Armchair BEA Interview Day 2012

1.  Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?

I am Jenny, and I've been book blogging since December 2008.  I started reviewing books, for two main reasons.  First, my friends were getting tired of hearing me gush about books, and second I wanted to keep my writing skills up.  The writing I do for work is business related and technical.  With the blog I can be creative and expressive.  My review style has changed over the years, and the way I think about books has changed as well.  My blogging makes me constantly refine what I both read and write about.  It's changed my thinking as well.  I believe I have become more critical or analytical.  And I certainly don't put up with books I don't like anymore.  I give a book 50-100 pages and that's it.


2. What literary location would you most like to visit? Why?

Tough choice but I would have to say England.  Most of the HF I've read takes place in England, and then there is my love of British television: Doctor Who, Torchwood, anything on BBC America really.  England has tons of castles, and the countryside is just gorgeous.  If I ever had to live abroad it would be England.  I just feel a connection with that country although I have never visited.


3. What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years?

Book bloggers are so diverse and the community is ever expanding, yet, I find myself drawn to the same bloggers time and time again.  It's not that I don't want to discover new bloggers, it's just the new ones I find have content I am not interested in or are in love with every single book they read.  Really??  However, Armchair BEA is one event which has helped me to discover new bloggers I like.  Bloggers I connect with, and enjoy talking with.  So thanks Armchair BEA :) 


The one thing I would like to see changed in the blogging community is the flame wars and the plagiarism issue.  Yo, you know you stole the content...fess up.  Plain and simple.  Be a woman and own your mistakes.  But, weasels will be weasels, and followers will think, "What? Nothing wrong was done."  That's what happens when the the web is at it's most impersonal.  It's easy to hide behind a screen, but I digress.  Really I just want everyone to get along, enjoy reading good books, and spreading the goodness of literacy.   A well read society is one that evolves.  


4. Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?

Yes my reading tastes have definitely changed.  I'm more willing to try books that are not from my usual genre choices of fiction, mystery, and HF.  I've discovered YA, non-fiction, and some chic-lit.  I also have a renewed interest in the Classics of literature.  I read many classics when I was younger, and then stepped away from them.  Book blogs have introduced me to many fine books I would have never considered before or I may have forgotten about.

5.Where do you see your blog in five years?

I am not sure.  I know where I want to be or want to be doing in my real life 5 years from now, so I imagine my blog will probably reflect that.  My blog is an extension of me so possibly more personal, more focused on books I want to read vs. review copies.  We all know how we can become inundated with those :)  More selective reading choices, I guess.

So that's a little bit about me.  Sorry if I meandered a bit.  I tend to do that.  
Do leave a comment.  I would love to meet you as well :)  Enjoy day one of Armchair BEA!

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