In a last minute decision, I'm participating in Armchair BEA this week! Click here to find out what it's all about, but it's basically a way for book bloggers to "participate" in BEA even if they can't be in NYC. Day one is all about introductions!
Hi everyone! I'm Ashley, and I've been blogging for 6 months (June 1 was the official mark!). I got into blogging for a very popular reason: I love books, and wanted to talk about them. Not many people around me shared my appetite for reading, or if they did it wasn't in the category/genre I enjoyed - so I went online to find those who did!
Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.
Fun question! Hmmm...I've mentioned it in passing, but I grew up outside of the States. My father was in the Navy when I was born, so I spent most of my life traveling around. I was born in England (London); and since then have lived in Florida, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, and California (San Diego and Orange County). I've been in California for 12 years, and while I love it, I'm definitely getting the itch to move again.
What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)?
This is something that I'm really lucky to have, but I love all the author event/signing recaps I've done. (Read them here!) I'm incredibly fortunate to have a city that gets a lot of fun events and people coming to town, and I love sharing the experience with readers. Plus, it's fun to look back and relive those amazing days/nights.
What literary location would you most like to visit? Why?
Is Hogwarts just a given? Because yeah. I also would LOVE to visit the Realms in Under the Never Sky. They're fascinating!
What is your favorite part about the book blogging community?
My favourite part of the book blogging community is probably how open-minded and accepting everyone is. No matter how crummy your day has been, or weirdly excited you are about a particular line in a book, or unpopular your opinion is, someone is always there to be completely supportive and wonderful for you. I can't tell you how many book bloggers have completely turned my day around with just a comment or a tweet.
Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?
They've definitely expanded! I was fairly vanilla in my reading before blogging: always popular books, always contemporary. But since blogging and connecting with other blogs, people's reviews and suggestions have really pushed me into ones I wouldn't normally read. And it's wonderful, because some of my favourites are ones I never would have gone for!
Author events are so much fun! I have been lucky enough to go to a few too and I am always so pleased with how responsive and friendly most of them are.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy Armchair BEA week!
I thought about participating in this, but I'm going on vacation really soon, so I'm going to be busy this week preparing, cleaning, doing laundry and writing posts to schedule while I'm gone, do I really don't have time to participate. But I'll enjoy reading everyone's posts about it!
ReplyDeleteAnd that's great that blogging has widened your scope of genres! I know I've added books to my TBR list that I never would have even given a second glance before I started blogging!
Enjoy Armchair BEA!
I love taking part in author events, I've gotten a few living in Toronto, but not as many as I wish I could go to. And yes, Hogwarts! Who wouldn't want to go there :) I got into blogging for the same reasons as you, no one I was around liked reading so I felt that I couldn't gush about the books I loved to anyone, it's nice to have a community that accepts all us newbies and supports us! Nice to meet you Ashley :)
ReplyDeleteHogwarts is always a given ;)! You've been to sooo many cool place; I'd love to travel one of these days! Comments make my day too but something the drama is super annoying! Great to meet you Ashley!
ReplyDelete~Kailia
Happy Armchair BEA to you. :) Glad you could join the fun, definitely agree with your last answer too it's like you can't help expanding what you read when you start blogging.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the greatest things about book blogging is how it opens you up to so many books (even just in your chosen genre) that you never would have heard of otherwise. Some of my favorite books have definitely been those recommended to me by other bloggers.
ReplyDeletemy intro post.
It's seems like Hogwarts is going to be a very busy place this week. Hope you have a great week.
ReplyDeleteI like your answer to how your reading tastes have changed. I was much the same before I started blogging. And I'm so jealous at all the traveling you've done!
ReplyDeleteWow, you've been all over the place! haha. Where you thinking about moving to?
ReplyDeleteIt's so great to meet you!!
Hope you have a great Armchair BEA week!
Here's my post: http://little-red-reads.blogspot.com/2012/06/armchair-bea-introductions.html
xo Stephanie
Blogging has opened me up to other genres too! I feel the same way, that I would be missing out on so much if it wasn't for this community!
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to go to Hogwarts too!! I have not read Under the Never Sky yet but I am going to have to get to it soon!
I definitely agree with you, blogging has opened me up a lot more to other genres! And I totally agree with you on some of your fave books being ones you never would have thought to read before, cuz some of my faves are ones I never thought about reading until I started blogging! Wow, you've really been all over the place! It says you've lived in San Diego! I'm actually planning a road trip to San Diego with my best friend in a few weeks! How is it there?
ReplyDeleteOh WOW! Holy cow, you traveled really a lot!! And you've actually lived there!! This is so cool!! I wish I would too! Um, well, I will!! :P lol. I've always wanted to live in Rome, South France and England :) ANd US ofcourse :) So, yeah, I will too, when I finish my studies :) Enjoy aBEA and have fun! :) ;)
ReplyDeleteooh, I'd love to visit the realms of Under The Never Sky, too! absolutely fascinated with them. :)
ReplyDeleteenjoy aBEA and it was nice to meet you, Ashley!
I was recommended this website by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is
ReplyDeletewritten by him as no one else know such detailed
about my trouble. You're wonderful! Thanks!
Look at my web blog : Top Web Hosting Providers
I ADORE author events! They're one of my favorite things ever.
ReplyDeleteAnd I totally agree on Hogwarts. Would be LOVELY!
Nice to 'meet' you!
Ashley welcome to Armchair BEA12 I hope it is a fun coupple of days for you. Hearing about all of the places you have lived would be the perfect backdrop for a book.
ReplyDeleteI too love author events although I do not go to many. But when I do always glad to be there.
I'm super jealous that you live where there's tons of author signings! There's pretty much nothing that happens here...haha.
ReplyDeleteI'm also getting itchy to move again - it doesn't take very long for me to get restless!
Anyway, I'm so glad to "meet" you too! Thanks for commenting on my blog and following!
Congratulations on the 6 month mark! You've achieved quite a lot in that time!
ReplyDeleteAnd I love all your author events/signings :)
You have traveled so much! I imagine at times it was hard, but also so amazing. I've only ever really traveled around the US. (Aside from a short venture into Mexico).
ReplyDeleteCongrats on making it six months!
You have traveled so much! I imagine at times it was hard, but also so amazing. I've only ever really traveled around the US. (Aside from a short venture into Mexico).
ReplyDeleteCongrats on making it six months!
Thanks so much for coming and visiting my blog earlier today! I love that we both mentioned the Realms in Under the Never Sky. :)
ReplyDeleteMy dad was in the Navy too! I was born in Japan, and we moved all over. When my little sister was born, she had a heart defect that kept us in the States. I've lived where I live now for 10 years, and I've had the itch to move for about 7 years now! I'm not used to staying in one place for more than 3 years.
Anyway, nice to "meet" you too! I'll keep visiting often. :)
- Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl
the book blogging community is probably the best community out there. I hope you bring more contribution for it. Hogwarts is just a popular choice for a literary location, I'd say I wanna go to Narnia and meet Prince Caspian XD
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by~
-Jay
We Fancy Books
It's great to meet you Ashley. Wow, that is amazing how many places you have lived already. Great blog. Thanks for stopping by and visiting my blog.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine what it would have been like living in all those places. Pretty cool! I've lived in relatively the same area for my whole life, so I would definitely love to travel some more.
ReplyDeleteWow so many great places to travel to, let alone live in. Which one has been your favourite so far? And where would you like to try next?
ReplyDelete