Armchair BEA, Day 5, Fresh and Young

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads

 It's day 5 of Armchair BEA and I'm back for more!  To find out more about this fun event, check out the Armchair BEA site.  

Today's topics are Keeping it Real, Fresh, and Fun, as well as children's books.  Since I've struggled with fresh content for a long time, I haven't got much to say.  The best thing I ever did (though I haven't persisted well) is to create original features.  The two I do occasionally are Listless Monday and Name That Book.  It is fun to have something that just you do (well, plenty of others do similar Listless Mondays) and that can help you avoid the meme or same old review rut.  Mind you, I haven't been doing those two things for a few months straight now.  So, in theory these are some good ideas :)

And since I adore and read almost exclusively in children's lit, I have no trouble thinking of favorites.  The trouble is limiting the number.  Also, because there are so many fabulous blogs out there that do YA lit so well, I thought I'd list some of my favorite reads for a slightly younger crowd: the MG/tween group.  There is a lot of fantastic stuff being published for kids and here are just a few of my faves:

For laughs:

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson 

A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck 

For reals:

Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff

For sheer faves:

Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris

The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt

Savvy by Ingrid Law

For fabulous fantasy:

The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer

The Lost Conspiracy by Frances Hardinge

Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull

What are your faves or tips for keeping content fresh?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA, Day 4, Ethics & Nonfiction

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads

It's day 4 of Armchair BEA and I'm back for more!  To find out more about this fun event, check out the Armchair BEA site. 

I've not been one of the unfortunate ones to run into plagiarism of my blog.  This isn't to say it doesn't happen, but I'm not actively looking for it, nor do I suppose any of my readers either.  I have watched from the sidelines of many plagiarism issues blew up in the blogosphere.  I have never really wanted to add my two cents to the fray. 

I work with college students and I know very intimately the importance of citing your sources, giving credit, and the consequences in the real world of plagiarism.  I've given many a lecture on how to cite your sources and when you should, though often when I graded papers later, I wondered if they had even heard me.

 This is not just a blogging problem, it is much broader than that.  What I think is more insidious about it here online is that it is very easy to get away with.  There is no one to "grade the paper" or "check your work."  Many do not make that connection between what you read somewhere else and what you write on your blog.  And it can be hard!  What happens if you read something and it aligns with what you've been thinking.  Does blogging about the same thing make you a plagiarist?  Very likely, no.  But, it never hurts to link back to that other person, if only to say, "My thoughts are similar to this person's."  I've tried to do this when I read a review that says what I wanted to say, only better.

I guess my only advice is to be aware of what you read and what you blog.  Remember to link to those people who may inspire or get your thoughts flowing.  It's better to share the love than end up on the brunt end of a plagiarism "scandal."

I was going to talk about my nonfiction reading, but it is so slim these days it's not really worth mentioning.  I just wish I read more!  I'm totally open for some suggestions of highly readable non-fiction.  Here are a few titles I've enjoyed over the years:

Bomb by Steve Sheinkin
Miles to Go for Freedom by Linda Barnett Osborne
The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin
Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel
Almost Astronauts by Tanya Lee Stone
Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish
Longitude by Dava Sobel
Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas

What do you recommend?  And how do you deal with plagiarism?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA, Day 2, Genre Fiction

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads

It's day 2 of Armchair BEA and I'm back for more!  To find out more about this fun event, check out the Armchair BEA site.  Since the two topics available today are blogger development or genre fiction, and I'm feeling particularly underdeveloped, I am going with genre fiction.

What draws me to a specific genre?  Well, there are some plots, some premises that just seem to scream my name from the back covers.  I've always been a huge fan of fantasy.  There is nothing like the mention of magic, dragons, elves, or fictional worlds to get my reading drool flowing.  Classics like Lord of the Rings or newer goodies like The Seven Realms series are just my cup of cocoa.  I like to have my mind taken away from the dreary of this world (even if it is into the dreary of another).  High fantasy is especially delightful.  I think magical worlds existing right there in our own are fun and I can devour a historical fantasy as fast as the next goblin.  But there is something so perfectly enticing about books that take place elsewhere.  I believe fantasy will always be my first love.

But not my only love, of course.  The huge boom in dystopian fiction has really fascinated me as well.  I love speculative fiction and science fiction (or are they synonymous, I'm not really clear on this), though I've not read many of the classics in those genres.  Stories that take place in space or that have a large chunk of space-related stuff tossed in are a big weakness for me.  Having spent four years of my life studying physics and astronomy, that is only natural. 

But there is also something so delightfully terrifying about taking a look at our possible horrible future.  I remember being super enthralled by Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 in high school.  What if that was our future?  With the huge surge (thanks to The Hunger Games), I've been quite satiated with the many great futuristic offerings.  And I'll be the first to admit I'm terrible at delineating what is dystopian, what's simply futuristic, what's apocalyptic, etc.  It's simply convenient for me to toss them all under that umbrella, though obviously many of them are not dystopian in nature. 

I guess I'm not much for making sure my books all fit neatly into one little box, though I tend to label things that way for convenience.  I like those books that can cross genres or take a little bit of something from multiple genres.  I also like my labels.  So, I try to lump everything together under one broad label and then hope that I can make lists to help make better connections between books.  It's flawed, but it works for me.

Some lists:
Fairy tales
Fairy stories
Medical Dystopian
Not Your Average Magical Creatures
Out of This World (space books)
Steampunk and Historical Fantasy

I'd love to hear your genre-love and any recommendations for my obvious genre appetite.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA, Day 1, Introduction

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads

It's the start of Armchair BEA and I'm happy to be able to join in for at least some of the days.  To find out more about this fun event, check out the Armchair BEA site.  Today is introduction (and classic book discussion, though I'll probably not get around to that) day!  Here are my answers to five burning questions you have about me (haha).

Where in the world are you blogging from? 
I'm blogging from the hot, hot Arizona desert.  It's been reaching into the upper nineties (and a few days of 100+ already), but lest you think this means no rain ever and nothing grows, I'll give you a few photos I've taken since we moved here:

 This was a lovely rain storm complete with flooding.  Monsoon season!

Next up we have some of the gorgeous flowering bushes strong enough to survive the heat.

We also have some pretty amazing sunsets down here. And we're always thankful when the sun finally sets :)

Plus, we have one of these. You know, the Grand Canyon. Just sayin'.

What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2013?
A few favorites this year include The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, Seraphina by Rachel Hartman, and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (review coming soon)

Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.
I just realized this is the same non-book-related thing I shared last year, but I'm hoping you'll all have forgotten.  I LOVE to go camping and hiking.  With views like this, who can blame me?

Name your favorite blog(s) and explain why they are your favorite(s).
I have a number of regulars that I read, though I don't always comment as much as I should. 
Suey at It's All About Books is a favorite, because her posts and reviews are always like chatting with a good friend.
Angie at Angieville is fantastic at making you NEED to pick up books.  She's very persuasive :)
Susan at Bloggin' 'bout Books has an eclectic array of reviews and never beats around the bush about how she felt about a book.
Charlotte of Charlotte's Library feeds my need to know about MG sci-fi and fantasy books that are fabulous.


What literary location would you most like to visit? Why?
This was actually the hardest question for me to answer.  But, I think I'd like to cheat and say England to visit some of the many, many literary locations in literature that I love.  Especially any Austen-related places. It's just a rich source for wonderful literary places.

Thanks for stopping by to learn more about me and be sure to let me know if you've done an intro for Armchair BEA so I can stop by and learn more about you!

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA Winner and ALA Annual

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads.

Armchair BEA and BEA have come to a close for the year. I almost forgot to draw the winner in my contest in all my enjoyment of new bloggers and great posts! The winner is:

Lisa of Lisa's World of Books

I also wanted to shout out that I will finally be attending an ALA conference in a few weeks - the stars aligned for it to be close enough to drive for me. So, despite the fact that I'll only be visiting the exhibit hall this year and not getting to enjoy the fabulous and helpful sessions, I will get a chance to be there. Do let me know if you will be there and want to meet up, cause I'm already experiencing anxiety that I'll be roaming the hall embarrassingly alone :)

Thanks again to all those who visited my blog this week for Armchair BEA and I hope you'll stick around for more!

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA, Day 5: Ask the Experts

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads.

Today (the final day for Armchair BEA) is Ask the Expert day.  Before I get to that, just wanted to say thanks to everyone who visited my blog this week - I loved getting to know you a bit more and discovering your blogs.  And now, instead of pretending I'm an expert in anything blogging related, I thought I'd throw this question out:

How do you keep the content of your blog feeling fresh - not the same thing day in and day out? 

I sure feel like my reviews and other posts are getting stale.  I like to have a schedule (Mondays I post X, etc) but not keep to it very strictly.  I guess I just feel like with so many other blogs out there doing everything under the sun, there's really nothing new or exciting for me to blog about.  (Oh that sounds so whiny, but I'm leaving it, because it's true.)

Anywho, that's my question for you experts!  Answer away, if you like :)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA, Day 4: Beyond the Blog

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads.

I don't really have tips or advice or cool stories about getting beyond the blog, unless by beyond the blog we mean something a little bit different.  So, I'm going to run with something different (again).  What happens when you realize your blog is TAKING OVER YOUR LIFE!!!  I think this happens to all of us at some point - it becomes more than we can fit on our busy plates.  So what can we do to alleviate or avoid this?  In other words, what can we do to be byond our blog?

1- Recognize that you do have a life beyond the blog. 
You have family, friends, cats, whatever, but you have things that exist outside this online space.  And those things are important too.  Much more so than a blog, in fact.  Realize that we might be neglecting those things in order to post the newest thing or the first review of that amazing new book out there. 

2- Step back.
You may need a small break from the blog (and try to take it before you have a break down and HAVE to take it).  This might mean a day or two or a week or two.  Just depends.  Everyone needs a break from the blog, so don't feel guilty or like you will lose all your readers if you stop for a bit.  Trust that we'll all still be here when you get back.

3- Find that balance.
This is the hardest step and one that I'm continually working on.  Life is a great balancing act and to fit in all the things we need to do and all the things we want to do, we have to organize or order.  Sit down and think about what needs to be done and what you want to do and then put the list in order of importance.  You'll find that some things will fall off the list.  That's ok.  Maybe sometime (at a different time in your life) you'll be able to try those, but not now.  For instance, I am dying to try my hand at writing a book, but right now I work full time, commute for nearly 1.5 hours, and am fixing up a house when I get home.  I barely have time to eat, sleep, read, and blog between all those other things.  When my life calms down (I'm hoping it will) I'll still have my brain (I hope) and I'll still want to write (I'm sure).  Don't let the now moments make you forget that there will be future moments to do things too.

I totally feel like a hypocrite or the least qualified person to offer these tidbits, but I couldn't think of another thing I could possibly do beyond my blog (as I mentioned, quite busy right now).  So, this is my way of remembering that there are things beyond our blogs and some of those things should be done now and some later.

What are your tips for getting beyond the blog - in whatever way you interpret that?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA, Day 3: In the Real World

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads.

So, I'm kind of taking a slightly different spin on the Armchair BEA topic today.  Positive real life bookish experiences aren't too hard to come by in my profession, usually.  In my current position as an academic librarian, they are more rare than in a public or school library (sometimes I feel like a printing factory).  I do have some fun, quick interactions when a student will see me reading and strike up a conversation about their reading.  One memorable experience was a former military young man who informed me that he and a group of his buddies in Afghanistan all started on a reading kick (and a writing one for him) because of one book his wife sent him.  Guess which book?  If you said Hunger Games, you're wrong.  It was Twilight.  I loved the image of all those tough soldiers devouring Twilight and finding that spark of reading fire within them.  Say what you will about it, that series can make readers out of the most unlikely people.

Or I could talk about donating my ARCs and other YA books to my local library and hearing them exclaim over the contents of the bag and how excited they are about giving it away for the summer reading program!

Or the local book club I am slowly building.  It's so much fun to connect with other women, even if the vast majority of the time, we talk about other things.  What brings us together is a desire to find time for books in our lives. 

What I'm getting at is it doesn't have to be some big interaction with the community or a huge event - and it doesn't even have to involve your blog.  Reading is a connection that can create friendships in unlikely places and form bonds between strangers met online (oh blogger meet-ups, you are my favorite) or strangers met in real life.  If you haven't made a "real life" connection, take a book out in public and read it.  Or talk to someone who's reading.  There's something about that book (or kindle or other reading device) that can bring people together.  Try it!

What are your favorite real life bookish interactions?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair Bea, Day 2: Giveaway!

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads.

So, I'm hosting a giveaway for Armchair BEA participants today! (For more giveaways, check out the linky at the Armchair BEA site.) I love to do a choose your own book type of giveaway, so I have a list of books and the winner will get to pick one book from the stack.  The only requirements are that you be 13 years old and have a US address.  Fill out the form below and then tell me in the comments one good thing about not making it to BEA in NY this year :)

(I know, my picture-taking skills astound me too)

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann, audio CDs
Dreamland by Alyson Noel, audio CDs
Destined by P.C. Cast, audio CDs
Tempest by Julie Cross, audio CDs
What Happened on Fox Street by Tricia Springstubb, HC
Wildwood by Colin Meloy, ARC
Father of Lies by Anne Warren Turner, HC
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini, HC
Stunning by Sara Shepard, HC
Northanger Alibi by Jenni James, PB
The Best of the Best by Tim Green, HC
The Magnificent 12 by Michael Grant, HC
Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith, ARC
The Final Four by Paul Volponi, ARC
Restitution by Kathy Kacer, PB
The Ivy: Secrets by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur, HC

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

Contest Closed - Winner chosen.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA, Day 1: About Me!

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads.

Welcome Armchair BEA goers! Read on if you want to know a bit more about me! And skip right over if you don't. :)

Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?
I'm obviously a librarian, though I'm currently working in an academic setting despite a desire to be in a public library. I started blogging four years ago this October and I decided to blog about books simply because I read so much that I wanted to track it and review it. That way, all my family and friends who asked for recommendations could come here and find something.

What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?
Well, not sure I could pick just one favorite even from the books I've read so far this year. However, I did discover a new favorite series, Bloody Jack by LA Meyer, that I've been raving about. Seriously entertaining audiobooks.

Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.
I actually have a pretty boring life outside of the book world, but I do love to get out camping and hiking when I can, as I recently mentioned. Nothing like reading in the beautiful outdoors :)

What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)?
I really enjoy doing the Listless Monday posts, where I create fun themed lists, though I also get a real kick out of Name That Book - a game where readers guess the book based on images I post.

Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?
I don't know if they are favorites, but I liked the recent discussions I had with readers about book advertising and what influences them to pick up a book.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy your time doing Armchair BEA.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Winners in the Armchair BEA Giveaway!

Sorry I postponed announcing the winners - hopefully no one was kept in too much suspense :)

I chose two winners!  The winner of the signed ARC of Across the Universe by Beth Revis is...

Devan of Book Strings

The second winner, who is getting two bookmarks signed by Ally Condie and Andrea Cremer, is...

Julie of My Book Retreat

I've contacted both of you and will have the prizes sent out soon. Thanks everyone for entering the giveaway and for stopping by my blog for Armchair BEA!

And a happy Memorial Day to all you Americans!

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

The Armchair Stops Here

Well, another Armchair BEA has come to an end.  It was fantastic, as it was last time.  A huge thank you goes out to all of the organizers of this event!  All that time and effort really made those of us who didn't get to go to BEA feel like we were a part of something just as fun.  Here's what happened this week:

Day 1: Welcome to my blog - intro to me!
Day 2: Enter my giveaway for a signed ARC of Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Day 3: Read my interview with Laura of Tattooed Books
Day 4: My advice on how to win publishers and influence bloggers
Day 5: Blogging about blogging: the blog is not my life 

My favorite part of Armchair BEA was meeting and getting to know other bloggers.  I loved attempting to be a part of the twitter party (even though it was a bit overwhelming at times).  I loved hopping around different blogs to find new book friends and especially all their advice about blogging relationships and blogging tips.

It was awesome to watch Emily's videos of what it's like to be at BEA and to see all those cool photos.  And the giveaways!  I won't lie: those were amazing (though, I've got some serious inability to win, apparently).  So, obviously I'll be participating next year (and probably the next many years, since it will be a LONG time before I get the funds/time to make it to BEA).

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA: Blogging is NOT My Life

Today's Armchair BEA topic is blogging tips and I really only have one or two thoughts on this.  Go to the Armchair BEA site for more extensive advice :)

I "attended" the twitter party last night and boy was it crazy!  One thing I noticed being RTed over and over was something @BookaliciousPam said (and of course I can't find it now).  Essentially, book bloggers sometimes feel like they HAVE to post.  But we don't.  If you don't want to or don't feel like it, don't!!  It's much easier (for me) to say than to follow through.  I hate missing more than a day or two, but sometimes you just gotta take a break.  And honestly, this is the best and only piece of advice I have for finding balance in life and blogging: to remember that blogging really isn't my life.  Even though it feels like it sometimes :)


I would like to talk about what memes and blogging events you think are the best.  The only one I regularly do is Tween Tuesday from GreenBeanTeenQueen and I plan to continue that.  I like having a chance to focus on non-YA books for a change.  Also, I like Retro Friday Reviews from Angieville, though I've been anything but consistent.  I think having events/memes that focus on stuff I don't regularly review or talk about is good for me.  It helps keep the content fresh and interesting.  For the most part, I've kind of done my own events like Listless Monday, I Actually NEED It, Name that Book, Double Features, Cover Sillies, and Libraries Around the World.  

Are there events out there that you think I should totally be participating in?  What are your favorites?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA: How to Win Publishers and Influence Bloggers

Ok, right from the start, let's just say I'm the one in need of advice about blogger/author/publisher relationships. I'll be reading everyone else's relationship posts religiously for some tips.  Mind you, I have some contacts with publishers, publicists, and authors, but I'm definitely not a model for others to emulate.  So, with that oversized grain of salt, here's my two cents:

1. Remain courteous no matter what.  Seriously, imagine being face to face with them, would you say nasty things?  No.  If someone is making you angry, cool off before you shoot them an email (or twitter/other social network something nasty).  Personally, I've never been that angry, since they are all really nice, even when I give them a not-so-amazing review.  

2. When receiving a review request from an author, think carefully about the book.  If it's an author that is tried and true good for you, then you can probably accept a request without worrying.  For those you know less about or if a book doesn't sound like something you would like, don't feel bad declining.  I think sometimes they'd rather have you decline than accept and hate it.  And believe me, it's hard to send a not-so-glowing review of a book to the author.  I've done it.  It stinks.

3. Don't be afraid to send out requests for books you're interested in!  Maybe this only applies to a small minority like me, but I was absolutely terrified to send requests to publishers.  I've only done it a few times, but every time they politely responded or simply sent the book without a response.  Either way, there was no pain involved.  Give it a try.

4. On the other hand, don't overdo it.  Don't request too many books, especially all at once, especially if you are very new at blogging.  I've heard this over and over from much smarter bloggers and it rings true to me too.  I didn't send a request until I'd been blogging for at least 2 years.  Not that you have to be like me, but wait a few months at least.  And don't forget to send them info about your blog, your stats, and your mailing address.

Other Book Bloggers:
Again, I'm not very good at blogger relationships, but here's my experience.  You can make fantastic personal connections online, but meeting bloggers in person definitely solidifies friendships.  I was so lucky to meet up with bloggers in Utah (see all these Utah Book Blogger Social posts) and I joined Suey's excellent book club as a result as well.  I made some of my best book-y friendships during those socials, so I highly recommend trying it out.  Now I just gotta find me some Arizona blogging friends...

Some of the Real-life Book Blogging Friends
Suey of It's All About Books
Natasha of Maw Books
Jessica of The Bluestocking Society
Kim of Good Clean Reads
Jenny of Alternate Readality
Emily of Emily's Reading Room 
Britt of Confessions of a Book Habitue
Julie of A Small Accomplishment

Meeting other bloggers is one thing that really makes missing BEA and ALA events suck.  Still, relationships can (and do) flourish virtually.  I'm open to receiving your advice about that, cause it's definitely something I could work on.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA: Blogger Interview Fun!

I had the very great privilege of interviewing Laura of Tattooed Books.  It was so fun to peruse her blog and see what she has to say about books.  But, it was even more fun to ask her some questions and get to know her more.  So, here we go!

Tell us a bit about yourself, including when and why you started blogging about books and about your librarian training.

My real name is Laura, but my handle is Loreleimarsh. I started Tattooed Books in July of 2009 because I needed a creative outlet for my bookish opinions. I have kept a detailed journal with book reviews & ratings for years, but my blog allowed me to share them with more people than just those fortunate enough to know me in real life.

Interestingly enough, I am not currently in school to become a librarian. For those who don’t know, in order to truly be a “librarian” you must obtain a Masters in Library Science (or some variation thereof). Honestly, I just love libraries! I was raised on books & started working in my high school library my junior year. I have worked in libraries ever since (9 years total). Though I must say that the best & most important training one can receive in this field is taught hands-on by those who have a passion for it.

I sure wish I'd kept a detailed record of what I'd read.  I kept nothing but my brain, which has proven iffy at best.  And, as one who did do the official "training" I completely agree that hands-on is twice as important as by the book.

What do you think is the best part of working at a library? What is the worst part?

The best part is customer interaction. Whether I am doing a teen program or helping people find the book they’re itching to read, the patrons are what make it great.

The worst part is definitely the bureaucracy. I work in a county-run (read funded by taxes) library & a lot of very important decisions are being made by higher-up folks who have forgotten what it is like to work with the public.

How do you balance your time in order to contribute to your blog, enjoy time with family and friends, and find time for reading? Do you have any tips for those of us who still struggle to find this balance?

Honestly, I am the worst person to ask! :D My balance waxes & wanes like the moon. I read when I can, which is mostly on breaks at work & in the evening at home. While I am married, due to the craptastic economy, my husband has been living 800 miles away for the last year. He really keeps me balanced & helps me make the most of my time. I’ve been in a bit of a funk, so I’ve been taking time off every few weeks & I think that is the best thing to do. Blogs are not a chore; they are a release & if it starts to feel like a burden, then step away. That has been the absolute best way to keep things in perspective.

I agree 100%!  Mind you, just because I know that I need a break, doesn't mean I take it :)  

What is one of your greatest passions in life, aside from reading?

French. My BA is in French & I even got to study abroad for a semester where I met some of the most amazing people ever! I love the sound, the culture, the food, & most certainly the people. J’adore le français!

I have fantastically fond memories of my short visit to Paris as a teenager.  And oh, the food!

Have you ever tried assigning ratings for books you review? Do you like reading reviews that use ratings of this kind?

I did that in my notebooks & I use it on Goodreads, but I just didn’t want the hassle of trying to make it work on a blog. If the blogger is serious about their ratings & uses them judiciously, then I enjoy them on blogs.

What's the strangest request you've received as a librarian?

If we could accept several boxes of pornography as a donation to the library. Talk about awkward.

Awesome!  That must have been quite interesting :)

If you didn't work at a library, what job would you like to do instead?

I think I would like to be a Human Resources educator (teaching classes like the 7 Habits & Effective Communication) or an Academic Adviser in a university.

If you could meet any three authors (dead or alive) for lunch, who would you choose and why?

Rachel Vincent, Mary Oliver, Corrie ten Boom

Rachel Vincent is an AMAZING writer. I love her characters & her realism she brings to an urban fantasy world. Mary Oliver is one of the most memorable poets I have ever had the fortune to read & I would just love to hear her read a few lines. Corrie ten Boom was the narrator of one of the most influential Holocaust memoirs I ever read. I still re-read The Hiding Place often.

What a diverse group!  Having just re-read The Hiding Place myself, I wholeheartedly agree that her story is just so uplifting and powerful.  I haven't had the chance to read the other two authors yet, but I'm intrigued now.

What is one talent you wish you had?

I wish I could just pick up my guitar (I have both an electric & an acoustic) & play without having to work so hard at it.

What YA books do you recommend to adults (family, friends, strangers) the most and how do you sell it to them, especially if they are reluctant to read "below" their age level?

The biggies that I recommend (depending on who I’m selling it to) are The Hunger Games, Delirium, & The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. I remind whoever I am recommending the book to that just because it’s in YA, doesn’t mean that there was any less thought put into the story development. There may be a bit of teenage angst & whining in many YA books, but looking past that (like I turn away from more graphic scenes in adult books) allows you to enjoy a plot that you would have otherwise missed. And the story is all that matters.

Well said!  Thanks very much for answering my questions, Laura.  You can find Laura (aka Loreleimarsh) at her blog Tattooed Books and on twitter. 

If you are interested in seeing my responses to a fun interview (and possibly a deep dark secret) visit Molly at The Bumbles Blog.  

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

A Moving Discovery: Armchair BEA Giveaway!

Welcome, welcome!  So, as you may know by now (if you checked out my intro post yesterday) we just moved to Arizona and let me tell you, moving with books is awesome!  We had some folks help us pack up the truck and then unpack it when we got here and they all commented on how many boxes of books they hauled in and out.  I told them it was one of the hazards of helping a librarian move.  :)

One of the other "hazards" is discovering books you forgot you had.  Just before we left, I found my ARC of Across the Universe that I had Beth Revis sign when she came to SLC for the Breathless Reads tour.  Want to see who she signed it to?  Of course you do.

Ok, so you may need me to interpret.  It's to "a book lover."  That's where you come in.  

Rules:
Must be 13 to enter.
US addresses only.
Fill out the form to enter.
Giveaway ends this Saturday, May 28th.  

Oh, and there just might be some other little things I got signed from that event.  For another winner.  :)  I'd still love to hear about some of your favorite reads of 2011 in the comments!  [Edited to add: ok, here are a few of my favorite books so far this year: Red Glove by Holly Black, Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi, Divergent by Veronica Roth.  As for what I'm looking forward to: Crossed by Ally Condie, The Death Cure by James Dashner, and Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.]

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Armchair BEA: Welcome and Hello!

Hello all and welcome to another year of Armchair BEA.  The prompt from the organizers is to introduce myself.  I'm not great at intros, I'll be honest.  I'm uber shy in real life.  And a little in virtual life.  But here goes:

-A librarian in search of a job: just left my academic library job in Utah to move to Arizona so my hubby could get more schoolin'.  I'd really like to end up working with young people, recommending the books I love most to them.  

-A kid-at-heart: something always draws me to read the MG and YA stuff.  I used to be an adult-classics-only reader, but once I found discovered that younger stuff (again) I haven't been able to feed the addiction enough.  Though I do try once in a while to broaden my horizons and pick me up an adult book.  I'm sure it's good for me.

-A board game player extraordinaire: ok, maybe a slight exaggeration, but I have addictions to playing board games.  My current favorites are Ticket to Ride and Settlers of Catan.  Now I just have to find some local buddies to have game night with.

-A camper/hiker/backpacker: Right about this time of year (and, you know, four months ago) I get a real hankerin' for some camping.  I used to live for our family camp outs, driving two hours and hiking twice as long, to escape from civilization (and trust me, we didn't bring it with us).  I don't get to go for nearly as long or a far as I used to, but that desire to escape hasn't disappeared.  I'm thrilled to have a whole new state to explore the outdoors.

Ok, I think I've bored you enough with all those random details.  I Armchair BEA because my husband's in school and I currently don't have a job and pretty much, the money says no.  But, I'm ok with it for now (though don't ask me after I read all the BEA posts, I'm sure the green-eyed monster will strike).

Welcome to my blog and I hope to meet many new bloggers this week!

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Blogger Conference via Armchair BEA

Welcome to my attempt at Book Blogger Conference ideas.  Really, at this point I'm wishing I was there to hear other folks ideas on these things.  However, here's what I have to say about writing and content on blogs.

Tips and tricks on writing good book reviews:
The best I can say is to write what you feel.  Almost all book reviews are subjective.  You as a reader had a reaction to the book and the experience of reading it.  You share those reactions and feelings in a review.  It is so difficult to say objectively something about a book, writing, story, because everyone has their own opinions on the matter and we won't all agree on what's "good" or "bad."  Therefore, I say again, tell us what you feel.  

I do reviews both of books I enjoyed and those I didn't.  If I finish a book, I review it here.  This is why I have both a "Things I Liked" and a "Things I Didn't Like" section.  I rarely have a book that doesn't have something in both categories.  I do have to make sure, however, that I'm not specifically looking for things not to like in a book.  I know it's hard work to get it published, so I don't want to be picky and talk about every small detail that bothered me.  Still, I like to be balanced.  Not everyone is going to want to do this.  Which brings me to:

Do what you are comfortable with.  Find what works best with your style and personality.  You don't have to do things the way others do.  You don't need ratings or stars or publication information.  All you really need is the title, author, and your opinion.  You will probably want more in there, but those are the basics.  Don't try to conform to someone else's standard.  Make your own.

How do I balance reviews with other content?
This is an interesting question.  Going along with my last point about doing what you want, this is kind of the same.  If you've read my blog at all, you'll know that it is heavy on the book reviews.  That is just how I want it.  The purpose for my blog is to review books.  The other content, I try to keep to a minimum, generally two non-review posts and four reviews a week.  This is definitely not going to work for every blog.  In fact, lots of the big and popular blogs have plenty of non-review content.  Another reason I decided to do this is that reviews are what I like to read.  I'll be honest, I skip lots of the TV, music, random thoughts posts on other blogs.  I'm more interested in what someone thought of a book than those other things.  I think it's a great idea to do what you want to see on other blogs.  And also balance it according to what you enjoy writing.  

I'm out of ideas what do I do now?
Read a book.
Read a book blog.

That about does it for my thoughts.  Here's hoping I may have helped someone somewhere decide something!

Feel free to leave your ideas and suggestions for these questions as well! (No, really.  I could use them.)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Dystopian Love and A Giveaway!

As I noted yesterday, I'd love to have attended the dystopian panel for BEA.  Dystopian lit is a new favorite of mine.  Except, it isn't entirely new.  Back in high school, I remember reading and loving Fahrenheit 451.  That was my first taste of this sci-fi futuristic dytopian look at society.  That was followed closely by Nineteen Eighty-Four, which I didn't enjoy quite as much, but still found fascinating.  Those books have stuck with me for all these years, but it wasn't until I picked up Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer that I rediscovered my love.

Ever since I first read this book, I have thought about, written about, and read most anything dystopian I can get my hands on.  I was more recently blown away by Ella Minnow Pea (which doesn't exactly fit the mold, but was similar enough for me to count it), Incarceron, Birthmarked, The Dead-Tossed Waves, Inside Out, The Ask and the Answer, The Maze Runner, and of course Hunger Games.

My appetite seems insatiable when it comes to this, since I am anticipating more delicious dystopian books like Matched by Ally Condie, Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness, Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, Across the Universe by Beth Revis, and The Passage by Justin Cronin.  I also discovered a delightful new dystopian author blog that fans will want to check out.  All of this is adding up to:

A giveaway of that book that rekindled my fire:

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

 
I just so happen to have recently picked up a second copy (what can I say, it was on sale).  Up for grabs, as part of Armchair BEA is my new paperback copy of Life As We Knew It.  

To enter, leave me a comment telling me your favorite thing about dystopian fiction (and a way for me to contact you). [Edit: US only, sorry.]  This contest will end on Monday, May 31st, winner announced Tuesday.  Good luck!

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage