My BBAW Interview with Daphne of Tanzanite's Shelf and Stuff

A last minute interview hook up for me was arranged by the BBAW girls, thanks a lot to them!

My interview partner is Daphne and if you have NOT visited her lovely blog, you might as well go right ahead.

Shamefully, this is my first on her blog too and I am so glad I found her! I found that we share the love for historical fiction and I am looking forward to reading her blog!

My interview with her is posted on her blog too, if you have time go check that out as well!!

1. Hi Daphne, Welcome to my blog! Why don't you tell us something about yourself?

Oh, that is always one of the hardest questions in the world to answer, isn’t it?! Anyway, the past year has seen some major changes in my life so I’m having to learn how to answer this kind of question differently. My husband and I moved to Colorado (after living our entire lives in Indiana) so that I could take a management position with a federal human services agency. Our daughter had recently started college in Indiana and so we made the decision to let her stay there – that was probably the toughest decision I have ever made. So I find myself with lots of time on my hands…

2. How long have you been blogging and what inspires you to blog?

I started my blog almost three years ago as a way to keep track of the books I had read and what I thought of them. Now, it’s become my second obsession (after reading) and I am always looking for new ideas for my blog.

3. As this is about appreciation [ BBAW] - What do you think is the best thing about blogging?

Definitely the sense of community and making new friends. I affectionately refer to them as my “book friends”. I also love the opportunity to talk about books with others. My husband’s not much of a reader and although he’ll sometimes ask what I’m reading or what it’s about, we can’t really have much of a discussion about it. I also like discovering new authors and books that I wouldn’t have otherwise known about.

4. What kind of books do you MOST enjoy and what kind of books do you review on your blog?

I read historical fiction and related non-fiction history/biography books.

5. What's one book you will whole-heartedly recommend to me? [ Any genre ]

Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman. Set in Wales during the reign of King John (of Magna Carta fame) it is a wonderfully written with a beautiful love story.

6. How do you juggle your life with blogging?

I actually find it pretty easy. I went from a job where I worked 60+ hours a week to one where I now work 40 and without my daughter and her issues to occupy my time on a daily basis, I really have quite a bit of time for blogging and reading.

7. Which are your favorite blogs out there?

Wow, there are so many that I follow it’s hard to pick, but I really love Passages to the Past and author Susan Higginbotham’s Medieval Woman.

8. If you had one whole day to yourself, what would you do?!

Go get a massage, do a little shopping and read!

Oh! I would also love to get a massage ;)!!

Hope you all liked the interview and all of us got to know a little more about Daphne!

Thank you BBAW, it was so much fun doing this!

Thank You Daphne, for swapping interviews! It was great!!

BBAW: Reading MEME!

• Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?

No, I don't usually! In general my favorite snack is Bourbon biscuits! High in calories and high in taste... just what I like :D!

• Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

No, never! it is HORRIFIC to mark books :)

• How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?

Bookmarks, of course! I hate dog- earing my books... they are my treasures :)

• Laying the book flat open?

Nope...I don't do that either!

• Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?

Mostly Fiction!

• Hard copy or audio books?

Hard Copy mostly... I have concentration issues with audio books!

• Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?

I can put the book down whenever I want :)

• If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?

NO! I wish I would do that and LEARN some words! But I can't Stop :)

• What are you currently reading?

2 books - Interview with a Vampire [ recommended by 3M!] and Cleopatra's Daughter

• What is the last book you bought?

  Pirate's Daughter by Margaret Cezair-Thompson

• Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?

  I am reading 1 eBook and 1 hard copy! try to read 2 books, but I can read just one at a time! I know that's so ODD!

• Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?

No nothing like that, if a story pulls me in, I read it irrespective of the time/place!

• Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?

Both!!!

• Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?

hmm...That's n interesting question! I normally don't recommend an author... as I am not the person who goes about reading EVERY book that the author writes. But recently I have found that I just love Michelle Moran's writing and books and similarly one book "Memoirs of a Geisha"... If you have not read either... you better go and read them!!!

• How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)

I don't really organize! I buy, I read and then I put them back in the shelf... Actually now that you tell me I need to do that :)

That was FUN! I am so GLAD I participated... Thank You BBAW for the most wonderful week!! :)

A Book Blogger Appreciation Week Meme!

Head over to Book Blogger Appreciation Blog on more info if you still feel you have NO idea about BBAW :)
I doubt anyone here doesn't know about BBAW :D

Do you want to participate in the meme? Go ahead!
Here are the questions for people who didn't participate last year ~~

1) What has been one of the highlights of blogging for you?

It definitely has to be meeting so many other book-bloggers. Getting to know them, reading their thoughts and be able to talk about books. It is a great pleasure to talk about your passion!

2) What blogger has helped you out with your blog by answering questions, linking to you, or inspiring you?

Well I think when I started I have done a HUGE post on this. It goes without saying that the book blogging community is the most generous lot of bloggers. They invariable help you out if you are a newbie! I started blogging because of Gautami :). I really need to mention Bethany, whose was one of the first blogs I discovered and who was kind enough to come back and comment on my stupid posts back then. Then I got to J.Kaye's blog. Anyone here would agree with me on the fact that J. Kaye is the most friendliest and the best blogger here. She showcased my blog on her's [ how very enthralling] and there were bloggers who came and congratulated me :) :) I was most touched with her generosity! Then there are other bloggers, who came and commented on my blog... and encouraged me to do better! Somehow I have come to love many of the girls behind the blogs, it will be injustice to name a few :) and I will feel bad if I don't mention Sandra, Beth F, Dar, Trish, Jill, Nely, Alea, Nicole, Anna, Serena, S. Krishna, Meryl, Iliana, Tricia, Joanna, Devourer of books, RuinedbyReading, VioletCrush and many more.
When I got married in Jan this year, I had to go off action for almost 6 months! In that time I lost my blog, my email id everything. And when I was back with a new blog, I felt so good! These people still remembered me! and they came back to my blog, to encourage me more! Special thanks to Beth F and Sandra for being one of the first to comment and make me feel like top of the world!
More recently I have discovered so many more blogs ~~ Melody, Amy @ Passages of the Past, Naida, Bermudaonion, Melissa ~~ I can't name them all right! And it goes without saying that if I comment on your blog.. I most definitely think your blog is great!
I take this time to personally thank each one of you and you too, Amy! Thank you for doing BBAW!

3) What one question do you have about BBAW that someone who participated last year could answer?

None right now! If I have I know there are you guys to help! Thank You!