the rest of my life.  Discussing books with authors and other book bloggers is an amazing and fun thing to do and I love doing it.  I appreciate it when authors comment on my blog, and I know they appreciate it when I mention their books on my blog.  Besides, I have always been a writer and for too long, I have repressed that side of me; it's time to allow that writer in me to evolve and blossom and this is just a stepping stone. 

For now, blogging has continued to evolve and be an important part of my life.  I hope to continue, grow, expand, and develop some new things as it is always about risk-taking and learning something new.  I am looking forward to seeing where all of this leads us and where the print-industry is headed.  Exciting times, folks, exciting times!!!

Enquiring Minds & A Little Personal Time!

This Monday is Victoria Day in Canada.  And while most people recognize Queen Victoria for what she has accomplished, I also believe most people celebrate her today because of the holiday.  I know I am looking forward to a three-day weekend; three blissful days at the trailer where I can hopefully relax and read, go hiking and biking, and do some more sightseeing trips with the kiddies.  And hopefully, we will get a break from the RAIN!!!!!  

Enquiring Minds Want to Know is hosted by Dollycas's Thoughts.  It's a series of three fun questions that allows readers to get a tiny glimpse into the personal lives of bloggers, something we don't always see because we focus so much on books.  I also tend to guard my privacy, almost too much, so it's nice to do a post once in a while, and share a little bit about me.

1. When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a WITCH!!!  It sounds weird, but I was fascinated by all things paranormal and my mom told me that my goal as a child was to be a witch.  If I couldn't, then I wanted to be what most little girls wanted to be be, a princess.  The paranormal thing is still central to my life, and I tend to be drawn by novels that have paranormal elements to them first. 

2. Did you go to college?
I went to university, three of them and have three degrees.  I have an Honours Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education, a Bachelor's Degree in Education, and a Master's Degree in Education.   I thrive on schooling and was also accepted to pursue my studies for my Doctorate several years ago, something I have been deferring due to time limitations plus I have two children who need me more than I need a Doctorate's at the moment.  I figure when my children are off to university, I will have more time to pursue further education. 

3. Do you attend your high school or college reunions?
Not a chance.  It's not that I didn't enjoy university or high school, but I have no desire to revisit old haunts.  I tend to live in the present and don't really revisit the past very often.  I have no desire whatsoever to go to any of my reunions.

http://btt2.wordpress.com/

Question: In contrast to last week’s question–What do you think of censoring books BECAUSE of their intended age? Say, books too “old” for your kids to read?


I'm not in favour of censoring books at all.  I would not have been happy as a child being told I couldn't read something because of my age as I always thought it depended on your maturity level as well as your individual knowledge and experience.  I was well-travelled and my parents always insisted that I learned things about the outside world, that my experience was always greater than what was around me, so I always felt I was more mature than other people my age.  Plus, as I was very widely read, I learned a lot from newspapers, journals, encyclopedias, novels, and so on, that I felt I could handle reading anything that came before me.  If I had questions about what I was reading, I always felt comfortable asking my parents, and we had some great dinner discussions because of the questions I asked.  I encourage my children to do the same thing in their reading.  Obviously, they will come across concepts they will not fully understand until they are older, but does that mean they shouldn't read the books?  No way, not in my world.  It's generated fantastic discussions in my household too, and I want that to continue.  There are many levels to learning.



Enquiring Minds Want to Know

Hi everyone!  I really enjoy this meme, hosted by Dollycas's Thoughts, as I get to share some personal information with all of you that I don't really get to discuss with my usual posts.  It's fun and interesting and different.  Blogging is such a small part of my world, and I don't have time to post all of the really interesting things that make up my life every day, but one of the things on my bucket list is to start a blog that is completely different from a reading blog, one that features all of the funny and unusual anecdotes that make up my day.  Perhaps when I retire?  In about 200 years from now?

1. How often do you go to the hair salon or the beauty parlour?

I have really curly hair and it's long, so it's not as imperative for me to go every three months unless I have highlights.  As I don't currently have highlights right now, I tend to put it off until I absolutely need to go.  I enjoy going as I like having my head massaged.  I know that seems weird, but my hairdresser used to be a massage therapist.  She has an injury that prevents her from doing her regular job full-time, so she supplements her job with hairdressing.  The head message is unbelievable and really relaxes me. 

2.  Have you ever had a massage?

Every month.  When I ran six days a week, I found as I got older my body couldn't handle the constant pounding and marathon training pretty much killed me, so I turned to a massage therapist for help.  She was a miracle worker and worked out all of the kinks every month.  It's amazing how tightly wound up we can get, and type A personality that I am, I especially feel it around my upper back and neck.  I especially loved it when I was pregnant.  Now I take my children regularly and they enjoy it too.  As they are pretty involved in the martial arts, with my daughter also doing gymnastics, it's good for them to learn how to relax and it makes them feel good.  And if insurance pays, why not?

3.  Have you ever been able to enjoy a full day of pampering at the spa?

Absolutely!  Love it!  Can't wait to do it again!  It makes you feel so good (and hubby likes it when I come home all relaxed, as well!!!).

http://www.btt2.wordpress.com/

In a related question to last week’s–

I was reading the other day a quote from JFK Jr who said on the death of his mother, that she died surrounded by family, friends, and her books. Apparently, Jackie’s books were very much a part of HER, her personality, her sense of self.

Up until recently, people could browse your bookshelves and learn a lot about you–what your interests are, your range of topics, favorite authors, how much you read (or at least buy books).

More and more, though, this is changing. People aren’t buying books so much as borrowing them from the library. Or reading them on their e-readers or computers. There’s nothing PHYSICAL on the shelves to tell strangers in your home, for better or worse, who you ARE.

Do you think this is a good thing? Bad? Discuss!

Answer:
The people who know me best already know about my addiction for reading.  When visitors come to my house, they always comment on my bookshelves as they are always overflowing and I can never seem to get a handle on the organization part of things.  People will definitely know I am an eclectic reader, there is no doubt in my mind as I have every type of genre sitting on my bookshelf in no particular order.  While I have an e-reader, it will never replace the physical pleasure I get from handling books.  I hope that people will think I am well-read as I have everything from popular fiction to historical fiction to classics to non-fiction sitting on my shelves.  In the long run, the shelves are for me and not for others. They also contain momentos and pictures from all of my travels and my family.   I will also continue to frequent libraries as I adore them and can lose myself there for hours.  It's like a home away from home, and a library has always been a safe spot for me, other than my own home, of course. 

What do your bookshelves say about you?

Personal Time!

Hi everyone! I really enjoy the Thursday memes where it's time to get personal and share a little bit about yourself.  Although I focus mainly on reviewing books and guard my privacy like crazy, I do like to share some things about myself. 

Enquiring Minds Want to Know is a weekly meme hosted by Dollycas's Thoughts.  It's a fun way to share some interesting things about yourself that you wouldn't normally discuss in a regular post.  We spend a lot of time on our computers, often sharing thoughts and comments, but we don't really know each other that well.  As they do in the younger grades, something I always rather enjoyed which says a lot about my mental state, it's "special share day".

1. Author Jessica Park commented this week on Facebook that "Naming characters takes me almost as long as it does to write the book." which led me to start thinking about names. Is there a story behind your first name?


I was supposed to be named Jennifer.  My mother really wanted her first child to have that name and throughout her pregnancy she insisted on calling me Jennifer, even insisting she was carrying a girl.  As soon as I was born, she called me Stephanie and that was that.  My dad tried reminding her about the 'Jennifer' name, but you don't ever argue with someone who just went through labour as she insisted on Stephanie, and Stephanie it is.  I'm really glad I wasn't named Jennifer as I went through elementary school with four Jennifers in my class and that would not have been fun.

2. Do you think parents today give more thought to the names they give their children than our parents did?

I don't really think so.  I've seen some pretty unusual names, but I also see many of the traditional come through all the time too.  My grandmother's name was Jeanne D'Arc.  In English, that would be Joan of Arc, and today that would be pretty original and unprecedented.  Even for a girl born in the early twenties in a rural French community, it was pretty unusual.

3. What is the most unusual child's name you have noticed recently?

I have no idea.  I am a teacher so I come across some pretty unusual and fascinating names all of the time.  What I really like is the unusual spellings of everyday names such as Kamron, Holleigh, Ashleigh, Ashelynne, Quinne, Margherhite, Aprille, and so on.  I see a lot of that now and it's pretty neat. 

Booking Through Thursday

Do you multi-task when you read? Do other things like stirring things on the stove, brushing your teeth, watching television, knitting, walking, et cetera?


Or is it just me, and you sit and do nothing but focus on what you’re reading?

(Or, if you do both, why, when, and which do you prefer?)

I do both actually, but it depends on what I am doing.  I can definitely read while watching television, but when things get interesting on television, or in my book, I will give either my undivided attention instead of just part of my concentration.   My husband is always amazed that I can do that as he definitely can't.  Maybe it's a skill I've learned through watching my mom do it when I was young as she always read and watched tv and always knew what was going on.  And I always tried to emulate my mom.

I can definitely read and cook and do other things.  I can't read and exercise though.  I've tried and it just doesn't work.  I've switched to audiobooks for that as I can't hold a book and walk without walking into something, you know, like a tree, a car, a hole, and hurt myself terribly.  And hurts take a lot longer to heal today than they did twenty years ago.  Besides, I like looking at things when I walk.  And reading is for passing the time when I am bored. 

Which one do I prefer?  Oh, reading quietly with no distractions, for sure.  I still have a list when I was five years old of the ten things I could never do without and BOOKS were at the top of my list then and would probably still be at the top of my list today.  Today, however, it would say EREADER as it can hold more books.

Weekend Questions: A Bit of This and That!!

Hi everyone!  Every once in a while it's always nice to participate in some of the weekly questions and share a little bit about ourselves.  I tend to be a private person, and like to keep myself out of the public as much as possible, but there are times I would just like to lay it all out there, but I know I can't.  So, here are a couple of interesting questions that I thought would be fun to answer and share.

From Danielle @ There's a Book:

We all leave our “footprint” on the world, in one way or another. We each, individually, do something or are someone that makes the world a little better just by being here. I created this weekly meme to get to know the blogging community I love just a bit better. To know what makes them tick, outside of books, that is. Each week I will post a question to be answered in the following week’s “A Bit of Me(Me)”. Check back each Saturday to get the info for next week’s post and link up with your current post right here.

This week's question: What would your dream job be?

This is something I have thought about many times over the years, and other than be the greatest magician / sorceress ever, it would have to be an archaeologist.  I have always been a huge fan of historical fiction / non-fiction, even as a young child, and would spend hours immersed in books learning about various cultures and traditions and histories.  That soon spread to spending time in museums, castles, historical locations, or whatever had a historical interest.  I travel so I can visit historical locations, and not to spend time on the beach, which actually bores me to tears.  Why I never really pursued this in university is not really evident to me, but obviously God had a different path for me than this, so I became a secondary school teacher instead.  While I've never regretted this choice, and it happened naturally and gradually, I have wondered what my life would have been like if I had changed my major in university from Kinesiology and pursued  History, or actually did my Master's Degree in History insteady of Education.  I have been accepted to do another Master's Degree in History, but I've deferred it as I just don't have the time or the energy to devote myself to another degree.  Writing and defending a thesis can be brutal and I don't believe I want to do that right now.

My favourite classes in university were the History and Archaeology courses I took and I probably should have realized at that point where my interests really were, but I wasn't sure what I really wanted to do with my life and that probably affected my thinking.  Aren't a lot of us in that same boat.  If I went back and told my fifteen-year-old self that I would one day be a teacher, I would have laughed my head off and said, "No way!"  It's interesting the path that is laid out before us.  Now, if I could win the darn Lotto Max ($50 million last night), well, hello archaeology!!  And hello retirement!!!

Weekend Question is hosted by Cleverly Inked.

This week's question is:
Are you a moody reader? For example do you tend to lean to a certain type of book but get turned off or burned out by the genre and flip to another? Or lets say you are a reviewer... Do you think if you are in a mood for a different genre than the book you are reading would it affect your review?

I am definitely a moody reader.  I go through phases where I want to read a certain type of book, and don't want to read anything else.  This makes reviewing difficult at times because sometimes I need to review a Young Adult novel for example, as it is next on the list, but I am really in the mood for Historical Romance or Urban Paranormal.  I will actually grab what I want to read and put it beside the book I am supposed to be reading and end up flipping between the two books.  This puts pressure on me because then I need to read like mad to finish something I am supposed to be reading already. It helps that I am an eclectic reader already.  One of the complaints I've received about my blog is that I don't focus on any one genre (there are too many different types on my blog) and some readers don't like that, but I will never change or focus on one or two genres  because I will seriously burn out reading only one genre and probably hate what I am doing.    I actually had a dream the other night where I was attacked by a flesh-eating book and that is not a good sign. 

Some Bookish Questions: Another Round

I saw this at It All Starts With a Book and although I remember doing this last year, I thought I would also do this again as it looks interesting.  Besides, once I am finished, I am going to take a look at last year's answers and see what has changed.  Knowing my reading habits, I am sure very little has changed as I am very much a creature of habit.  If anything, it would be my book buying habits.

Let's take a look and see how I am doing now as a reader, shall we?





Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack:
I am a sunflower seed addict, and tend to only eat them when I read.  I am trying to break the habit, but it hasn't been easy.  Otherwise, I don't really need to eat anything else while reading.  I don't tend to eat anything when using my ereader as I'm afraid to spill anything on it.

What is your favorite drink while reading?
I usually drink water, and maybe a Diet Rootbeer.  I always have a cup of Chamomile Tea before going to bed though as I find it relaxes me.  I usually read while drinking the tea; it's a nightly ritual.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?
I'll mark ARCs if I know I am not giving them away, but otherwise I don't usually tend to mark them up unless I see a quote that is just too good to pass up.  I'm not a purist by any means, but because I usually give them away, it's hard for someone else to read them if they're all marked up.  If I know I am keeping them, then no problem.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?
I'll use whatever is laying around.  As I have kids, I can usually find something to keep my place, whether it's a pencil, pen, toy, whatever will stay in the book.  The kids have been trained not to pull anything they find in any of my books without asking first, or by substituting something else.  They've learned over the years.

Fiction, non-fiction, or both?
I read pretty much anything and everything, except westerns as I don't like them.  As I think about it, I'm not really interested in Erotica either.  Anything else is game!!

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?
With two children, I can stop anywhere.  It's never really been a problem.  I actually find it easier to stop in the middle of the chapter as the end sometimes makes me want to keep reading, you know?

Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?
I have never thrown a book across the room or on the floor, other than a textbook and for different reasons, although I have been sorely tempted.  Karen Marie Moning's Fever series certainly tried my patience and I know I definitely felt that way when I read The Plains of Passage by Jean Auel.  It was knowing how long I'd have to wait until the next book came out before finding out what happened.  Other books like Book 7 of The Wheel of Time just tried my patience, period.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?
Never.  I am not a person who is does what she preaches to her students.  The only time I look things up in the dictionary is when I'm helping my kids with their homework and I have to, or when I'm looking up obscure words my students used in their essays and have never seen before and am not sure they even exist except in their own universe.  My ereader has a built-in dictionary and I haven't even opened it up.  I will however, encourage my children to use it.  I've always been strong in literature, spelling, and comprehension, so have never needed to use one.

What are you currently reading?
I am reading Chime, Blue, Always A Witch, Tempted by Fate, and The Agency: The Body at the Tower.

What is the last book you bought?
I am on a book buying ban so the last book I bought, Delcroix Academy: The Candidates, was in December.  It hasn't been as hard as I thought.

Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time, or can you read more than one?
I have never read one book at a time in my life.  I wouldn't even know how to do that.  As you can see by the above list, I have five on the go at the moment.  Consider it learned at my mother's feet.

Do you have a favorite time/place to read?
Not really.  I can read anywhere, anytime.  I never leave the house without a book and can and will pull out a book wherever I am waiting.

Do you prefer series books or stand alones?
It doesn't matter.  Sometimes I get frustrated by series as they go on forever.  Sometimes they are like old friends you can revisit and feel comfortable with. 

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?
I always recommend Jean M. Auel, Cassandra Clare, Anne Perry,

How do you organize your books? I don't really have a system for organizing my books other than the fact I have a specific bookshelf for review books so they don't get mixed up with books I've purchased.  Review books are put in a specific order so I know which ones I have to review next.  As both my husband and I are constantly pulling other books off the shelf, there is no organized system for our other books, although I've been wanting to do it for a long time.  I do tend to have a separate section for non-fiction books, and for my school stuff though.