Book Blogger Appreciation Week 2016 - It's Back!

So, thanks to Adam at Roof Beam Reader and Michelle at True Book Addict, I discovered that I've been living under a rock  and missed that this was being brought back by The Estella Society. I'm going to see if they'll still let me come out and play.

Our first mission:

Day 1: Introduce yourself by telling us about five books that represent you as a person or your interests/lifestyle.

Um. Right. Five. Only five. So...I'm going to do a little tour (as much as possible with five books) showing where I've been and where I am now as a reader and a collector.

So--my reading life really began with

When I was in second grade, my mom gave me her small collection of the tweed covered Nancy Drew books that she had received as a Christmas present one year. Sure, I had books before this--but the Nancy Drew series was the first one that I actively collected on my own. I would save my allowance money and buy them whenever I could. 

From there I moved on to the classic mysteries. The edition of Sherlock Holmes shown below was my first introduction to the Great Detective:

Nancy was my gateway to Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, John Dickson Carr, and all the vintage mysteries that I loved then and have since returned to. I read a steady diet of mysteries (with small snacks of various other genres) from second grade through sixth grade. Then I discovered science fiction. Again, it was the vintage work that grabbed my attention:

I worked my way through Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Ursula Le Guin, Sherri S. Tepper, Harlan Ellison, Robert Silverberg, and others. Science Fiction was my go-to pleasure-reading genre until I finished college. But, while completing my undergraduate English degree, I discovered my love for classic literature (primarily British):

Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, Robert Louis Stevenson, George Eliot, H. G. Wells, Charlotte Brontë, Wilkie Collins, and others became my favorites--with a particular affinity for Victorian and early 20th Century.

And then....when I left college and got married, I returned to my first love--mysteries. Our first apartment was in a tiny little town with what seemed like the world's tiniest public library. But the Spencer Public Library had the most amazing collection of vintage mysteries.

I'm pretty sure that Elizabeth Daly was the very first author I checked out (and I'm pretty sure it was the book above) and she started me back on a mystery journey that hasn't stopped. I'm constantly adding to my vintage mystery collection. So--if you ask me what kind of blogger and reader I am--I am a mystery blogger first and an eclectic blogger second. I'll read everything from science fiction to the classics to historical novels to history and biography. But if I had to choose one genre for the rest of my life? Mysteries--no question.

BBAW Day 3: What Blogging Means to Me

Day Three of BBAW has given us the following prompt:  What Does Book Blogging Mean to You?

Well...that's a nice, broad question.  Book blogging means community. New friends.  New books--new territory.  It means a book log for me, challenges, and memes, It means giveaways and review requests.  And so much more.

In the beginning, blogging was the ideal place for me to keep track of all my books.  A place for me to write up my thoughts on everything I read.  There were too many times that I had read a book, but there was no way I could possibly discuss it with anyone because I really couldn't remember all that much about it.  Writing up my reactions to the books I read has helped me hold on to them a lot better.  

What I didn't expect was to find such a wonderful, vibrant community.  The most important thing about blogging to me now is that I have found so many book lovers to virtually chat with.  You would think, working in an English Department, that I'd be able to have book discussions right and left.  But it doesn't quite work that way.  Blogging brings all of you delightful people into my home--to talk about the books I've read, to recommend similar books, and to point me in the direction of books I might never have considered if I hadn't plunged into the wonderful world of blogging.  I have met so many terrific folks out here on the internet--some of whom were mentioned in my first BBAW post, but I would need all night to list you all.  It has been a fun three years and I can't remember what I did before blogging came into my life.

BBAW Day 2: Interviews

Day Two of BBAW is all about interviews.  I zoned out this year and didn't get on board till late, so I am taking my cue from Man of La Book and Freda's Voice (the first two to show up on my blogroll) and interviewing that blogger I know so well....me.

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite read­ing snack?
I can't say that I always snack when I read.  But when I do it's usually sunflower seeds or grapes.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writ­ing in books hor­rify you?
Given that I've been spending my week watching horror films for the R.eader's I.mbibing P.eril event, I can't say that the feelings I have about marking up a book quite equals horror....but it's close.

How do you keep your place while read­ing a book? Book­mark? Dog-ears? Lay­ing the book flat open?
Absolutely with a bookmark.  There is always a piece of paper somewhere.

Fic­tion, Non-fiction, or both?
I do both....the highest percentage is fiction, though.

Hard copy or audio­books?
Hard copy 90-some percent of the time.  Occasionally do audiobooks when I'm on a long car trip.

Are you a per­son who tends to read to the end of chap­ters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?
I am able to put the book down at any point. But I prefer to read to a suitable stopping place. And I hate to put the book down when I'm just "at the good part."  Ask my husband about that story some day.

If you come across an unfa­mil­iar word, do you stop to look it up right away?
I generally look words up unless there's no way to do so.

What are you cur­rently read­ing?
Sweet Adelaide by Julian Symons and Vincent Price: The Art of Fear by Denis Meikle (one fiction and one non-fiction)

What is the last book you bought?
The White Forest by Adam McOmber: a hauntingly original debut novel about a young woman whose peculiar abilities help her infiltrate a mysterious secret society.  [paid for, but just shipped today] AND a book by one of the graduates of the MFA Creative Writing program in the English Department where I work.  Go Adam!

Are you the type of per­son that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?
Mostly a one book at a time girl.  Occasionally will have more than one going--If I do then it's like now: one fiction and one non-fiction.

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
Not really.  I will read anywhere, anytime.  Give me a place to plop myself and a book and I'm good.

Do you pre­fer series books or stand alone books?
Either way is fine by me, how­ever, like Man of la Book, when read­ing a series I do pre­fer to read in order.

Is there a spe­cific book or author that you find your­self rec­om­mend­ing over and over?
Dorothy L. Sayers, Kerry Greenwood, Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, David Lodge, Julian Barnes (I could go on for hours, you know)

How do you orga­nize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)
By genre and then by author's last name within the genre.  Except for my pocket size editions....they're all grouped together.

You can go here to check out more great inter­views.  Be sure to leave me a link so I can read yours.

BBAW1: Appreciation

It's Book Blogger Appreciation Week! This week is all about the people who make this community work – book bloggers! It was (according to the BBAW site) "started by Amy Riley of My Friend Amy in an effort to recognize the hard work and contribution of book bloggers to the promotion and preservation of a literate culture actively engaged in discussing books, authors, and a lifestyle of reading.” Each day will have its own featured topic, and today we're out to recognize fellow bloggers who have influenced us and made this whole web-writing, book-loving experience so wonderful for us. If you check out the blogs I follow, I could literally list a hundred or so.

But before I list my favorites, I have a confession to make.  Several of these lovely people have listed my blog as one of their favorites--for which I am very thankful and very humbled.  Particularly humbled because this year I have felt pretty unplugged from my previous blogging habits.  I haven't visited you all nearly as much as I intended to and I haven't even kept up with the participants in my reading challenges the way I like to.  But you all have stuck with me and keep coming back and saying nice things about me.  So, thank you very much to all of you wonderful bloggers who follow, comment, just read and appreciate what I do here, and participate in the challenges I sponsor.  If I'm following you, then I love what you do.  I may not say so as often as I should--but I do.

And, now, a list of the best of the best ('cause you're all great!):

Cheryl at CMash Loves to Read. Cheryl is an awesome blogger. She's one of the first blogging friends I made out here in the blogosphere. A lovely lady with a wonderful sense of humor who encourages us all. And she reads the books I'm too scared to read (all those thriller-type books). And keeps me in line over my classics and vintage mysteries. If I read something too recent, she mother hens me and wants to take my temperature. :-)  And--if all that weren't enough to keep her busy, she's now the CEO of Partners in Crime Tours and its sister book tour business Providence Book Promotions.  She's one busy lady, but always has time to check in and see how I'm doing.

And Adam at Roof Beam Reader. Adam keeps me in touch with the Classics. He and I don't always agree on the classics we read (*cough* Hemingway *cough* for instance). But he has an absolutely awesome blog and always has interesting things to say.  He's also a very nice guy and terrifically supportive fellow blogger.

And Amanda at Dead White Guys who often has me snorting at my desk and making my co-workers wonder what I'm up to. She has the most hilarious, yet in-depth reviews for all those classics I love.

And John at Pretty Sinister Books. One of the most awesome sites for vintage mysteries (and supernatural and adventure stories) around. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of vintage books.  I said last year that I've made it my mission in life to find a vintage mystery author that he hasn't already got the goods on. And I also said that it's going to be a long mission....Yep, still working on that. He's also a pretty fabulous guy.

And Sergio at Tipping My Fedora.  Another blogger who is incredibly knowledgeable about those vintage mysteries I adore.  His reviews are insightful, indepth, and incredible.  

And Yvette at in so many words. Her blog is gorgeous. She loves the vintage mysteries like I do.  In fact, she posts lists about them that makes me add tons to my already too big TBR list--that's not a bad thing for a book blogger, by the way. And she's a marvelously supportive fellow blogger. 

And Ryan at Wordsmithonia.  Who--if he has done nothing else (and he's done plenty else)--has taught me to love Mary Roberts Rinehart.  He also writes very thoughtful, indepth reviews of those Rinehart books (and all the other things he reads).  He's a wonderful fellow blogger and I'm so very glad that my Vintage Mystery Challenge brought him my way.  And...he plays a mean game of Words With Friends on Facebook.  

And Red at What Red Read.  One of the more eclectic readers that I follow.  I never know if Red will be posting about Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest or the classic detective novel The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins or The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks.  What I do know is the reviews will be well done and there will be a lot of humor.

BBAW: Community

Welcome to Book Blogger Appreciation Week!

This week is all about the people who make this community work – book bloggers! And, the theme for this year is "Community." Each day will have its own featured topic, and today we're out to recognize fellow bloggers who have influenced us and made this whole web-writing, book-loving experience so wonderful for us. If you check out the blogs I follow, I could literally list a hundred or so. But, in the interests of brevity, I'm going to list just a few....

First off, there's my friend Richard. He's not a bookblogger--he's a very wordy picture blogger. And then he really doesn't update that Daily Paxil page daily. Or even monthly for that matter...actually, he's kind of fallen off the blogging wagon. But I'm going to forgive him because if it weren't for him, I would never have ventured out into this wonderful world. I was aware of blogging...but didn't really see how it would be for me. But when he told me about his blog and that I should check out his daughter's blog I did. And then I got curious and started poking around and found a whole bunch of book blogs. A whole world of people who seemed to be just as crazy about books as I am. I got my blog up and running and never looked back.

Then there's Cheryl at CMash Loves to Read. Cheryl is an awesome blogger. She's one of the first blogging friends I made out here in the blogosphere. A lovely lady with a wonderful sense of humor who encourages us all. And she reads the books I'm too scared to read (all those thriller-type books). And keeps me in line over my classics and vintage mysteries. If I read something too recent, she mother hens me and wants to take my temperature. :-)

And Adam at Roof Beam Reader. Adam helps me with my Classics habit. He and I don't always agree on the classics we read (*cough* Hemingway *cough* for instance). But he has a fine blog and always has interesting things to say.

And Amanda at Dead White Guys who often has me snorting at my desk. She has the most hilarious, yet in-depth reviews for all those classics I love.

And John at Pretty Sinister Books. One of the most awesome sites for vintage mysteries (and supernatural and adventure stories) around. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of vintage books and I've made it my mission in life to find a vintage mystery author that he hasn't already got the goods on. (It's going to be a long mission....) He's also a pretty fabulous guy.

And, last (although I could go on and on and on), Yvette at in so many words. Her blog is gorgeous. She loves the vintage mysteries like I do. And she's a marvelously supportive fellow blogger.