Every week, we'll announce a new recipient for our BLOG SOULMATE AWARD! This is our way of helping spread the word about these awesome bloggers we love!
Our BLOG SOULMATE Award for this week goes to:
Amanda from . . .
 |
| Blogging since May 2011 |
- What made you decide to start blogging?
My decision to start book blogging dates back to 2009 when I was blogging about my 101 in 1001 list (101 goals in 1,001 days). Through blogging about my list, I met a few awesome people (who I still talk to today). Two of those people decided to branch out into book blogging (25 Hour Books and And the plot thickens...). After seeing their book blogs, I had total blog envy and wanted to start my own, too. I've always loved reading and blogging, so it seemed natural to combine the two things. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of grad school at the time, and I had very little time to read, let alone blog about it.
Tara (of 25 Hour Books) was kind enough to let me write book reviews for her blog when I was on breaks from school, and it was a great introduction to book blogging. I started making plans to start my own blog. I decided that once I had completed my thesis defense I should have enough time to devote to blogging (even though I hadn't officially completed my degree) and that's when On a Book Bender was born.
- Favorite and least favorite things about blogging
My favorite thing about book blogging by FAR is the book blogging community. I don't have enough words to tell you how much the book blogging community means to me, or how much they've influenced my life over the past year.
My least favorite thing about blogging is that it's incredibly time consuming. I'm good at organizing and planning ahead, but the time it takes to write reviews, read books, and comment on other blogs is often exhausting.
- If you could hang out with ONE author, who would it be and why?
I would probably have to hang out with Maureen Johnson. She's incredibly funny and I am pretty sure she would instigate seriously awesome shenanigans.
- What is the ONE book you tell everyone they 'have to' read?
Despite being labeled a #bookbully, there will never be one book that I will tell EVERYONE to read. Everyone likes different books, and I'm more the type to recommend books based on what that person has enjoyed in the past. I do have a tendency to recommend books I personally liked, though.
- Do you have any bookish guilty pleasures?
I absolutely adore characters who have deep, dark pasts that cause them to be all sorts of messed up. Well, it's not that I love that they are messed up, but I love reading about their journey to find peace and/or love. There is something incredible in the way they overcome their own personal demons. Some examples include Will Trent from Karin Slaughter's Georgia series or Zsadist from J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
- I love grammar. I love it so much I started a copy-editing business.
- I used to hate coffee. Now I can't function without it.
- I'm addicted to Twitter in the worst way. Anyone who follows me (and the people I talk to on a regular basis) knows this.
- I watch A LOT of true crime shows. I often keep the Investigation Discovery channel on at night when I'm sleeping. It doesn't bother me.
- I'm left handed. I love it, but living in a right handed world is often tough.
Amanda pretty much rocks the awesomesauce train :)
ReplyDeleteI just love everything about her :)
Adore! I love lefties. Some of the best personalities. ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat choice! I think Amanda is Fabulous!! My daughter is left handed too and I worry for her all the time about how the world is set up to be more accessible for right handers!
ReplyDeleteI don't know how my twitter life every existed without Amanda....I call those the Cold Years. Haha LOVE HER!! *HUGGLES*
ReplyDeleteAmazing Blogger you are!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't pick just one book either, to many favorites, how can anyone pick just one? Books are like Lay's potato chips, Man!
Nice to meet you!
SQUEE!!!! Who DOESN'T freaking loooove Amanda?!?! Are you joking? EPIC. I always wonder how my horrific grammar and overuse of the exclamation mark bothers you GRAMMAR NAZIS!!!! :D love you!!! <3
ReplyDeleteI <3 Amanda!
ReplyDeleteAwesome post!! I'm with you on not being able to pick one book to recommend. What I love is not necessarily what someone else would want to read. So awesome you are a lefty. I am both, so it makes things a bit easier. I do most things lefty though.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy characters with dark pasts too. Great answers :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a little late to the party, but thank you Isalys and Vanessa for having me. :)
ReplyDelete@Felicia - I love you, too!
@Smash - Lefties are pretty awesome, though there are some righties I like, too. ;)
@Shannon - You're fabulous as well. And don't worry too much about your daughter. We lefties learn how to adapt pretty well.
@Jess - *huggles you until you can't breathe*
@Kristi - Nice to meet you, too!
@BookishBrunette - We forgive you all your overuse of exclamation marks and bad grammar. <3
@Kelly - I <3 you harder!
@Amy - My life would probably have been easier if I learned how to use my right hand for some things, but really the only thing I prefer using my right hand for is the computer mouse.
@Juju - There is something intensely fascinating about characters with dark pasts, isn't there?
books
ReplyDeleteThere are even devices you can purchase so that you can read online books away from their home computer, and even download them directly to the device itself.