Blog Events

I signed up to do an interview swap on BBAW’s website and my partner is Lenore from Presenting Lenore (click here to see her blog.) Interviewing another blog writer is a good experience and this was a lot of fun. So I asked her 10 questions and here is what she had to say.

What motivated you to start a blog? How long have you had your blog? What do you cover on your blog?

My blog began as a personal blog to share my experiences in Germany and on my travels with my family and friends in the states.  Then, in March 2008, I attended the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy and heard Candy Gourlay (author of TALL STORY http://www.candygourlay.com/ ) talk about book blogs. Someone recommend Scott Westerfeld’s UGLIES to me, and my book blog was born shortly after.

I mostly cover YA books, but I review everything I read, so any genre could pop up. I was actually shortlisted for Most Eclectic Taste at last year’s BBAW.

I notice you are part of other blogs and blog with others (not on your blog that I know of yet.) What is it like to blog with others? Also if you had to choose between blogging with others or blogging by yourself which would you choose and why?

So far the group blogs I’ve joined haven’t exactly worked out.  Blogging is so time-consuming, it’s hard enough to make sure you have quality content for your own blog on a consistent basis, let alone for a group blog.  That said, I do envy group blogs that can share the load, such as The Book Smugglers and Forever Young Adult.  Unless they invite me to join, though, I’ll probably stick with my own blog 😉

I notice from some of your posts that you are a cat person and have multiple cats and are getting 2 more. What is it like to have so many cats and are they the type of cats that curl up on your lap when you read?

I am actually not sure what it is like to have “so many cats”, and to be honest, I am a bit apprehensive!! Right now we just have Emmy, since Finn died tragically mid-summer at only 16 months of age.  Emmy can’t really be alone, which is why we are getting more cats.  Emmy is definitely the curl up on your lap kind of cat.  Her favorite thing to do is to lie in the crook of my arm while I read in bed.

While looking around your blog I noticed your rating system. Why did you choose to use zombie chicken? What inspired you to do that?

I only use the zombie chicken rating during my Dystopian Theme Months (in February and August).  The zombie chicken actually came to life in a brainstorming session with Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. We wanted to do an over-the-top spoof on all the blog awards people were giving out left and right.  So we came up with the Zombie Chicken Award and my illustrator husband, Daniel, (www.danieljennewein.com ) made a graphic for us.  The award actually became quite popular, and it when I needed a rating system for Dystopian lit, I had to think of those adorable zombie chickens.

If you could recommend 10 books to someone (not a series) what would they be?

It would of course depend on who that someone was, but if it was someone with similar taste to my own, this would be my list (these also happen to be the books that I loan out most often too):

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters (for its’ amazing plotting and twists and turns)

Trap for Cinderella by Sebastian Japrisot (for the theme of identity)

The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (one of the most emotional books I’ve ever read)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (I’ve yet to come across someone who doesn’t’ like it)

The Likeness by Tana French (I just LOVE Cassie, the main character)

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (high concept, but still so immediate)

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Forde (just so much fun!)

The Awakening by Kate Chopin (one of my favorite classics)

Ghostwritten by David Mitchell (love these linked short stories)

Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick (because my husband illustrated it!)

What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend?

I am a freelance copywriter which means the day of the week has little meaning to me beyond the stores being closed on Sundays in Germany.

What are your top 5 favorite movies?

So difficult to say!  I always get sucked into watching The Lord of the Rings movies.  Legally Blonde is so clever and fun (though I wish the sequel didn’t exist). Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (and really, almost anything Kate Winslet is in).  The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast are my Disney favorites.

What is your favorite meal and why?

I’m sure it has artichokes in it! Or avocados. Or both.

I see you do interviews on your blog. What are your top 5 favorite interviews and why?

I have enjoyed all the interviews I’ve done. I put a lot of time into coming up with questions that are as original and tailored as possible, and most of all, I ask questions that I really want to know the answers to!  I think so many blog readers tire of interviews because some bloggers approach them like they are some sort of chore or obligation.  I don’t do a lot of interviews, but I want to make sure the few I do sparkle!  It’s paid off in more ways than one – after all, I was BBAW shortlisted this year for Best Author Interviews.

If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be to and why?

My second biggest hobby after reading is travelling and I’ve been to 55 countries so far!  My current dream destination is Bhutan, but probably next on my travel agenda are Kuwait and Senegal to visit friends.

Later I will post some pictures of her cats but for now you can look at the ones on her blog (to see it click here). But I would like to thank Lenore for taking time and answering my questions. This was a fun experience for me to interview another blogger and the first one too and I look forward to doing it again in the future.