Welcome to Day 2 of the 2009 edition of Book Blogger Appreciation Week (BBAW)! Today is Interview Swap Day and I was paired up with Hannah of About Books, a teen blogger who blogs mostly about YA. Without further ado...
What is the craziest place you’ve ever read?My craziest place is also actually my favourite. My grandparents owned a narrow boat and for all of my childhood we’d go and stay on it for part of the summer. Because there’s not much room inside (and because there’s no point being on the canal if you stay inside), I would read lying on the roof of the boat. The sun makes the paint on the roof almost too hot to touch and it feels so lazy as you motor slowly down the canal. It’s one of my favourite things ever.
Do you judge a book by its cover?
Yes, I’m ashamed to say I do. Usually this just means that I’ll be more or less likely to pick it up based on its cover, but once I’ve picked it up I’ll flick through it and read the blurb and then decide whether or not to read it. Occasionally this means that I’ll finish the book and think disappointedly “well that didn’t live up to its cover.” Which I know is ridiculous. I feel very sad for good books with bad covers.
What do you do when you’re not reading or blogging?
I studied Graphics at school and still like to draw a lot, I do a fair bit of writing and I love taking photos. I go out with friends. I spend far too much time on the internet reading blogs and watching Youtube videos. I also procrastinate. Some people don’t think this is a pastime, but anyone who procrastinates a lot knows just how much time it takes up!
If you had to pick the 3 best books you’ve read this year, what would they be?
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen
The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
None of those were actually published this year, come to think of it. If it had to be books published this year I think I’d go for:
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Willow by Julia Hoban
What is the most challenging aspect of blogging?
For me it’s actually sitting down and writing a review. Once I’ve started writing I don’t have too much trouble, but as I mentioned above, I have a tendency to procrastinate. So my main and only real problem is getting my bum in the chair. But having people read and appreciate the reviews more than makes up for the effort.
What is your favourite genre? Are there any genres you don’t read?
I’ll try pretty much anything. I don’t really read horror or hardcore romance, but apart from that I’m willing to give almost anything else a read. The genres I enjoy the most though are history and fantasy.
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I can completely identify with what Hannah says is the most challenging aspect of blogging! (I’m sure you’ve all figured out by now that I’m a procrastinator too.) Be sure to visit Hannah’s blog, About Books, and check out her interview of me. Thank you so much, Hannah!
I, too, can identify with Hannah when talks about the challenging aspects of blogging and with the covers. A cover that grabs me has me grabbing the book. A dull or racy cover does not have me doing that necessarily.
ReplyDeleteI like the photo...About Books with coffee (that is coffee,right?). That looks like something of my comfort reading zone...coffee.
This was a wonderful interview! I feel as Hannah does that it's difficult to sit down and start writing a review. I seem to be able to find so many other things to do! I am terrible about rewarding myself after I have written several paragraphs with something like reading some blogs or checking out websites, just more procrastinating!
ReplyDeleteI am also attracted by book covers. Like Hannah, I will read the blurb on the back of the book and flip through it and decide if I want to read it.
I love the picture with the coffee..3 of my favorite things are coffee, books & cats!
Thank you! (off to read Hannah's interview of you!)
Hi Avis! I read your interview in Hannah's blog and realized I should write about it here! I like several of the books you named so I wrote down the titles you mentioned that I hadn't read. I loved how you referred to the covers of books as "visual shorthand". That's a great term and I agree that it's the best way to weed out books because there's just too many of them!
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you!
~ Amy
Great interview! I loved the first question.
ReplyDeleteI love these interviews as I'm finding new and cool blogs every time!!! Great post!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adore the idea of reading on the roof of a boat. Now I have to find a boat with a roof...and a body of water...ah, the Midwest. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm really curious about what a narrow boat is now.
ReplyDeleteReally interesting questions! I do the same thing with covers...they're usually what gets me to pick the book up in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI think that might be the coolest place to read I've ever heard of!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lisa - what a great place to read.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you all liked the interview. Thanks, Avis, for the fun questions!
ReplyDeletebermudaonion - a narrow boat is an extra long barge that's designed to go on the canals here in Britain. Typically it's about 7 feet wide and 60 feet long. It's also very, very slow.
Sounds like a great place to read. My favourite place was always my grandparents' hammock hanging in their backyard next to the woods. Great interview!
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you guys on the challenging aspect. I procrastinate all the time. Ah well.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the interview!
would love to win a book
ReplyDeletei am a subscriber by email to your blog
dianam167@sbcglobal.net
so nice to meet the both of you!
ReplyDeleteFantastic interview, Avis and Hannah! Your questions were fun, Avis ... Hannah, I've never read ON TOP of a boat, but I see your point, why stay indoors in such a beautiful setting?!
ReplyDeleteI always love finding fellow procrastinators!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the introduction to Hannah, Avis! I was just over at her blog reading her interview with you. :-) Lying on the roof of a boat coasting down the canal sounds so nice! LOL I hadn't thought of procrastinating as a past-time, but the way Hannah explains it, she's right! I've been wanting to read Wicked Lovely.
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