My Life In Literature Meme

I have seen this meme at two different blogs lately, and I really felt like joining in.  It's been a while since I've done one of these, though I'm going to compromise between the two posts I've seen.  Adam, at Roof Beam Reader, used books he's read over a lifetime and Bev, at My Readers Block, used books that she has read this year.  I'm going to meet them in the middle and only use books I've read since I've started blogging.


Describe myself:  The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie

How do I feel:  Dying For Mercy by Mary Jane Clark (I need relief from the heat)

Describe where I currently live:  31 Bond Street by Ellen Horan

If I could go anywhere, where I would go:  In the Woods by Tana French

My favorite form of transportation:  On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony

My best friend(s) is/are:  A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen

My friends and I are:  The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones

What's the weather like:  From Hell With Love by Simon R. Green

Favorite Time of Day:  Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

What is life to you:  A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear

You fear:  The Haunted Lady by Mary Roberts Rinehart

What is the best advice you have to give:  Bless the Child by Cathy Cash Spellman

Thought for the day:  Murder Never Takes a Holiday by Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain

How I would like to die:  Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell

My soul's present condition:  Wishin' and Hopin'  by Wally Lamb

Guest Post At The Christmas Spirit

My good Friend Michelle of The Christmas Spirit, and tons of other blogs, asked me to come by and talk about some of my favorite Christmas Cards, Edward Gorey fans will love my choices.  Please come on by and check it out.

This Year I Need To Blow Out Three Candles

When they say time flies when you are having fun, they really mean it.  I'm still a little puzzled that I've now been blogging for three years, well three years and a day.  My blogoversary was actually on the 18th, so I guess you can say I'm celebrating a belated birthday.  When I started Wordsmithonia, I never thought I'd still be doing this three years later.

I was going to sit here and wax poetic about all the wonderful people I've gotten to know over the years, but I think you guys already know how wonderful you are.  I then thought about highlighting my favorite books that I would have never read, had it not been for blogging.  I decided to pass on that because I wanted to do something that was a little more important.  All I'm going to do is say two words:

THANK YOU

Thank you, to all the bloggers out there who have welcomed me with open arms and always took the time to help me out or answer a question.  I never understood what people meant when they talked about an online community until I started this blog, you guys are the best.

Thank you, to everyone who chooses to spend even a fraction of their time reading and commenting on my posts.  I can never fully explain how grateful that I am over the fact that their are people out there who want to know what I think and are willing to take the time to find out.  I'll never in a million years have the words to explain how guys make me feel.  So thank you once again.

Thank you, to the authors, publishers, and publicists who have been willing to take a chance and allow me the honor of reading/reviewing their books.  I know it can't be easy to send a labor of love out there to be reviewed by people you have never met.  It's a trust that I take seriously and treat with respect.

I'm not sure if I'll still be blogging in another three years, but I do know that I've loved the last three years and I'm so grateful to everyone who has made it all worth it.

Blog News & Vacation Plans

I've been meaning to tell you guys about my upcoming staycation for a while now, but I've been so busy getting other stuff done, that I totally forgot about it.  Not the vacation part, just telling you guys about it.  This year I am taking the 22nd through the 27th of June off.  Which means no responsibility, no work, no brain power used at all.  I already have some of my activities planned, but we will see what I end up doing.

 Now for what that means for the blog.  I don't take a lot of time off, which I think I need to make more of an effort to do, so when I do, I tend to stay away from the computer.  And as much as I love this blog and love you guys, that most especially means stay off the blog.  I don't want to do anything that even remotely smells like work, and sadly, writing posts smells like work.  Now the blog won't go quiet for those six days though.  I asked some great bloggers to write up a post on anything subject that screams summer to them. So for five days, you will be treated to some interesting posts. 

You may have noticed that I said for 5 days you will be blessed by some great guest posts.  Well what about the 6th day then?  I'm so glad you asked.  I didn't decide to take that day off until after I had already lined up the guest bloggers, so on Wed. I will have my last FFC post for the month.  And speaking of FFC (Favorite Fictional Character) posts, I have invited another 9 of my favorite bloggers to feature their favorite characters during the months of July and August.  I've already received some of them, and I'm really excited for the characters I've seen so far.

So I hope you guys come back over the next week and see what your fellow bloggers are up to.  

Now while I'm gone, I will be thinking of you guys.  I haven't quite decided what I'm going to do yet, but my three year blogoversary is coming up next month.  I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do to celebrate, but I'm sure a giveaway will be in order.  I'm thinking I'm going to include a book or two along with some mementos of my staycation.

Have a great week and I'll see you guys when I get back!

Sheila's Secret Garden Read-A-Long

You know those books you buy or pick up somewhere, but still pay for, that you have languishing around your shelves for years and years, and you feel bad about it?  Come one, you know what I'm talking about.  We all have them.  They are books you want to read, but for whatever reason, other books tend to grab our attention.  Finally, I have the perfect excuse to dust one of those books off and find out the skinny on it.

The lovely Sheila of Book Journey is hosting a read-a-long of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett during the month of May.  From what I can tell it's pretty informal, but there are prizes!  So if you want to join in, which I hope you will, go ahead and visit her sign up post to learn all the details.

BBAW Interview Swap: Angie From Angieville

One of the best things about BBAW is that I get to add new (to me) blogs to my reader and meet some great bloggers for the first time.  One of those bloggers, Angie of Angieville, will be the first one added this year.  Even if I don't have time to do any of the other posts, I always sign up for the interview swap.  It's always fun to get to talk to someone I don't know.  Thanks to BBAW I'll be a regular in Angieville now.

1. What got you into reading? Have you been a book lover all your life or did it happen later on?

Quite simply, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe got me into reading. Both my parents have always been avid readers, and they encouraged reading in the home and read to me all the time as a kid. And I, well, I humored them. I'm not proud of this. But I didn't really seek things out on my own as a very young girl. My imagination just wasn't fully engaged until my aunt sent me the Chronicles of Narnia box set for my tenth birthday. I read the first book on a transatlantic flight to Sicily, where we were moving, and nothing was ever the same again. I didn't even get past the dedication before I was a goner. And it's been books, books, books ever since. 

2. What inspired you to start your own blog? What do you like the most about blogging?

My husband is tech savvy, and somewhere around five years ago or so he mentioned that I should start up a blog. I had only the vaguest notions of what they were at the time. I asked him what in the world I would do with it, and he shrugged and said, "What about a book journal?" I thought it was a great idea, and for the first couple of years, the blog was merely a personal record of the books I read (and re-read) each month, with accompanying thoughts and images. Then I started reading other book blogs and--once again--my imagination became fully engaged. And the blogging took off accordingly. 

As for what I like most about blogging? That moment when someone I don't know comments or emails or tweets me to say they read the same book and they felt the same way. It's like they reached out and took my hand in the dark. I never tire of the thrill and I don't think I ever will. 

3. Has your taste in books changed through your life? Have you found yourself reading books you might not have when you were younger? Or are there books you loved in the past and now you can't imaging why?

I guess I'd say my taste has broadened as I've gotten older. I don't think I've ever really turned my back on books or genres I used to like, which is why I'm a serial re-reader. Nothing is as comforting as characters and words you know and love. No one welcomes you home like they do. But I definitely have started reading books I probably wouldn't have when I was younger. These would include books that previously scared me off, specifically horror or romance novels. Though I still read on the tame end, I'm sure. My husband is a die-hard Stephen King fan and finally broke down a couple of years ago and shoved a copy of It into my hands, begging me to read it. I took a deep breath and dove in and what a book. I was unprepared for how much I would love those seven kids and the wonderful writing. I'm so glad to have the book blogging community to tell me what I'm missing out on and to egg me on to try new things and fall in love with new characters and new words and add them to my beloved bookshelf.

4. This is a totally subjective question. What elements do you look for in a book? What makes a book a "good read"?

Two things: I connect with at least one character. And the words are right. And you're correct--it's utterly subjective. The characters I connect with and the words I love are not necessarily the same ones for anyone else. Whether or not the words are right is  a matter of my own taste and aesthetic criteria. My reasons will perhaps not be the same as others'. Occasionally I will connect with a character, but the narrative doesn't do her or him justice, and the book and I don't click. And it has happened that the prose is beautiful but the characters are empty for me, so the book and I don't click. But when those two elements meet--the results are sublime and I will read it through to the very end. Every time. 

5. What book has most influenced the way you see life and your role in it?

My life has been broadly influenced by all kinds of literature. But when I think of the novel that has most influenced the way I see life, I have to go with Middlemarch by George Eliot. It's difficult to overstate the effect it had on me when I read it in grad school. I still remember my throat tightening with emotion and wonder at the way she was able to capture the human experience in such quiet, crystalline moments. It changed me, brought focus to my academic pursuits, and is one of the books of my life. 

6. Other than reading, what do you do for fun? Are you a adventure seeker or do you like something a little closer to home?

I love good food, good music, and traveling to new places. Preferably all three together. 

7. I love the idea of your Retro Friday meme.  I'm a huge fan of older books and I try to read as many as I can.  What made you start the meme?  Was there an older book that you feel in love with that got you hooked on the idea of reading older books instead of the constant stream of new ones?

Thanks! I was looking for a weekly meme to start up on the blog, and I kept coming back to the fact that I spend a huge chunk of time re-reading old favorites when I could be reading newly published works. But I wouldn't want it any other way. In fact, I don't think I could stop it if I tried. I'm baffled by people who don't re-read. How can they not long to go back and spend time inside their favorite stories again? And so I thought, hey, why not review some of the old ones on a regular basis? Maybe it will spark some interest in some under-the-radar books. Maybe I'll even get to talk about them with others who've read and loved them, too. That's how Retro Fridays was born.

8. What are some little known facts about yourself?

Ha! Well, here's one little known (and literary) fact about me. In lieu of having the birds and the bees talk, my mother decided to hand me a copy of Lady Chatterley's Lover and call it good. And, honestly? After reading that book, I had no questions left. 

Thanks for having me!

If you are even a little bit curious, head on over to Angieville to read my answers to her questions.

I've Been Called A Whore Before, But I'll Own Being A Book Whore

Well it's official, I'm finally a whore.  It's taken a lot of years to practice, but thanks to some wonderful friends, I can now stake claim to that title.

Since it involves books, that makes it even better!  I can now hold my head up high, and proudly proclaim that I am in fact, A Book Whore!

Wordsmithonia Is Now 2 Years Old

I don't know where the time has gone but not only have I been blogging for two years, I'm 3 days late posting about it.  I knew my blogoversary was coming up, but I didn't realize that it went by without me thinking about it.  When I first started blogging, I didn't realize it was something that I would come to rely on and become such an integral part of me, that I can't see my life without it in it.

Because of blogging I have met some wonderful people who have helped restore my faith in the human race.  They have been gracious with their time, brain power, and have even provided me with a shoulder to lean on from time to time.  Without those in the book blogging community being so open and welcoming, this would never have gone as far as it has.  So I would like to say a big Thank You to everyone that I've gotten to know over the last two years and I look forward to many more years to come.

I don't know that I would still be doing this, two years later, if it wasn't for all of you.  I feel as if I've made some good friends over the last few years, friends that I couldn't imagine not talking too.  You guys have given me more support that you will ever know and have helped me deal with personal issues without me ever having to talk to you about it  Just having people that I can talk to about anything else, other than what is going on in my personal life, is an amazing thing to have.  You have given me something that I didn't know I needed, until I had it.

Once again I want to thank everyone for making the last two years mean so much to me.  I hope we have many more years together.

Vacation & Guest Post News

I am finally taking a little break from work and life later on this week.  I'm not doing anything exciting but I am going to try and relax and enjoy myself for 5 days of absolutely no responsibility.  My son has been in MN with my grandparents since the middle of last week, so I"m going to get to do whatever it is I want!  What that means for the blog is that I will be offline from Friday the 24th through Tuesday the 28th.

I have even better news to tell you though.  Thanks to some wonderful fellow bloggers the blog will not be sitting silent.  Five fantastic bloggers have agreed to write guest posts, one per day, that will give you a little hint of what summer is for them.  There will also be a book review of The Hypnotist going up on the 27th.  So that means you will have 6 fantastic posts to read while I'm gone.

But that's not all!  I have even more great news to share.  Since July & August are the two busiest months of  the work year for me I decided to farm out even more guest posts.  For those two months, 9 weeks total, the Favorite Fictional Character posts will be done by guest bloggers as well.  I've already gotten some of them emailed to me and I must say that characters picked so far are fantastic.

I'm really excited for all the guest posts.  There will be 14 different guest bloggers, all of them fabulous individuals and writers.  I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with.

Some More Interesting Links

I've never been all that interested in reading Jane Eyre, but after listening to the Reader's Review of it on The Diane Rehm show, I can't wait to get a hold of it.  Joining Diane on the show was NYT columnist Maureen Dowd, Syrie James (author of The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte), and John Pfordresher (professor of English at Georgetown University).

Another interesting discussion I heard on The Diane Rehm Show was an interview with Geraldine Brooks, the author of Caleb's Crossing.  It's a fictional account of the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College in 1665. 

On the NPR show, Here & Now, Robin Young interviewed Daniel Levitin, author of Your Brain on Music.  It's a fascinating look at how music is able to convey emotion and how musicians change the emphasis while playing.

On CBS.com I've been watching a lot of  "Perry Mason" episodes.  I think when I'm done, I'll be watching  old episodes of "The Love Boat".

Mario Frangoulis is one of my favorite male vocalists alive today.  He is a Greek Tenor but also sings in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.  One of my favorites is his version of "Hijo de la Luna" or "Son of the Moon".  It's gorgeous, I think if you listen to it, you will love it.

A Few Interesting Links I Want To Share

I normally don't do these type of posts but I have come across some rather interesting things on the Internet that I feel compelled to share with you.  They have occupied quite a bit of my time and hopefully they will do the same for you.  This may turn into a semi regular thing as I find items that excite me so much that I have to share them.

I have Sheila over at Book Journey to blame for the first item I want to share with you.  She reviewed an audio book of Dracula by Bram Stoker and it reminded me of my favorite version of it.  I have always loved The Mercury Theater on the Air version that Orson Wells produced back in the 1930s.  I own it on CD but I figured I could find it online for others to listen to as well.  I eventually found it as part of a free podcast on iTunes.  It's called The Horror! (Old Time Radio).  You can subscribe to get a new podcast downloaded to your iTunes account every week.  If you don't have iTunes go to RelicRadio.com and you can not only find The Horror station but many others as well.  I've been listening for days now to old time radio shows that most times are more entertaining than television.  They knew how to tell stories back then.  Today's scribes could learn a lesson from them.  If you want to listen to Dracula go to this page and it's listed along with some other great shows.

I'm a big fan of public radio and one of the shows I listen to quite often is The Diane Rehm Show.  She is an excellent interviewer and can readily discuss politics, economics, defense, movies, literature, and social policy at any given time.  I found two book discussions to be very interesting.  On 3/21/11 she talked with Robert Lane Greene, author of "You Are What You Speak: Grammar Grouches, Language Laws, and the Politics of Identity".  It was an entertaining look at language and the way people use it, most times without thinking about it.  On 3/10/11 she talked with David Brooks, the author of "The Social Animal:  The Hidden Sources of Love, Character and Achievement."  I've since seen him on various shows discussing his book, which I really want to read.  If you click on the titles of the books it will take you to the corresponding episode of the show.

I think most of you know that I'm a huge fan of Daryl Gregory, the author of Pandemonium and The Devil's Alphabet.  He has a new book, titled Raising Stony Mayhall, slated to come out in June.  I can't wait to get my hands on it, but in the meantime the author generously put the prologue and first chapter on his site for everyone to read.  After reading it, I was even more excited to get hold of the book.

The last item I want to leave you with is a gorgeous song from Chris Botti.  It features Gladys Knight on vocals.  So please enjoy their rendition of "Lover Man".

20 Questions Over at Lost In Books

I just wanted to let everyone know that Rebecca at Lost In Books asked me to participate in her 20 Questions meme and she has it posted today.  Please stop by and let me know what you think of my oh so provocative answers.

I'm One Year Old Today!

It's official, my blog is 1 year old today!  It was July 17th, 2009 that I decided to try my hand at blogging, and I haven't looked back since.  The year has been filled with a lot of fun and some hard work.  I'm not sure I knew what I was getting myself into a year ago, but I'm so glad I went for it.  Now I may end up rambling a bit in this post but please read to the end because there is going to be a giveaway buried in the gushing.

When I first started this blog, I had no idea what the heck I was doing.  All I knew is that a friend of mine on the Barnes & Noble book club page had started her own blog a while back and seemed to be having a blast, so I figured I would check it out and I've been here since then.  For those of you who don't know who I'm talking about, I would like to thank Deb of Bookmagic for introducing me to this fantastic world that I really never knew that much about before. 

I also owe a humongous THANK YOU to everyone in the book blogging community for making me feel at home and answering my questions when I didn't have a clue as to what I was doing. I wish I was able to list all of you by name but I'm not sure this post would ever be finished if I did so.  You guys are really the warmest and most welcoming group of people I know and I'm so proud to be counted amongst you.  Without really knowing it you guys have helped me through some rough spots this last year and for that I owe you more than I can ever express.  I'm looking forward to the years to come.

I was looking at my stats and I noticed that so far I've reviewed 89 books (I'm shooting for over 100 the next year), 13 DVDs, and even one CD.  Now this has been a year filled with some great books and some I wished I hadn't read, but even then I've learned a lot about what I look for in a book.  Before this blog, I could have told you whether or not I liked a book, but I wouldn't have been able to really go into the reasons behind it.  Not that I didn't know the reasons, but because I wasn't able to put my thoughts into words that anyone else would have understood.  Through reading the hundreds of blogs that I now subscribe to, by writing my own posts, and by having some terrific conversations with all of you, I think I'm finding my voice and making it stronger by the day.

I've also done 52 Favorite Fictional Character posts, one a week, where I talk about some of my favorite characters from books, TV, and Movies.  I even got a character from a poem into the mix early on in the series.  By doing this series of posts I've been able to revisit some of my old friends that I haven't really paid that much attention to at times.  I've been able to reconnect with them and have even bought books or DVDs based off the rediscoveries.  I'm only bringing this up because here is where the giveaway is going to come into play.

From now to the end of the month, July 31st, you will be able to enter into a giveaway to win a $20 gift card to Barnes & Noble or Amazon.  This will be open internationally so everyone will have a chance at it.

The giveaway will end at 11:59 PM CST on 7/31.  All you need to do to enter is pick your favorite character that I have posted about in my Favorite Fictional Character posts.  Just click on the link above to take you to the original posts.  In your comment please leave your preference between the two retailers, whether or not you want a physical or an electronic one, and your email address.  You must be a follower of the blog to enter.  After I pick the winner through random.org, I will email them and they will then have 48 hours to email me back or I will pick a new winner. 

I just want to say thank you once again to everyone who has made this last year special for me.  You will never know how much I appreciate the open arms and kindness you have all shown me.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Out of Town For Work I Go.....

I just wanted to quickly say I'm going to be out of town for work over the weekend so I won't be around to read your wonderful comments or comment on your posts.  I'll be back late Sunday night, so if I have the energy I will check in and see what took place while I was away, if not I'll be back on Monday.  Have a great weekend everyone!

Sorry Everyone, About Balderdash Today

I apologize to those of you who participate and read the Balderdash meme posts but I've been sick the last few days, today being the worst actually, so I really haven't written down any words or used the brain power to come up with cool meanings.  I promise it will be up next week and I ask that you forgive me for this lapse.

Thank you everyone for your kind words.  I found out tody I'm dealing with a case of bronchitis.  Hopefully the antibiotics will kick in and I'll get better soon.

Guest Post at Heidenkind's Hideaway

I just wanted to let everyone know that I have a guest post over at Heidenkind's Hideaway which is a terrific blog written by Tasha.  She had dedicated the entire month of January to m/m romance and she asked me to write a guest post from my perspective.  So please go on and over let me know what you think.  Have a great day!

Changes Coming Soon, Plus An Upcoming Giveaway

I want to thank everyone who stopped by and commented on the changes I've been thinking about making. It means a lot to me that other bloggers/readers are willing to offer advice and encouragement, especially since this blog is less than 6 months old still.

Some of the changes I've decided on are as follows, though none will happen until the first of the new year.

1. The Library Thing widget will disappear.

2. While I will continue to accept and pass on awards, I will no longer display them. I was considering doing a separate post or a tab since they were some great ideas I got from the feedback, but I just don't have the time to do it right now. Maybe when works slows down I will end up doing it.

3. All challenges I join will be posted together without the graphics. I will still give the links back to the challenge site but having so many pictures on my sidebar is distracting me.

There may be some smaller tweaks coming up, not that these are major by any means, but I haven't quite made up my mind yet.

Now for the fun news. I will be starting a new giveaway on January 1st to celebrate the new year and reaching 100 Google followers. I'm still fleshing out the details but I think you guys will like it.

Thinking of Changes

I've been thinking about making some changes to my blog and I thought I would ask your opinions on what I'm pondering. All the changes are cosmetic, though if anyone has any other suggestions I would be open to hearing them.

This is what I'm thinking of so far.

1. I still want to accept and pass on awards but I can't figure out a way to display them without looking cluttered, so I'm thinking of no longer putting them in my sidebar.

2. Instead of using images to display mine or other giveaways on my sidebar, I would change to text/link only. Have a separate area for my giveaways and a separate one for other giveaways.

3. Do the same thing for challenges I'm doing, no button just links.

4. Get rid of the Librarything widget, for some reason it's been annoying me lately.

5. I'm also thinking of changing the header pic but that will probably be a while.

Please feel free to make any comment that you feel is appropriate. I would really like to know what you think bout the layout or even the content (but please be gentle on that last part).