Today we travel to Ottawa, Canada to chat with book blogger, Christopher Adam, about how living in Budapest, the Berlin Wall, a handwritten journal, being an author, long-form book reviews, Oscar Wilde, visiting Transnistria, having lunch in the town of Chernobyl, and being pen pal to a couple of inmates come together as part of Christopher’s past and current life.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I live in Ottawa, Canada, where by day I work as the director of a charity, which runs a soup kitchen, a day program for marginalised populations and outreach to those who find themselves on the edges of our community. By night, on weekends and whenever I have a moment and some tea or coffee readily available, I read, write and try to reflect on both. I am fortunate to have travelled overseas frequently during my undergraduate and graduate studies and also to have spent my formative teenage years living in Budapest, Hungary, after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Seeing a society go through such a dramatic transition with my own eyes, even at this young age, is an experience that has stayed with me.
(Lost in reading in Budapest)
The charity you direct sounds like a great benefit to your community. What a wonderful organization to be involved with.
Why did you choose to be a book blogger or how did you come to be a book blogger? How long have you been bookblogging?
I blog to share with others my reflections on what I’ve read and to suggest books that have left an impact on me, as well as to create a personal written record of my own development as a writer, reader, thinker and as a person. More than two decades ago in high school, one of my teachers had us keep a handwritten journal. We would paste in a news article and then include our observations on what we’ve read. At the time, sometimes it felt like an onerous task. Decades later, however, I see so much value in maintaining a log of our impressions on what we have read and tracking how reading has the capacity to form and change us.
I began book blogging shortly after I published my first collection of fiction, I Have Demons, in November 2018. I experienced firsthand the difficulties of getting that book into the hands of book reviewers who really care about what they read and who took pride in what they wrote. I recall how encouraging it was to receive meaningful feedback on my work. My own passion for reading seemed to cross paths with the value I saw in sharing thoughtful book reviews. That’s how I became a book blogger.
Are you accepting requests at the moment? How do you prefer to be contacted?
I am always open to reviewing works of literary fiction and literary nonfiction. I do work full-time during the week and writing book reviews is a hobby — so it may take a little time for me to get back to you. Take a look to see if your book is a good fit for my site and if it is, please use the contact form on this page to reach out to me: http://christopheradam.ca/contact/
What information do you want to receive with the request?
In addition to sending me your book’s synopsis, please share with me how your book is a good match in light of the types of books I review and my book blogging style.
What types of book blog posts do you offer? Reviews, interviews, book spotlight, guest posts, etc.
I try to offer thoughtful and reflective long-form book reviews. Most of my reviews are over 1,000 words in length and I aim to give each book a close, careful read. Sometimes, I’ll draw connections between books, I will look for literary devices and techniques, I will see how each book may be relevant to what we are experiencing in the world today and I will seek to share details about the author whenever this knowledge adds depth to the post. To that end, I may reach out to you with some follow-up questions.
What is your preferred book format to read? If digital, what digital file do you prefer?
I work best with paperback, hardcover or a PDF version of your book. If you send me a paperback or hardcover version, I will donate the book after reviewing it to my charity’s modest library.
Do you only participate in official blog tours or do you accept requests from authors? Do you accept requests from indie authors, or indie publishers? Would you like to share a few of your favorite blog tour operators?
I usually communicate directly with the author and occasionally with the publisher. Indie authors, emerging authors and established ones are invited to contact me if their literary fiction or nonfiction is thematically and stylistically complementary to the type of books I usually review on my site.
What is your preferred genre? Do you read nonfiction, memoirs, or any style of poetry? What genres do you NOT read?
My preferred genre is literary fiction with a philosophical, existential or theological perspective, and books that reflect critically on society. What does this mean in practice? If we take the classics, some of my favourite authors are Graham Greene, Evelyn Waugh and Oscar Wilde. Each of these authors approached their writing from a thoughtful, broadly speaking Catholic perspective. These authors compel me to think and reflect on my own life and beliefs, and as a reviewer, I feel that I can work meaningfully with the themes that they cover. I don’t review books that are simply religious tracts or those that proselytise. I look for works that challenge, are thoughtful, paradoxical, critical and maybe unorthodox.
I do consider literary fiction that may explore other themes. I would not, however, be a good fit as a reviewer when it comes to works of fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction or romance.
Do you write a review if you did not like the book? Do you use a star rating system for reviews you write?
If I agree to write a review, I will complete it even if I did not especially enjoy reading the book. I don’t use a system of star ratings for my reviews, as this rarely does justice to the book, nor does it allow me to capture what I really thought in a nuanced way.
Once contacted, when can the author or blog tour operator expect to hear from you?
I try to respond within five days. If the initial email and the book synopsis really catch my attention and seem to be a great fit for my site, I will often respond sooner. Please know that if I do review your book, I will spend time reading it closely and I will try to give much thought to the review itself. This reflective approach, combined with the reality of a full work week, means that I have to be selective when it comes to the books that I agree to read and review.
What is your favorite aspect of bookblogging?
Book blogging helps to level the playing field for indie, emerging and established authors. On my site, I love reflecting on the works of a classic or established author one week, only to follow it up with the debut work of an indie author later the same month. There is a morsel of justice in this for the talented, diligent and thoughtful indie author.
I appreciate that you have a mixture of classics and indie authors on your book blog. So wonderful of you. Can you tell us 3 interesting facts about yourself?
1. I visited a country that technically does not exist, namely Transnistria, and spent a rather surreal day wandering the Soviet-flavoured streets of Tiraspol.
2. I visited the abandoned town of Pripyat, in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and had lunch in the town of Chernobyl itself (mercifully, the food was brought in from the outside).
3. For a number of years, I have been a pen pal to a couple of inmates in the United States. We often discuss books and one of them is better read than I am. On many occasions, he has given me book tips.
Definitely interesting facts, Christopher. I just had to research Transnistria, so I’ve included a map for everyone else. I bet it was unlike any other experience to visit Chernobyl.
If you could have a fantasy tea or coffee date with an author from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?
I think that I would have to choose Oscar Wilde. I imagine that he would select a splendid restaurant or café in either Britain or France for the occasion, order for us something decadent to drink or eat and all I would have to do, in terms of asking a question, is turn to him and say: “So then, how’s it been going?” and he would likely offer a perfectly fulsome response.
It was wonderful and incredibly interesting to have you be a part of MTA. Wishing you all the best, Christopher! – Camilla
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Today we travel to California to chat with Corinne Morier of The Discerning Reader about how living in Japan, teaching English, having autism, being hyper-focused, reading outside of comfort zones, the inability to recognize social clues, online role playing games, readathons, Pokemon, and a Rainbow Bookshelf come together as part of Corinne’s past and current life.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m a reader-turned-writer-turned-book reviewer who taught herself to read Clifford the Big Red Dog in preschool. At eight, I proudly DNFed my first book, The Diary of Anne Frank, with a very astute observation: “Anne. Frank. Is. Dead!”
I share the book love on my blog, The Discerning Reader, which I started in September 2018. Up until that point, I was writing sporadic blog posts about what it was like to live in Japan, but after returning home to California in August 2018, I decided to change my blog to a book blog.
Along with blogging and writing my own novels, I also am a passionate Booktuber, proudly choosing my monthly TBR with my Lord of the TBR game. For more information, please feel free to visit my latest video; which I always have a lot of fun filming, though it’s not as much fun editing them. xD
Why did you choose to be a book blogger?
Up until August 2018, I was living in Japan and teaching English in the public school system. I was also attempting to write sporadic blog posts about life in Japan, though my job kept me very busy and I often didn’t have the time or energy to do so.
My friend Ellie came to visit me in Japan and we went traveling during Christmas vacation.
After finishing my contract in summer of 2018 and returning to my native California, I thought it would be fun to rebrand my blog into a book blog. I did so after “careful” consideration (read: within about an hour of first getting the idea) and have never looked back. I used to post all the reviews of every single book I read, including negative reviews and DNF reviews, just to be able to have content, but when 2018 ended, I decided to only post reviews of books I’d enjoyed and would recommend so I didn’t have to sling hate. Because what’s the point of talking about a book if I didn’t enjoy it? Obviously my readers aren’t going to rush out and buy a book if I only rated it two stars.
Are you accepting requests at the moment? How do you prefer to be contacted?
I am open to requests! I am really picky about the books I accept, but in general, I like most subgenres of YA speculative fiction, including fantasy, sci-fi, contemporary, and dystopian. (Though I recently have been unable to read dystopian because of the current world situation–hits too close to home, if you know what I mean.) The only subgenre I don’t accept is urban fantasy and paranormal romance–it takes a lot for me to get into that sort of story and I just don’t enjoy reading it.
I’m a little bit pickier about middle grade–I only accept MG fantasy or sci-fi, not any other subgenres. I don’t really accept adult books, but I do make exceptions for epic fantasy or sword and sorcery in the style of Brandon Sanderson or Robert Jordan. Also I have a soft spot for books set in or about Japan or for fairy tale retellings.
Interested authors should read my submission guidelines at http://corinnejet.wordpress.com/contact and then fill out the contact form. This is because I have a filter set up to mark emails from my contact form and it’s easier for me to stay organized, and if someone doesn’t use the contact form, it tends to end up in my spam folder or get lost in my inbox.
What information do you want to receive with a request?
If you’re filling out my handy-dandy contact form, there’s already places to put everything I ask for, but in general, I need your book’s metadata and a writing sample (usually this can be solved by providing me with the Amazon link to the Kindle version of the book so I can read the free sample; if the book is still on pre-order, then you can simply upload the first chapter to Dropbox or your website or Google Docs or what have you and then give me the link to that so that I can have a taste of your writing and the story.) Authors also are given an option to put in a request for a preferred month in which the review should be posted, as well as give any comps that they might be able to provide, though this is not required.
I know that authors sometimes feel frustrated about not receiving replies from bloggers, so as long as you’ve followed my rules, you will receive a response, no matter what! 🙂
What types of posts do you publish?
Mostly just reviews, though occasionally I’ll do cover reveals or promotional posts for books if an author would prefer that. Over on my Youtube channel, though, you can find more overview-type posts such as top tens, trope talks, and of course, my TBR game. 🙂 At the end of the year, I also release an overview-style blog post discussing my reading challenge and yearly reading stats.
What is your favorite book format to read? What digital formats do you prefer?
I definitely am an old-school physical book girl. This is because I don’t have a specified ebook reader, so I have to read ebooks on my computer or my phone, and I get easily distracted by the Internet. Also because I get a lot of reading done at my job, and let me explain. I work in a customer service position, and if it’s a slow day, my boss is cool with us reading books at our stations as long as there’s no customers, though they have to be paperbacks or hardcovers, because we’re not allowed to have our phones or any other electronics with us when we’re out where customers can see us.
Also should be noted that I am not an audiobook person. I need something visual to read, and if it’s just audio, I cannot follow the story whatsoever, so I am definitely not a good fit for audiobook requests, lol! Ebooks should be in mobi format, though if that’s not possible, I would also be able to accept epubs or PDFs.
Do you only participate in official blog tours or do you accept requests from authors? Do you accept requests from indie authors, or indie publishers? Would you like to share a few of your favorite blog tour operators?
I do blog tours as well as requests from authors and publishers. If a book is interesting, I’ll read it, whether it’s a book from a blog tour or from an indie author, or an indie publisher, or what have you. I’m always super honored to get requests for book reviews, so I don’t care who sends it to me. 🙂
I would like to give a big shout-out to the Queen of Blog Tours, Lady of Book Love, and God of Bookish Things, Anne Cater. She runs Random Things blog tours and is super awesome. She does all the bookish things, including blogging, running blog tours, and being the admin for the awesome Book Connectors Facebook group, and if you’re looking for a blog tour organizer, Anne is the lady to go to. She can be found at http://randomthingsthroughmyletterbox.blogspot.com.
What is your preferred genre? Do you read nonfiction, memoirs, or any style of poetry? What genres do you NOT read?
My favorite genres are fantasy (of course) and just speculative fiction in general. I like fantasy and sci-fi in both YA and MG, and I also enjoy YA contemporary romance and YA dystopian (though recently I have not been able to read dystopian because of the current world situation–hits too close to home). I have also been trying to get more into thrillers and historical fiction lately, though I am a hard sell for historical fiction and it has to be specifically an East Asian setting in either Japan or China. You may think I’m being picky, but because of my autism, I get hyper-focused on certain areas of study and ignore everything else. East Asia is one of my special interests (considering I got my degree in Japanese language and culture, it’s not surprising!) and I’m not interested in reading about other countries or time periods.
I definitely will not pick up urban fantasy, paranormal romance, or anything in the adult age category that isn’t epic sword-and-sorcery fantasy like Robert Jordan or Brandon Sanderson. I’m not really interested in poetry or memoirs–I can count on one hand the number of memoirs I’ve read, and they were all by athletes or actors I admire or by famous kidnapping survivors like Jaycee Dugard or Michelle Knight, and I’ve read literally one poetry book in the past fifteen years, and that was a haiku book my dad gave me for a Christmas present. I am definitely not the best fit for poetry, nonfiction, or memoirs, lol!
Do you write a review if you did not like the book? Do you use a star rating system for reviews you write?
I don’t review a book on my blog if I didn’t rate it four or five stars.
I use Goodreads to track my reading (actually, my Goodreads account is always super up-to-date, so it’s the best place to see what I’ve been reading lately and what I like to read), so I will always write a review, short or long, on Goodreads. For my star rating system, I use the five-star system found on Goodreads, for the most part.
For a book to get a five-star rating from me, it has to either be a book that either:
defies genre expectations and sets the bar for new books in that genre,
I want to shove in everyone’s faces and reread immediately after finishing,
or makes me just sit and stare at the cover for a few seconds and be like “Wow, that was a super-good book. I can’t believe I just spent time in such a good book.”
A four-star book is one that I’d still recommend to other people and that I could see myself rereading, though that reread is probably far off into the future. Also common in four-star books is if it activates the darned “editor brain,” where the entire time I’m reading I’m just like “BUT THIS WOULD BE SO MUCH BETTER WRITTEN THIS WAY INSTEAD!!!” but I still enjoyed the overall story.
If a book gets a three-star rating from me, it’s a good book, just not one that I’d want to reread or recommend to others. It didn’t have that “rereadability” factor, but otherwise, it wasn’t bad. I probably forgot the entire story as soon as I closed the cover, or I just was like “Meh,” the whole way through.
I will rarely rate a book one or two stars, unless it has a damaging trope of some sort (for example, the “bury your gays” trope), and for the most part, I don’t rate indie books less than three stars because it’s hard enough for indie authors to get reviews to begin with, and a one-star rating on an indie book could tank its average overall rating, when it’s hard enough for indie authors to get reviews to begin with. If I didn’t enjoy an indie book, I’ll omit the star rating and just write a short review explaining why I didn’t enjoy it.
Once contacted, when can the author or blog tour operator expect to hear from you?
I always respond to review requests, blog tour offers, etc. within 48 hours of receiving an email, either with a “no thank you, but thanks anyway” or “sure I’d love to.” The 48 hours thing is to allow me to read your book sample, check my blogging schedule, make sure I have availability, things like that. Also I do have a day job, so that is a big time-sink, as you can imagine. xD
What is your favorite aspect of book blogging?
That I get to shout about my favorite books, shove them in everyone’s faces, and make them read things that I like. Also I’ve met so many awesome people through blogging, and set myself so many challenges and goals to read more books outside of my comfort zone, and loved said books.
One that I recently loved that I never would have picked up had I not been a book blogger and Youtuber is Katherine by Anchee Min. Last July, I joined the Year of Asian Stories reading challenge hosted by my good friend Ari at Bookish Valhalla, which was a challenge intended to get us to read more Asian-based stories.
Katherine was one of those I picked up because of that challenge–this was a historical fiction novel set in 1980’s China about an American who came to China to teach English and how her students come to love her, despite her complete rebellion against anything in the Chinese system, to the point where she gets deported for showing her students a Playboy magazine. I would have never picked this book up if it hadn’t been for the reading challenge.
Tell us a little more about what it’s like to have autism.
I have Asperger Syndrome, which is a disorder on the autism spectrum. I make no secret of it and talk about it openly whenever anyone asks, which is definitely not how I viewed it as a teenager! Back when I was in school, I was embarrassed and always tried to hide it. Having Asperger’s means that I have certain obsessions, like Japanese and Lord of the Rings, and I’m unable to process sensory input properly, like loud sounds or strong tastes or smells. I’m also really sensitive about my clothes because some materials don’t feel right against my skin, and I’m unable to recognize social cues.
You might have heard this analogy before, and I am definitely not the one who invented it, but imagine that life is just a big board game. All the allistic people (people without a neurological disability) are having fun and playing together, but there’s no rule book that comes with the game and everyone else just seems to know what to do without being told. You can’t figure out the rules just by watching everyone around you, and you have a rule book that you were given before you sat down to play, but no one else is following the rules in your rule book.
Everyone’s conversations hurt your ears, but you can’t ask them to be quiet, and you’d rather be in a separate room reading a book or watching TV, but for some reason, you’re being forced to sit at the table and play this game with everyone else. So you end up just having to pretend you know what’s going on, because when you try to play it according to your rule book, they tell you “you’re doing it wrong” and to “do it the right way.”
In terms of reading, it means that sometimes even if an allistic person would understand why a certain character was upset, or would be able to understand the unwritten context of a situation, I don’t understand it. (eg. sarcasm: a recent example would be from just the other day. I went shopping with my dad to help him with his groceries, and we got three or four different kinds of cheeses. When my mom saw how much cheese we got, she remarked, “I don’t really think you bought enough cheese.” I took her at face value and asked her, with all seriousness, “Oh, we got a lot already. Maybe I should go out and get some more?” at which point she had to explain to me that she was being sarcastic.) Also I have very limited interests as to what I will and will not read. Sometimes it comes off as picky, but that’s why I’m The Discerning Reader. 🙂
What is an interesting reading quirk you have?
Can I say two? Because I can’t decide which one of these is more worthwhile.
The first is that I twirl my hair when I’m reading or thinking about something. Some autistic people have “stims,” physical or verbal repetitions that help us focus better, and for me, twirling my hair is my stim–it helps me to focus on the book.
The other one I’d like to mention is that I can’t stop reading in the middle of a chapter. If I’m going to stop and take a break, I have to finish the chapter first. Even if the chapter goes on for another ten pages or I’m running late for work! xD
What are you currently reading?
As of writing this, I’m currently in the middle of a reread of Where Carpets Fly, my favorite indie book of all time, as well as reading House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones, though it’s rather bittersweet to think that I’m going to finish that series and there won’t be any more books to look forward to. xD
What do you do when not reading or writing book blog posts?
Usually you can find me filming my Youtube videos, writing my own novel (a pirate adventure! Yargh, mateys!) hanging out with my doggo, or playing my favorite MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game), a side-scrolling 2D fantasy adventure game called Maplestory.
What is the most enjoyable thing you’ve found through reading?
I don’t know, lots of things! Let’s see…
After starting my Youtube channel, I browsed other bookish channels to see if I could get ideas for mine and see how to make mine a successful channel and got inspired by all those other Booktubers making their bookshelves look fancy! Now I have a gorgeous Rainbow Bookshelf that I was inspired to make from watching those other creators.
My TBR game is another one. I think that even if the day comes when I decide to quit Youtube/book blogging, I’ll still play the game to decide what books I’m going to read because it’s just so much fun and it forces me to read books I wouldn’t normally read, rather than just deciding to reread The Hunger Games every month! xD
That’s another thing. I didn’t know I liked dystopians, but then I gave The Hunger Games a try, and… I love dystopians! Almost every single dystopian I’ve picked up since then, I’ve enjoyed.
Also being able to read and enjoy new books. I used to have a really hard time trying new things, but since starting my TBR game, I’ve read so many new books that I ended up loving!
Not to mention being able to track my reading on a site like Goodreads. Being able to set goals for reading, and then go back after a certain amount of time and feel a sense of accomplishment having read a certain number of books, especially ones that were out of your comfort zone!
Need I go on?
What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?
The last one I watched (well, rewatched) was A Silent Voice, for about the twelfth time. What a movie! Amazing exploration of bullying, how it affects victims even years later, and FRIENDSHIP! SUCH A GREAT STORY ABOUT FRIENDS LEARNING TO FORGIVE EACH OTHER! I AM IN A GLASS CASE OF EMOTION EVERY TIME I WATCH THAT FILM!! *cries*
What is the most anticipated book you have on your TBR that you just haven’t gotten to, for whatever reason?
That’d be Seventh Tower by Garth Nix. Nix is my favorite author of all time, and whenever I get my hands on one of his backlist books, I always try and prioritize it. I still have his Seventh Tower series sitting on my unread shelf, but that’s just because I couldn’t get it to fit any of the prompts I needed for the readathon I’m doing this month, so I decided to save it for June, which is also my birthday month, because I deserve to read my favorite author on my birthday. 🙂
Do you participate in readathons? Which ones are you currently doing?
Glad you asked! I love doing readathons, and they’re so much fun! Last month, I did the Magical Readathon hosted by Book Roast on Youtube, which is a readathon inspired by the exams that Hogwarts students take. We had to “take exams” by reading certain books that fit certain prompts, and it was so much fun! This month I’m doing the Bookemon readathon, which is a readathon inspired by Pokemon Go. Team Mystic for the win!
I also have plans to organize and run my own readathon, which will start in July, inspired by my favorite movie and book series of all time, Lord of the Rings! It’ll be a three-month long challenge, and you have to choose if you want to be on the side of good or the side of evil, and each month, I’ll give you prompts inspired by various parts of the Lord of the Rings story, and it’ll be tons of fun! The two teams will compete against each other and whichever gets the most books read is the winner! Keep watch on my social media for the announcement.
If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?
Pokemon, without a doubt, Pokemon. Are you kidding me? Get to travel around the world meeting different Pokemon and becoming a Pokemon master? And the only thing standing in your way is Team Rocket, who are pretty much the most cartoonish villains ever and have gone hundreds of episodes without winning a battle once? I’d probably get homesick on my journey and have to return to Pallet Town every other weekend, but I’d love to be trapped in the world of Pokemon!
It was lovely to have you be a part of MTA, Corinne! I love how you took this post and made it shine with your personality, taking the time to create memes to match your responses. I appreciate how you’ve made it clear what types of books you enjoy reading and those you do not! HA! And, I adore this photo of you! Here’s wishing you all the best! – Camilla
Welcome to this new series! We’re shaking things up at Meeting the Authors. Once or twice per month, MTA is turning the tables to feature Book Bloggers. A huge and hearty welcome to the third book blogger to take the Turning the Tables Plunge!
Today we travel to State College, Pennsylvania to chat with Maria and David Marvin of Scintilla about how merging libraries, children’s literature, being grandparents, Reader Road Trips, being a librocubicularist, Earl Grey tea, owls, chocolate, and dragons come together as part of the their past and current book life.
Tell us a bit about yourselves.
We are Maria and David Marvin, also known as Scintilla. Our blog, www.scintilla.info, was the brainchild of Maria, and she was kind enough to invite David to play along in her toy box.
We are wife and husband, parents, and grandparents. We met in 1985 and married in 1986. We don’t know what every couple does early in their marriage to connect their lives together, but we merged our libraries. In 1999, Maria completed her M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction, with her project being children’s literature. In 2003 we came with our three sons to State College, PA.
Our oldest son and his wife have three amazing children, two girls and a boy. Becoming grandparents has been an incredible joy. Of course, they are the most beautiful and brilliant children ever born!
Why did you choose to be a book blogger or how did you come to be a book blogger? How long have you been bookblogging?
We began Scintilla in April, 2018, so we are right at 2 years. Our children were getting older and leaving the house, and Maria felt it was important that we have a shared activity that was just ours, that did not involve the children. Since books were always important to us (one of our very first dates was to a used book store in Indianapolis), her idea was to start a book blog. Much more fun than therapy.
Are you accepting requests at the moment? How do you prefer to be contacted?
Although we are accepting requests, we should probably be a little more selective since we are scheduled almost into June at this point! But typically an email to one of the Scintilla addresses is the best way to approach us. Maria does most of our children’s books, so those requests should go to [email protected]. Adult fiction and non-fiction requests can go to [email protected].
What information do you want to receive with the request?
A link to a secure account in the Caymans is always appreciated! 😉 Seriously, though, a little about the book, a little about the author, and maybe some books that might be similar in style and genre are helpful in making our decision. Also, if there are any specific deadlines or preferred dates for us to post. Again, we already have some reviews scheduled for June, so if you are in a hurry to get a review, we are not the right folks to approach!
What types of book blog posts do you offer? Reviews, interviews, book spotlight, guest posts, etc.
We typically do reviews. Sometimes we will review a whole series by an author, sometimes we will spotlight some books that fit a theme (especially with children’s picture books), sometimes we have fun with it by putting a recipe or teatime beverage that would pair well with a book or an author. We have not yet featured any guest posts or interviews, but we are not opposed to doing that someday.
Something that we have a lot of fun doing are “Reader Road Trips.” Maria usually writes these. We have featured local indie bookstores, our trip to the National Book Festival in Washington, DC, and some smaller book festivals as well. These give us a chance to get out and share the book love with others in person, as well as share our experiences with others through our blog.
What is your preferred book format to read? If digital, what digital file do you prefer?
David is old school and prefers print. Maria is more digital. But neither of us is so picky as to reject a book based on the format. Typically we like the .mobi or .epub format, but we have a lot of different e-readers so we can adjust to the formats we are given.
Do you only participate in official blog tours or do you accept requests from authors? Do you accept requests from indie authors, or indie publishers? Would you like to share a few of your favorite blog tour operators?
Dave has done several blog tours with Anne Cater. She is wonderful! He has just signed up to do blog tours also with Emma Welton (damppebbles.com) and Rachel Gilbey (Rachel’s Random Resources) but those are coming up later this spring. We do accept requests from indie authors and indie publishers. We are not opposed in principle to reviewing self-published books, but it is unusual for us to accept those requests. It has happened, though.
What is your preferred genre? Do you read nonfiction, memoirs, or any style of poetry? What genres do you NOT read?
Maria enjoys reading a variety of books, but usually reviews children’s books and cozy mysteries. She will also do the occasional thriller, mystery, or fantasy, especially if a recipe or tea seems to fit well with it! Dave is very eclectic. Science fiction, fantasy, and mysteries/thrillers are his go-to genres, but he also reads non-fiction, poetry, literary fiction, and various others that catch his eye. Maria will confirm that Dave is not very good at romance…nor at reviewing that genre. And it is rare (though not unheard of) for us to do horror. We like sleeping at night.
Do you write a review if you did not like the book? Do you use a star rating system for reviews you write?
No, and no. Our goal is to encourage people to read by giving them good books to read. There are too many books to waste time reading and then writing about a book we don’t enjoy. We don’t use a star rating system. If we like it, we review it. If we don’t like it, we don’t review it. It’s very much a pass/fail type of system.
Once contacted, when can the author or blog tour operator expect to hear from you?
We try to respond promptly, within a day or two. Unfortunately that is not always the reality–Dave recently went through some old emails and discovered to his horror that some requests had been missed going back a few months. He did quickly get back to those authors with an apology. Like we said above, though, replying and accepting does not mean we will always get to the reading and reviewing quickly.
What is your favorite aspect of bookblogging?
The goal for us was to have a project that brought us closer together. Talking about books, going on our Reader Road Trips, planning future reviews, working together on a labor of love has strengthened us as a couple and been a lot of fun. The other terrific aspect has been making new bookish friends. Dave has made an author friend in NYC who Maria believes must actually be his long-lost brother. We have become part of the local writers’ group (shout out to the Nittany Valley Writers’ Network!) and have become good friends with some local authors through that group.
What is an interesting reading quirk you have?
Maria is a librocubicularist and whenever possible likes to read a book in one sitting even if it has a heavy page count (think, last 4 Harry Potter books — one of the many reasons picture books are a superior format).
Dave has been known to read a series out of sequence, but he hates doing it and complains vigorously when blog tours, time, availability, etc. require it.
What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?
Maria has been fond of owls since she saw Archimedes in Disney’s Sword in the Stone; so, long before they were pop culture trendy. She has owls on stationary, tote bags, pens, and mugs. However, her spirit animal would actually be a dragon, because … well, it’s a dragon. Dave loves cats, but Maria is deathly allergic to them, so they are his animal in spirit only.
What are you currently reading?
Dave is reading a couple of poetry books, American Sonnets for my Past and Future Assassins by Terrance Hayes and Tricks of Light by Thaddeus Rutkowski. Maria is devouring the latest Tom Clancy novel by Marc Cameron, Code of Honor. Actually, she devoured Pigeon Has to Go to School, by Mo Willems and did a re-read of Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg with the grandkids for the book’s 30th anniversary.
What do you do when not reading or writing book blog posts?
Maria is loving the whole grandma gig. She is “Mimi” to our three preschool grandchildren, and loves spending as much time with them as possible–as well as the adults they live with. In addition to playing Grandpa, Dave enjoys being a volunteer on-air host for WPSU radio and is editing his first novel.
What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through reading and book blogging?
Maria spent years reading academic journal articles, literary theory/criticism, and pretentious technical writing; now she’s totally ok reading things that are light, trendy, even cheesy, that she would have been embarrassed being caught reading 10 years ago. Beach read anyone? Pass the potato chips.
Also, spending 4 hours wrestling with the backend of WordPress is a legitimate thing that can greatly expand your adult vocabulary and use of metaphor.
What is the most enjoyable thing you’ve found through reading?
Different levels of chocolate intensity (milk, semisweet, dark) can greatly enhance the reading experience when matched to the appropriate literary genre. However, certain genres (like spy thrillers and satire) will always be best suited to salty snacks. Likewise, a cup of tea (earl grey, hot) can keep one going during a long reading session.
What do you miss about being a kid?
Reading a classic for the first time and savoring the experience.
What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?
We went to see 1917 with Dave’s sister and her family when we went to visit them. Dave’s sister was dying of cancer, and she wanted to see that movie. That was the last time we got to see her.
A giraffe knocks on your door and is wearing a bowler hat. What does he say and why is he there?
Hello, I have this delightful chapter book, Yours Sincerely, Giraffe by Megumi Iwasa about a fellow giraffe who finds a pen pal in a penguin. Do you perhaps know any inquisitive little folks who would enjoy such a tale? Anyone who likes the adventures of Flat Stanley would surely appreciate such a story. You do know someone, that’s great, please pass the book along with my compliments. Thank you kindly, must really run now, no time for tea. Have a pleasant day.
If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?
Seriously, did you not see that chipmunk? Why are you resisting a trip to the groomers–do you like running into furniture? Decide if you’re going to tattle, I’m not going to share.
It was wonderful to have the two of you on MTA. I am so deeply sorry to hear about your sister, Dave. Sending much love and warm hugs as you work your way through losing her. I am inspired by how your book blog came to be and that it has been so meaningful to your relationship. Here’s wishing you all the best!! – Camilla
Welcome to this new series! We’re shaking things up at Meeting the Authors. Once or twice per month, MTA is turning the tables to feature Book Bloggers. A huge and hearty welcome to the second book blogger to take the Turning the Tables Plunge!
Today we travel to South Yorkshire to chat with Kayleigh Whittle of Cooking the Books about how guinea pigs, chocolate, becoming a teaching assistant, coffee, the smell of a paperback, and Indie authors come together as part of Kayleigh’s life.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I live in the UK originally from Norfolk. I now live in South Yorkshire with my two boys, 9 and 5, who keep me on my toes! Our two Guinea pigs and my partner of 14 years. A long term sufferer of anxiety, reading is my escape. I am your typical stay at home mum our family dynamic has meant that I have stayed at home whilst Daddy goes to work.
Reading is my main hobby and the past two years almost is when I have really gone at it and found some pretty fabulous authors. Now that my youngest son is at school full time I am pursuing a career as a teaching assistant, something I have wanted to do for a long time. Whilst reading I love to snack! Probably not the best idea when reading a paperback! My favourite things to eat are, chocolate, nuts and crisps and of course coffee. Although I have to drink decaf because it plays havoc with my anxiety, sorry coffee lovers! That’s me.
Why did you choose to be a book blogger or how did you come to be a book blogger? How long have you been bookblogging?
I became a book blogger purely because of the fantastic Indie authors I have discovered over the past 18 months. They get little or no recognition and I wanted to change that. They need and deserve to be seen. I have been book blogging since around May last year so almost a year. I do love it, especially when it’s a book or an author I really love. I love to be able to share such great books.
Are you accepting requests at the moment? How do you prefer to be contacted?
I do accept requests and have had authors email me after finding me on Book Connectors facebook group.
What information do you want to receive with the request?
When they contact me I found almost all of the time they ask if I would like to review, what genre the book is and a blurb and most of the time a purchase link. This is perfect for me I don’t really need any other information apart from that.
What types of book blog posts do you offer? Reviews, interviews, book spotlight, guest posts, etc.
I offer reviews, reviews for blog tours and I offer Indie author spotlights once a month which can be anything that the author wants me to blog ie a review, Q&A or an extract from a new book or one that needs more exposure.
What is your preferred book format to read? If digital, what digital file do you prefer?
I love a paperback! The feel, the smell, the fact it’s yet another book filling my bookshelf I mean what’s not to love? I do have a few hardcovers but I don’t typically buy those. I do read digitally via the kindle app on my fire 7 and prefer a Mobi or epub file. But I much prefer a paperback.
Do you only participate in official blog tours or do you accept requests from authors? Do you accept request from indie authors, or indie publishers? Would you like to share a few of your favorite blog tour operators?
I typically only take part in official blog tours organised by blog tour operators. I mainly do blog tours with Rachel from https://www.rachelsrandomresources.com/. She is fantastic at what she does its always a breeze and I have never had any issues. She gets some great books for tours. I have and always will jump at the chance to read for review for an Indie author or Indie publisher. #iheartindieauthors they are my absolute favourite authors. That is not to say I don’t love trad pub authors because I have some great interactions with them and a lot of them are genuinely lovely people.
What is your preferred genre? Do you read nonfiction, memoirs, or any style of poetry? What genres do you NOT read?
I am pretty eclectic when it comes to reading and will read most genres. Now I am going to contradict myself a little bit here. Non-fiction is something that I rarely read if at all if I am honest. I read to escape. To get lost in a make-believe world or a new place with a fun story. My favourite genres are Rom-com, Historical Fiction especially world war 2 based although I am partial for to historical fiction that has a fantasy element, for example, Helen Pryke’s The Innocenti Saga. YA fantasy, horror, sci-fi and contemporary fiction. So quite a few genres.
Do you write a review if you did not like the book? Do you use a star rating system for reviews you write?
Never, never, never. No, absolutely not. If I really dislike a book, and it’s a rarity then that is my opinion and one I keep to myself. I find it pointless to publically slam and slate an author and rip apart their hard work. Who is it really helping? It’s a no-no for me. Yes, I do use a star rating 3 being a minimum but again that is very rare.
Once contacted, when can the author or blog tour operator expect to hear from you?
When a blog tour organiser or an author asks me to review or be on a blog tour I try my best to reply to their email the same day. I always try to get back to everyone sometimes a few here and there might slip through.
What is your favorite aspect of bookblogging?
My favourite aspect of book blogging is showcasing the talents of Indie authors. They are very much underrated in my opinion. They give so much yet receive so little. The attitudes surrounding them as authors are poor in some book circles, I personally happen to think they are brilliant. So anything I can do to shine a light on the fantastic stories they write and to give them much needed exposure I will do.
If you could have a fantasy coffee date with an author, who would it be and what would you ask them?
If I could have a fantasy coffee, always coffee, with any author, and it will be a reality one day, it would be my beautiful Indie author friends Helen Pryke and Sarah Northwood. I know I’ve cheated and picked two but these two lovely Indie authors have given me so much. They are an inspiration to me. We are very close even though we have never met. We have shared similar journies in life, we get each other and we support each other in whatever it is we are doing. I would be lost without them.
It was wonderful having you on MTA! I very much enjoyed learning more about you Kayleigh, and I know MTA readers will enjoy it, too! – Camilla
I’m late with posting this. However, I’ll be taking the month of December and beginning of January off from posting author interviews. Since the website launched in May 2019, we’ve shared two to four interviews per week.
2020 will see many more author interviews, along with the addition of book blogger interviews. I’m quite excited about adding this new feature of interviewing book bloggers.
Stay tuned for an announcement as to when the contact form opens for book bloggers and authors to submit for interviewing.
Until then, I’ll be busy launching and marketing my latest book, ‘Words of Alchemy’. This beautiful book has just been published, with the official launch happening in mid January 2020. Here are a few fun photos of myself and the proof book.
Please let me know if you would like to help spread the word about the book or if you are aware of any bloggers who would like to host a guest post, interview, excerpt, or has time to review the book. Go here to learn more about the book …
