Jenn's Bookshelves

I can admit it.  I’m in denial that BBAW is over! I want to continue the blogger love and appreciation we all celebrated that week! Ok, now that I see that in print it does sound a bit cheesy.  Anyway, I’m very excited to have the opportunity to interview Dawn from She is Too Fond of Books.  I was lucky to have met Dawn at BEA this past May.  Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to hang out as much as we would have liked, but that’s something that will definitely change for BEA 2010!  Dawn also forced encouranged me to join the Game On Diet Challenge, and I’m forever thankful to her for that!  So, without further ado, my interview with Dawn!

Jenn: First, can you give a little background info about your blog (i.e. how long have you been blogging, etc)

Dawn: I started writing She is Too Fond of Books in May 2008.  We had an out-of-state move about a year earlier, moving not only the kids from their playmates and school chums, but moving me from Upsilamba the women’s book group I had belonged to for seven years.  We discussed mostly nonfiction, and the group members ebbed and flowed over the years.  We had lively discussions, often agreed to disagree, and knew that, like Vegas, what happened in book group, stayed in book group!  I did start a book group in our new neighborhood, here, and it’s still going strong, but we’re a bit lighter in our conversations.  The blog is a way for me to explore a little more deeply my reactions to what I read, and to connect with others who might also be too fond.

Jenn: Describe your blog in five words.

Dawn: Honest. Personal. Varied. Family-friendly. Connections.

Jenn: What are the most memorable books you’ve read since blogging? Why?

Dawn: Oh good, I re-read the question … I thought you were looking for one book, and I wanted to write “impossible to choose one!”.  OK, the most memorable books I’ve read in the past 18 months or so include Beat the Reaper (laugh out loud funny on audio, definitely R rated), Blame and Last Night in Montreal (literary fiction with themes that really make think … and stay with you), The Middle Place and The Center of the Universe (raw, honest memoirs), To the World of Men, Welcome and It’s Beginning to Hurt (outstanding collections of short fiction).

Jenn: If you were stuck on an island, which five books would you like to have with you?

Dawn: Is this where I say that if I had a Sony e-reader with me, I could have hundreds of books at my disposal?  And Sony will be so pleased with the endorsement they’ll send us each a comp unit to test-drive, review, and thus reduce the number of books overflowing the bookcases?  Oh, I probably won’t have bookcases on the island ….  I’d have a blank book (a journal); a book of poetry (something huge, covering nursery rhymes to classics); an NIV study Bible (I’ve never read it through, so this would be as good a time as any to really dissect it); and since I’m on an island UltraSimple Boat Building would be handy.

Jenn: Most interesting/strange thing that has happened to you since creating your blog?

Dawn: I can’t think of anything strange; I’m kind of a Pollyanna that way!  Tons of interesting things, though – going to BEA and meeting lots of other bloggers, feeling comfortable talking to my author idols, trying new things (new genres, new activities, Game On Diet), seeing life through blog-goggles, always looking for an angle.

Jenn: Name one book that has gone unrecognized so far and deserves more recognition.

Dawn: Islands of Divine Music by John Adieggo.  It’s a series of linked short stories, telling the story of a family through several generations.  There’s a bit of magical realism in it.  I’ve done a lot of primary source research on my own genealogy, and I’d love to write even one short story that gives a snapshot of an incident in an ancestor’s life.

Jenn: Since blogging, have you been turned on to a type of book you haven’t read before? (i.e graphic novel, non-fiction, etc.)

Dawn: I’ve read only one graphic novel (The Shiniest Jewel by Marian Henley), which I loved.  I’d definitely read more, just haven’t added any more to my library yet.  I’m enjoying YA books, too, although I still struggle with reviewing them (an issue at my end, not the author’s).  Oh, and short fiction; I’m reading more and more short story collections (and “novels in stories” or linked short stories).

Thank you, Dawn, for stopping by Jenn’s Bookshelves!  Everyone, please check out my answers to Dawn’s questions on her blog, She is Too Fond of Books!

The winner of my next BBAW giveaway will receive a book lover’s gift set, which includes the following items:

• Assortment of sticky-notes
• Note card set
• Sticky-note book mark
• Bookmarker Pens (so thin, they double as a bookmark)
• Hardbacker, magazine or graphic novel size

To enter, please comment below. For extra entries, please tweet/blog about it.  Link to tweet/blog post must be included in your comment.  Comment must also contain email address.

Open to US/Canadian residents only.  Winner will be announced on Monday, September 21st.

My interview partner is Hilda from The Dip-Files.  Before we go into the interview, here is some basic information about her from her blog:

I’m a young Venezuelan girl living in Shanghai who has been lost to books. I love emerging myself into those crazy worlds only ingenious Authors can create and I am now exploring all the different genres of literature but remain faithful to vampire stories. I’m also an aspiring novelist and have just recently discovered the wonders of blogging. – - This blog is dedicated to bloody vampires because I just can’t get enough of them! – -

Now that you have a little background information on Hilda, on to the interview!

Jenn: When did you begin blogging? What made you decide to create a blog?

Hilda: I started blogging not too long ago. About two months ago, actually. I had been following some book blogs and blogs of my favorite authors and I thought it would be a good idea to share my own experiences, too.

Jenn: Describe your blog in five words.

Hilda: New, bloody, bookish, experimental, red.

Jenn:  If you were stuck on an island which five books would you like to have with you?

Hilda: That’s tough. The genres I read depend on my mood. This week I feel like reading Paranormal, but two weeks ago I was reading Romance. However I do have some faves I’d like to have with me. The Demonica Series by Larissa Ione, there goes three, Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris and Surrender to the Devil by Lorraine Heath.

Jenn: Name one book that has gone unrecognized so far that deserves more recognition.

Hilda: Shame by Jasvinder Sanghera. It’s like an autobiography but it’s an amazing story. Very touching.

Jenn: You obviously love vampire novels. Which one is your favorite?

Hilda: Phew, how to answer this. I love anything about vampire. Novels, TV Shows, movies, photos, anything. It’s hard to choose one novel because each has something the other doesn’t. It’s pretty impossible for me to pick one. But Interview with the Vampire was my first vampire book, the one that got me hooked, so I guess it is my favorite. And I’m irrevocably in love with Lestat *grin*

Jenn: Who’s your favorite Author?

Hilda: Uh, that’s easy, if you’ve been following me you already know who it is. Larissa Ione. =)

Jenn: What’s your favorite thing about the blogging community?

Hilda: The fact that I can read different points of view and different perspectives and it’s like I experience their experiences along with them. It’s also great to have and meet online buddies that share the same interests as me.

Jenn: What is the best thing you’ve discovered about the blogging community?

Hilda: Blogging is a constant learning experience. Whether it’s books, movies, TV Shows, or simply life, you’re always learning something new. I’ve learned that I have to be more dedicated in what I do in order to accomplish anything I wish.

Thank you, Hilda, for stopping by! Be sure to check out her blog later today to view my answers to her questions!

What better way to celebrate BBAW than with book giveaways?  And to kick off my week of giveaways, I was going to do a giveaway for one of my favorite books.  Instead, I’ll let the winner choose!  The winner of this contest can pick the book of their choice (limit of $20 USD).  Winner can choose book from amazon.com (US residents )or bookdepository.com (US or International residents). Contest is open world-wide!

To enter, comment below with the title of the book you would like to win.

For multiple entries:

• Become a follower of this blog (either via email or RSS feed).
• Blog about it.  To be counted, must be an actual blog post, not a sidebar item.  Please include link to blog post.
• Tweet about it. Please be sure to include @jennsbookshelf in your tweet.  Include a link to your tweet in your comment.

Winner will be announced Monday, September 21st.  Good luck!!

I think I’ve drilled this into your heads already, but Book Blogger Appreciation Week is coming up soon: September 14-18, 2009. Nominees for the various categories have been nominated and I love the excitement I see on twitter when people tweet what category they have been nominated for. The enthusiasm is overwhelming!

Well, Jenn’s Bookshelf has been nominated for Best Reviews! I woke up to find the email waiting for me. I’m suprised, humbled, and honored! Thank you to whomever nominated me!

I also have to thank the awards committee that has been spending a tremendous amount of time sending out these notificiations. It’s a lot of hard work, and we all appreciate your dedication to spreading the excitement about book bloggers!

So, I have until midnight tomorrow (Friday, August 21st) to come up with 5 posts that most reflect my blog and this category. It’s going to be a lot of fun to go back and reflect over the posts I’ve done over the past year, and to see how much Jenn’s Bookshelf has grown and matured.

Be sure to keep following the BBAW blog and be sure to vote for your favorite blogs! Voting starts Monday, September 7 and ends on September 12 at 11:59 PM EST.

• Kathy from Bermudaonion’s Weblog-Kathy was one of the first to comment on my blog. She’s the commenting queen!

• Beth from Beth Fish Reads-We both swear we are long-lost twins, separated by time and space.

• Julie from Booking Mama-Her blog has introduced me to a wealth of great books for my boys.

• Trish from Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin’?-Trish offers the best suggestions when it comes to improving and enhancing a blog. In addition, she was my roomie at BEA, and I truly enjoyed the time we spent together and the conversations we had.

• Amy from My Friend Amy-Another blogger that offers great advice when it comes to books and blogging. She alleviated my nervousness about attending BEA for the first time always has the best responses/solutions when drama pops up in the blogging world. She and I don’t always have the same opinion, but hers is one I definitely value.

• Swapna from S. Krishna’s Books-Swapna is one fast reader! She inspires me to read more!

• Dawn from She is Too Fond of Books-Dawn is an amazing monther and woman. I love when she features receipes on her blog. I always try them out. They aren’t always a hit, but the experience is unforgettable. Dawn also inspired me to join the Game On Challenge, an experience that forever changed me and my eating lifestyle.

• Stephanie from Stephanie’s Written Word-Stephanie is a brave and strong woman, an inspiration to us all!

• Michelle, aka Galleysmith- Michelle gave me the great idea to create my Virginia is for Lovers feature. She also supported my Supernatural addiction by lending me two seasons-worth of DVDs . Michelle is a true bibliophile–her book shopping extravaganzas relieve the guilt I have after buying a few books.