Sunday, June 3, 2012

Armchair BEA - Hi there!



Hi everyone! It's Armchair BEA time! For those of you who do not know, Book Expo of America is being held this week in New York city.  This is like a dream come true for most book bloggers! You get to go and interact with all the large publishing houses, and many of the small, check out the upcoming releases, pick up ARCs, meet authors and get books signed, and last but not least meet many of the people you've been connecting with via social media. FUN, FUN, FUN!!!

Unfortunately for a multitude of reasons a lot of book bloggers are not able to make it to BEA in New York. Then Armchair BEA was formed. Armchair BEA will allow bloggers to follow along at home, network with each other, participate in twitter parties. and giveaways from their own home.

I was lucky enough to win a bloggers pass through Armchair BEA and ended up turning it down because there was no way that I could arrange 4 days in NYC in 16hrs. Today I had the revelation that I didn't have to go for all 4 days! I could go for just one day if I wanted! I contacted Armchair BEA and luckily they still had a pass available, soooooo.....I'm going to BEA!!!! I haven't decided whether it will be Tuesday or Wednesday yet, but I WILL be there! In the mean time I would like to kick off Armchair BEA with an introduction.  Participants have been asked to answer 5 questions as a way of getting to know each other. So with out further ado...

Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?   Hi, My name is Debbie. I have 3 kids, one of whom is grown, one about to graduate Pre-K, if you can believe it, and one starting Pre-k next year. I'm a retired paramedic and am now playing the role of Stay-at-Home Mom. A Library of our Own has only been active for a little over two months but I have loved it! I started the blog as a way to record what I and my two children were reading. The blog has turned into much more than that on my end but unfortunately I have yet to figure out a good format to highlight G and E's reading. I'm still working on it. Now it looks like my eldest daughter might be joining us too, fingers crossed!

What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?   Right now I am currently reading The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones, which I won on Goodreads, The Promise in a Kiss by Stephanie Laurens, my guilty pleasure, and Charlotte's Web by E. B. White with G. I'm ashamed to say that I have not previously read Charlotte's Web but soon that will no longer be the case! I don't know if I can actually pick a favorite for this year so I'll list the top ones; The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah, The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, A Night to Remember by Walter Lord, The Bungalow by Sarah Jio, The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda, The Underside of Joy by Sere Prince Halverson, and Calling Invisible Women by Jeanne Ray. Wow, that is a lot! I might have to start narrowing down a bit!

Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.   Wow! Just one. That's going to be hard as there are not many non-book-related things that have come up on my blog so far. Randomly, I've danced on the bar at Coyote Ugly in DC. SO MUCH FUN! Feel free to ask for more random pieces of info if you would like to know!

Where do you see your blog in five years?   If my blog lasts 5 years there are many things I would like to see happen. I definitely want to have figured out how to include G and E appropriately, though by then hopefully they'll be able to write their own reviews! I would like to polish the look of my blog and have my own URL. I would like to be entrench in the book blogging community. I would also like to have a lot of author interaction and move more towards recommending books than "reviewing" them as I am by no means a literary critic. Let's not even mention improving my writing! :) Oops, I wasn't suppose to mention that...

If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?   This is an incredibly hard one because there are so many authors and characters I would love to get to know. My answer might also change given any multitude of variables at any time. For right now I am going to say Alice Steinbach, author of Without Reservations: The Travels of an Independent Woman.  This book was given to me at exactly the right time and inspired me so much and gave me the courage to travel as an independent woman myself. I would love to let her know how she affected my life and to learn more about the woman behind the book. Who is she? What led to her travels? How does she feel about them now? There are just so many questions!

So there you have it! I hope that this has given you a little insight into myself and A Library of our Own. I would be happy to answer any other questions you may have and am looking forward to both Armchair BEA and BEA! Click here to see other introduction posts! Have a wonderful week!



40 comments:

  1. Nice to "meet" another Debbie and I also have a little one who graduates from pre-k next week and will be starting kindergarten in the Fall. My younger son will be starting preschool come fall as well and it will be nice to have just one school drop off :)

    I love Stephanie Laurens and I am impressed you danced on a Coyote Ugly bar. I would never have worked up the nerve. lol. Feel free to stop by my armchair BEA introduction.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So excited for you to go to BEA! So much fun! Hope I get to go next year!

    Love that you want to integrate your children's reading into the blog!

    Mission to Read

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congrats on winning a pass! I've heard great things about The Night Circus.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello Debbie! *waves*

    Have you thought about maybe a weekly feature for G and E? They can have a day where the books they're reading are highlighted and then you can have a page with them that has a history of all the books they've read? Just a suggestion! :-)

    I hope you like blogging - it's great and it's great to have you here too!

    And A Charlotte's Web is awesome! hope that you like it xD

    Here is my intro post if you wanted to drop by!

    Faye :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello Debbie! It's SO AWESOME that you're going to BEA! Congrats!!! I'm super jealous ;) I hope you have an amazing time!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm jealous of your dance on the bar, how amazing is that! I adore The Thriteenth Tale so I'm glad I'm not alone in that. And I have to admit I've never read Charlotte's Web, it's one I plan on reading though. Hope you are enjoying The Uninvited Guests, it wasn't what I thought it was going to be, but I loved it.

    Hope you enjoy your week!

    ReplyDelete
  7. The only book I've read of the ones you've mentioned is Charlotte's Web. It's a brilliant book that is definitely a highlight of my childhood reading experience. I'm sure your kids will enjoy it! And dancing in a bar (pub)? That is incredibly BRAVE of you! I don't have it in me to do the same :)

    Happy reading!
    -Kirthi

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love the idea of kids writing their own reviews! I want to steal that idea.

    Have fun at BEA!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love your idea of having your kids write reviews! Mine are still too young, but I definitely am attracted to the idea of reviewing children's books and including their thoughts in the review. I'll probably add a section to my site for children's books soon, since there's SO MANY and it's hard to tell which ones are worth getting for your kids.

    Pleased to meet you, and thanks for stopping by my Armchair BEA Intro Post.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have found that writing just naturally improves after blogging and blogging and, of course, reading and reading, LOL. It's sort of a neat side effect of blogging!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi! Congrats on winning the pass, I bet it's going to be loads of fun. I agree about recommending books versus reviewing them since my reviewing definitely need some polishing too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Congrats on winning!! I love your idea of letting your kids get involved!! Welcome to BEA

    http://lovesbooksreviews.blogspot.com/2012/06/armchair-bea-about-me.html

    ReplyDelete
  13. Charlotte's Web is one of my all-time favorites. When I was thinking of what character I'd like to have lunch with for one of the Armchair BEA questions, Charlotte was actually one of the characters that popped into my head.

    Have fun at BEA!

    ReplyDelete
  14. You know.. I haven't read Charlotte's Web either but I have seen the movie a dozen times as a child. I will have to read it sometime. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Have fun at BEA! Congrats on winning the pass.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi There!

    I am so jealous that you are actually going to BEA! :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I loved The Night Circus and Winter Garden.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Nice to meet you!
    Hope you have fun at BEA!!!

    xo Stephanie

    ReplyDelete
  19. Nice to meet you! And thanks for checking out my blog, too! Some of your favorites this year are favorites of mine too. I love the Thirteenth Tale . . . it reminded me a lot of Shadow of the Wind by Carlo Ruiz Zafon. Have you read that?

    Have a fantastic time at BEA--what a treat!

    --Lorna

    ReplyDelete
  20. You won one of the passes?? Lucky you! Now we'll expect a full report of your day there.

    Where's the photo of your dance at Coyote Ugly?

    I used to live in NoVA, in Alexandria. I still have family in the area, and some of them work in Maryland.

    I have a HC first edition of WITHOUT RESERVATIONS! I really enjoyed it. She would be a fascinating person to have dinner with.

    Enjoy the rest of ABEA!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Debbie! Congrats on winning the passes--that's absolutely fantastic!

    And there are several bloggers who include reviews from their kiddos. Definitely something you should do! Or maybe give each one a monthly feature to handle?

    Have a wonderful time!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Congrats on getting to go to BEA!

    I have been blogging just about the same amount of time as you and have been enjoying it as well. :)

    My intro!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Congrats on winning the pass! I would love to attend one day and I don't even live that far but life is just too busy at the moment.

    I love the idea of sharing what your children are reading. That is something I hope to do one day if I have kids.

    Here's my Armchair BEA Intro Post.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Aw, enjoy the pass! Mega congrats, and take good notes for all of us ;o)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Oh I loved Winter Garden as well!! Nice to meet you and thanks for stopping by my blog! Have a great week! Enjoy Charlotte's Web!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hi Debbie! Congrats on winning that pass! I'm so jealous! I hope you enjoy it, because I'm going to be eligible to go after like five years. -.-

    My BEA Intro

    ReplyDelete
  27. What fun getting to attend BEA!!!! if you are at all interested & time allows try to find out which publishing house is having their blogger reception on the day you can go. It's a great way to meet fellow bloggers & get your name on THE lists. Another tip would be to pick the main publishers you want to work with this year and fill oot the BEAmy show planner. This will get you plugged in with the publishing houses throughout the year by getting YOUR name on THEIR lists. Most of all wear comfy shoes and enjoy yourself! Oh, and be selective about what books you DO pick up- you could end up leaving with over 75 books & then feel guilty til you get them read & reviewed!
    Welcome to the book blogging community. :-D

    ReplyDelete
  28. Not even going to lie, I'm so jealous of your BEA attendance. Going for one day is still way cool, I hope you have a blast.

    It was a pleasure "meeting" you and I hope you have a wonderful BEA week!

    ~Christina (and the other Book Hookup Litbrarians)
    The Book Hookup's BEA Intro

    ReplyDelete
  29. Oh I'm so jealous that you have the opportunity to BEA. Congrats!

    Nice to meet you,
    Sandy

    ReplyDelete
  30. Have a great time when you go to BEA. I see a few of my favorites on your favorite list.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Nice to meet you Debbie!

    I hope you enjoy your time both here at ABEA and the little bit you get to spend at BEA itself. :)

    Congrats on the win!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I've heard of some but not others of the books you mention. Congrats on the BEA pass, hope you do get to enjoy, even if just for a day. Better than the rest of us!! ;)
    And wow, I though the five years between my two was enough..eeeekkkk

    Here's my Intro post. Nice to meet you!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Ooo, what a great reading list! I have numerous books that I am currently reading right now too, but, I have to admit, sometimes I get a bit confused, lol! I'm going to have to narrow my list down too!
    It was nice to 'meet' you today! Enjoy the rest of the week and happy reading :)

    ReplyDelete
  34. Wow, you are a newbie blogger just like me! Welcome to the community :)

    I loved the Night Circus too! Such a fab book!

    Have fun at BEA this week, you lucky duck :) Nice to meet you!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Nice to meet you Debbie, I actually work in Aberdeen, MD. My wife is also a stay at home mom (but not for long as our son is going to kindergarten).

    http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

    ReplyDelete
  36. Oh, enjoy Charlotte's Web!! That was my favorite as a child, and I recently reread and LOVED it all over again. (It made me cry.) Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Oh hooray! Another mom-blogger with small children! I'm a former classroom teacher/librarian turned SAHM to my 3yo and 6mo. So much of my blogging is about what I read with them. Glad to have found you!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Fantastic post - I found all of your answers to be very interesting, especially your 2012 favourites post. Really wonderful answers. I'm pleased to meet you. :)

    New to your blog!
    Stephanie @ Stepping Out of the Page

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hi, Debbie! Love the Calling Invisible Women is one of your favorite books of the year - you haven't reached the menopausal invisible age yet but when you're the mom of kids as young as yours, it can really feel like you're invisible, that you're only "mommy" and not you any more.

    ReplyDelete