Armchair BEA Day 1: Introductions First!

Unlike in previous years when participants of Armchair BEA have exchanged interviews, this year we're all just posting our own answers to five questions. So, without further ado, here are mine:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? My name is Cade, and I'm a college student from Southern California. I recent completed my AA in Language Arts, which I hated, and now I'm working on my BS in Physics, if everything goes according to plan. Hm . . . What else? Well, I'll be turning 18 on July 4th. I'm the biggest nerd I know, and I love every minute of it. I've been blogging for just over two years now, and I got into it because I love books, but none of my friends or family would talk about them with me, so I started talking about them with the internet and I never stopped.
2. What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012? I'm currently reading A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin, but I'm only like thirty pages in, so I don't really know if I like it or not at this point. Especially since it's about 700 pages long. I'm also reading Hyperspace by Michio Kaku, which is a physics book, but it's for entertainment, not a textbook. My favorite book I've read in 2012 has to be Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. It's the perfect mixture of literary fiction and horror, and I loved every second of it.
3. Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you. I'm the biggest comic book nut around, and I can easily spend $30 in ten minutes at the comic book store, and still leave behind a few comics that I would have liked to have picked up but didn't have enough money for.
4. What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years? My favorite part of the book blogging community is the dialogue that goes on in the comments of a really good post. One thing I'd like to see change in the coming years is how many people only leave comments to promote their own blogs. I'd rather see actual conversation. It's fine to leave a link to your blog at the bottom of your comment, but don't post about how great your blog is without contributing to the conversation.
5. Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How? My reading tastes have definitely changed since I started blogging! I used to love Paranormal Romance and all the Dystopian YA I could get my hands on, but now I lean more towards Urban Fantasy and Sci-Fi, and if a book has one too many sex scenes, I may die of boredom. I'm also really into smaller genres now, like steampunk, cyberpunk, ecopunk, dieselpunk, and pretty much anything else you can add punk to the end of.

If you have any questions or comments, It'd be awesome if you would join the conversation in the comments box below ↓↓↓

Armchair BEA: Interview

 

 

I interviewed Tif from Tif Talks Books for Armchair BEA, and this is the awesome result!

Cade Crowley: I see that you've been a book blogger for quite some time, now! What inspired you to start?

 Tif: I was moving around a lot and wanted someplace consistent to share my thoughts on books, both for my own records as well as to just chat books with others.   All my friends were making their own family blogs.  I wasn't really into the family blog, but a book blog was perfect for me!

 

 

CC: When you aren't reading or blogging, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?

T: Reading and writing take up most of my spare time!  BUT, with the time that I do have left, I spend time with my husband and two children going on a multitude of adventures.

 

CC: I know that a lot of us Armchair participants would love to be at BEA right now. What is your primary reason for not going?

 T: My primary reason for not going is twofold ... I have no one to care for my kids for an extended period of time (and my husband has a grueling and inflexible work schedule) as well as it being my busy time of year for my "day job."

 

CC: What is your favorite book of all time, and why?

T: Ha!  I can't just pick one book as my favorite of all time!  So, here are a few of my favorites:  The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling (probably my most read books!), Wicked by Gregory Maguire, Blindness by Jose Saramago, The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, and Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.  Can you tell I'm an eclectic reader?!?

 

CC: What has been the best book this year for you?

T: The best book so far this year?!?  I think I am going to go with another series, but a graphic novel series this time ... The Good Neighbors series by Holly Black and illustrated by Ted Naifeh.  Gorgeous artwork and simply fun story! 

 

CC: What do you look for when you're picking/reading a book?

T: I typically choose my next read based upon fellow blogger recommendations or to be completely shallow ... if the cover catches my eye!  Yep, I sometimes judge a book by its cover!  

 

CC: What is your favorite thing about blogging?

T: My favorite thing is the book-ish connections, of course!  I love knowing that I am not alone in my passion and love of reading, and blogging is a great outlet for this!

 

CC: Least favorite?

T: My least favorite is the time commitment!  I work full-time with two younger children.  That alone creates a busy schedule and does not allow me to write as much as I would like.  Even after four years of blogging, I still struggle on a regular basis with finding my balance!

 

CC: If you could say one thing about blogging to non-bloggers, what would it be?

 T: Me to non-bloggers ... Check it out!  You never know when you will find your next favorite read thanks to "real readers!"

 

 

Thanks for doing this awesome interview, Tif! I had a great time getting to know you :)

Armchair BEA: Introduction

Who am I, and how do I Armchair?

Well, for those of you who are new here, my name is Cade Crowley, and I am a student at Citrus College in Southern California. I'll be turning 17 on July 4th. I basically run a zoo in my house--I have a dog named Kizzard, a cat named Tonq, an albino hedgehog named Biny Prickles, a bearded dragon named Harry, a toroise named Jelly Bean, and a 15-year-old brother named Tustin.

I've been blogging for almost a year now (May 30th is coming up!) and my primary genre is paranormal. I love paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and young adult books in both genres, with a little bit of straight up fantasy and science fiction on the side. I'll even read the occasional contemporary YA.

Other than blogging, I've got my hands in several different cookie jars; my hobbies include contortion, music (I sing and I'm learning guitar, and I've always wished I had a drum set), T.V. (watching as well as writing it), art (mostly pencil/charcoal sketching), and nerdy things like watching re-runs of The X-Files (Mulder, anyone? Yum!) and teaching myself how to code.

I hope to get into television writing once I graduate, and maybe (very unlikely) eventually become a hugely successful showrunner on something as awesome as Supernatural or True Blood.

Random Facts About Me:

1. I watch entirely too much T.V. Usually 10-15 shows at a time.

2. I agree that Waiting Sucks.

3. The last ebook I read was Earth by Shauna Granger.

4. The last paper book I read was Possess by Gretchen McNeil.

5. My favorite book this year is The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. If you ask me in five minutes, I'll probably give a different answer.

6. My favorite state is Washington, specifically Whidbey Island.

7. My favorite color is usually purple.

8. My favorite show is almost always Supernatural.

9. I am secretly in love with Misha Collins. Alas, he is married.

10. I am not-so-secretly in love with Jensen Ackles.

11. I hate even numbers. My lucky number is 7.

12. My favorite movie is a tie between Constantine and The Lost Boys, mostly because Keifer Sutherland can really rock a mullet.

13. My favorite letter is J.

14. I wanted to end it with that last one, but I'm too superstitious.

15. I hate multiples of five, so I can't end it here, either.

16. I really can't wait to read Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey.

17. I hated the Supernatural season finale on Friday night in the best way possible. But it was still hatred.

So, that's pretty much me in a really frickin' huge nutshell. Yeah, I can go on and on and on when I'm talking about myself. Let's not talk about me anymore--what do you think of me? I'm here all week, folks, don't forget to tip your waitress.

Link to your intro posts in the comments and I'll be sure to drop by and check 'em out!