Book Blogger Appreciation Week 2009

It's that time of year again. Time to get your votes in for your favorites.

Interview : The Book Lady's Blog author Rebecca.

In honor of BBAW, I was asked to interview Rebecca from The Book Lady's Blog. I was very honored to do this. The Book Lady is up for "Funniest/Most Humorous Blog". Please swing on by her blog and check it out. She has of course been blogging longer then I have. I do have to say please forgive me for not posting this yesterday the official planned date for these interviews. I have actually been absent from my computer for a good 48 hours due to health issues. For this, I apologize to Rebecca and the readers. I am however figuring out how to make my posts that are ready to go auto post so I can avoid this problem in the future.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You were married in a Library. How did that come about?

When my husband and I got engaged, we were living in Kansas City--I was in graduate school, and he was working full time, and we didn't have much free time--so we hired a wedding consultant to help us pick a location and vendors and all those wedding details. We looked at several popular wedding sites, but they all seemed kind of generic, and we knew people who had been married in most of them, and we really wanted to do something unique and that felt like us. I checked email one day to discover that our planner found out that the library did special events, so we looked at it, and fell in love with it, and booked it immediately. It was the perfect place for us, and it provided an easy way to create a "theme," which I really needed help with because I was not one of those girls who'd been planning her wedding since she was five.

You're nominated for "Funniest/Most Humorous" blog for the BBAW awards. Which post do you consider your funniest, or have gotten the most reaction from?

I don't think I would have been nominated in that category if not for my Adventures in Bookselling series. For the last several weeks, I've written posts about the crazy customers and weird encounters I have working in a bookstore, and those have gotten a really positive reaction. It's been a blast hearing other people's funny stories in response, as well.

How long have you been blogging and what you got you started?

I've been blogging for about two and a half months. I started on July 1st with a blog called Readerville, and in early August, I moved to this blog because there were trademark issues with the name Readerville that I didn't know about when I set it up. How I got started is kind of a long, winding story. Elizabeth Emerson Hancock had contacted me about doing a book signing of Trespassers Will Be Baptized and I saw a reference to The Literate Housewife on her blog. That led to a trail of other blogs, which I read ravenously for a couple weeks. After I figured out how the whole blogging thing works and how to get connected in the community, I started my own.

What's the craziest thing you think you have posted about?

That's a tough one. I haven't posted about anything I'd consider really crazy, though I'm sure some people might find some of my content or book selections a bit risque. I have a background in psychology and sex therapy, so I occasionally read books that fit into those categories (most recently, Bonk by Mary Roach), and I enjoy discussing them and the related issues. But I do try to stay away from anything offensive or that would alienate readers.

Where or how do you get your post ideas?

Well, book review posts kind of create themselves. I participate in memes on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, so those posts are also structured for me ahead of time, though I do add in extensions to them when they trigger other ideas. Other posts just come to me randomly--if I hear someone at work say something funny or if I see someone do something weird in public, I'll make a note of it. I just try to be aware of what's going on around me, and then I keep a mental list of what I'd like to write about

How many books do you think you read in a year?

You know, I've never really kept track of this until now. In college, I read a couple books a month (plus books for class), and in the three years since I graduated, my reading has picked up a bit each year. I've been reading a few books a week for the last year or so, so I'd guess I read around 100 per year. When January 1st rolls around, I'll have been blogging and logging my reading for six months, so I guess we can take the six month total and double it for a yearl estimate.

What is your ideal reading set up?

Oooh, good question! Pajamas, a comfy spot on the couch, snuggled next to my hubby and my dog, with a glass of wine or a cup of hot chocolate ready to go. That's the idea, but I'll read pretty much anywhere.

About how many books do you own? What do you do with them when your done?

I've never counted, but I'd say it's several hundred. I like to underline passages and make notes in my books, so I keep them when I'm finished reading, and I often go back to find those passages or re-read the whole book. Underlining turned out to be a very good thing when I wanted to find literary passages for my wedding readings, and it finally got my husband to admit that maybe it's not such a bad thing to write in books. I also share books with my best friends via media mail.

Please name 3 books you could not live without. (Stranded on deserted island)

This is hard, but I'll follow the rules and stick to 3.

1. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

2. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

3. Any one of Toni Morrison's novels. They're all wonderful. Paradise and Beloved are probably my favorites, though.

What other hobbies do you have besides reading?

Entertainment-wise I like to see movies, listen to music, go to concerts, and watch witty TV shows (I *heart* The Office, Entourage, and How I Met Your Mother, amongs many others). I also like to cook and bake, and I LOVE food, so any social gathering that involves good food is always a plus. I love trying new restaurants. I also enjoy going on walks with my hubby and our dog and making up silly song lyrics as we walk. Like everyone else, I enjoy spending time with friends and family members. And I have a deep and profound love for my yoga instructor.

Last but not least. Tell us something that your readers don't know about you.

I have been known to turn on Christina Aguilera's song "Dirrty" and dance around the house in my undies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you Rebecca, and good luck on your award category.

You can read The Book Lady's Blog here.

*Gift Card Giveaway from "The Book Lady"

’ve updated the rules. See below.

In honor of Book Blogger Appreciation Week, which begins Monday, and to celebrate my nomination for Funniest/Most Humorous Blog, I’m going to combine a few of my favorite things—funny posts and free books—into a BBAW $25 Gift Card Giveaway.

I’ve really been enjoying writing about my experiences at work in my Adventures in Bookselling series (which can be found here, and here, and here, and here), and I love it when you guys chime in and share your own funny stories. So, here’s how it’s going to work:

1). Tell me about your own adventures in whatever it is that you do. If you work from home or are a stay-at-home parent, tell me about something funny your kids did or that you saw someone do in public. Leave a comment here with your story. ENTRIES ARE DUE BY 11:59 PM EDT ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH.

2). Come back Tuesday morning to see the finalists and vote for your favorite. Voting will be open until 11:59pm EDT Thursday, September 18th.

3). Check in Friday morning to find out who will win a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble.


Happy writing, and happy (almost) BBAW!

The Official BBAW Giveaway List

We have many activities and information to share regarding the Book Blogger Appreciation Week. Here is an official giveaway list and information on where to go to join in the fun.

The Official BBAW Giveaway List

If you follow along for the festivities of BBAW at My Friend Amy, you will find many chances to win LOTS of goodies! Like what? Well have a look below. All of these things will be given away between September 15-19. There will be a huge variety of ways to win them and giveaways will be announced constantly throughout the week. So be sure to check in often!


A HUGE thank you to Hachette Book Group, Penguin Group USA, Harlequin, The B&B Media Group, Shera of SNS Blog Design, WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, Catherine Delors, Pamela Binnings Ewen, Andromeda Romano-Lax, Ceceilia Dowdy, Sormag, Book Club Girl, Savvy Verse and Wit, Cafe of Dreams, Fashionista Piranha, and Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'?.

Daily Raffles:
Monday--Books and Chocolate sponsored by My Friend Amy and Hey Lady! Whatcha' Readin?
Tuesday--Books and Going Green sponsored by My Friend Amy
Wednesday--Books and Coffee sponsored by My Friend Amy
Thursday--Books and Charity sponsored by My Friend Amy and Fashionista Piranha
Friday--Books and Movies sponsored by My Friend Amy

Win a Book Club Girl Hostess Survival Kit!
Do you find it's your turn to host book club and not only do you not know what to serve but you don't know what books to offer up for the next month's selection?! Let Book Club Girl come to your rescue with the Book Club Girl Hostess Survival Kit.

One lucky winner of the kit will receive:

* A basket of cheese, crackers, cookies and wine for up to 12 people
* 5 great book group books to vote on for your group's next pick. And Book Club Girl will then donate 12 copies whichever book is chosen for your entire group to read.
* 12 Book Club Girl mousepads to give out as party favors that night
* 12 Book Club Girl bookmarks to mark everyone's favorite passages
* 12 Book Club Girl coasters to protect your coffee table from all those wine glasses!

TWO SORMAG Goody Bags containing books and more!


A Special Pamper Me Basket from Cafe of Dreams!
From Avon Foot Works
~ Inflatable watermelon shaped foot tub
~ 3.4 FL oz Watermelon Cooling Foot Lotion
~ 3.4 FL oz Watermelon Exfoliating Foot Scrub
~ 12 count Watermelon Effervescent Foot Tablets
~ An ARC of So Long At The Fair by Christina Schwarz
~ A variety of Hot Chocolate and Tea mixes

A pre-made blog template from SNSDesign!

A Subscription to Poetry Magazine from Savvy Verse and Wit!

BOOKS
Mistress of the Revolution by Catherine Delors
The Moon in the Mango Tree by Pamela Binnings Ewen
The Spanish Bow by Andromeda Romano-Lax
John's Quest by Cecelia Dowdy
Confessions of a Contractor by Richard Murphy
Acedia & Me by Kathleen Norris
The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell
The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer
Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley
A Tale Out of Luck by Willie Nelson with Mike Blakely
The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent
When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson
An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken
Exit Music by Ian Rankin
The Smart One and the Pretty One by Claire LaZebnik
Gunmetal Black by Daniel Serrano
Isolation by Travis Thrasher
The Miracle Girls by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt
Every Freaking! Day With Rachell Ray by Elizabeth Hilts
Dewey by Vicki Myron
The Shiniest Jewel by Marian Henley
Keep the Faith by Faith Evans
The Book of Calamities by Peter Trachtenberg
A is for Atticus by Lorilee Craker
After the Fire by Robin Gaby Fisher
Mike's Election Guide by Michael Moore
War as They Knew It by Michael Rosenberg
Fixing Hell By Col. (ret.) Larry C. James
Wild Boy: My Life with Duran Duran by Andy Taylor
The Last Under-Cover: The True Story of an FBI Agent's Dangerous Dance with Evil By Bob Hamer
Border Lass by Amanda Scott
Insatiable Desire by Rita Heron
Hungry for More by Diana Holquist
Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee
Trespassers Will Be Baptized by Elizabeth Emerson Hancock
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not by Trish Ryan
Never Surrender by General Jerry Boykin
Dream in Color by Congresswoman Linda Sánchez, Congresswoman Loretta Sánchez
Beyond Belief by Josh Hamilton
Cobain Unseen by Charles R. Cross
Doing Business in 21st Century India by Gunjan Bagla
Branding Only Works on Cattle by Jonathan Salem Baskin
Launching a Leadership Revolution by Chris Brady, Orrin Woodward
How to Hear from God by Joyce Meyer
Knowing Right from Wrong by Thomas D. Williams
Pope John Paul II: An Intimate Life by Caroline Pigozzi
Pure by Rebecca St. James
He Loves Me! by Wayne Jacobson
So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore by Wayne Jacobson and Dave Coleman
Move On, Move Up by Paula White
The Rosary by Gary Jansen
Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts
The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
Right Livelihoods by Rick Moody
by George by Wesley Stace
The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
Trunk Music by Michael Connelly
Hollywood Crows by Joseph Wambaugh
Dead Boys by Richard Lange
The Gifted Gabaldon Sisters by Lorraine Lopez
Sisterchicks Go Brit! by Robin Jones Gunn
Beyond the Night by Marlo Schalesky
With Endless Sight by Allison Pittman
Harlequin Titles: To Be Announced

Many other blogs are giving away books and prizes for BBAW as well! You can see the links to all of these giveaways here.