Armchair BEA Day 1: Introductions/Interviews

Welcome to the first day of Armchair BEA! I had so much fun last year and I'm excited to participate again this year. The first day is for interviews and this year our task was to interview ourselves and then visit as many other interviews as possible. I'll be visiting everyone else's later in the day! Here is me... interviewing me...

Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?

Hi all! My name is Kaitlyn [obviously]. I’ve been blogging since July 2010--my two year is approaching! I started blogging because I’m obsessed with reading and was kind of bored waiting for grad school to start. Grad school has also been the reason behind my many blog hiatuses, but I’m graduating in August. Holla. No one can quite understand how excited I am. Well, maybe you can.. who am I to judge? But how about we just leave it at I’m really excited. 

Hey Kaitlyn, what literary location would you most like to visit? Why?

Well, you know I would like to visit Hogwarts/Hogsmeade/Diagon Alley. I obviously want to eat a chocolate frog, get a wand, and say what’s up to Harry, Ron and Hermione. Mayhaps I’ll get to do a few of these things when I visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter this fall. Join me! 

So, Kaitlyn, even though everyone probably knows the answer to this question, if you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?

Why, Kaitlyn... that is a good question. I know it might be obvious, but I would love to have dinner with J.K. Rowling. Why? Because she is the Queen. She is honestly one of the most interesting people ever to walk the Earth. The details in her stories are amazing. All hail J.K. Rowling. [I swear I’m going to try to make these not all about Harry Potter, but I fail so hard.] 

What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years?

That’s a really great question, Kaitlyn. Even better than the last. My favorite part of the book blogging community is how amazing everyone seems to be. Other book bloggers are really nice, authors are so cool [especially on Twitter], and people from the publishing companies are really welcoming as well. If there is anything that I would like to see change, it would be for people to say smell ya to the drama. I haven’t been a part of any of it, but I’ve seen plenty of it happening. How about we just hang out and chat books? Yeah? 

Finally, what are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?

Well, well. I’m reading Hourglass by Myra McEntire on my Kindle right now, My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent on audiobook, and some school books that no one really cares about in print. I’m enjoying them all [yes, even the school books]. My favorite book of the year so far was probably The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa. Excellent world building.

Thanks for interviewing me, Kaitlyn! No problem, Kaitlyn. Any questions for me? Leave them in the comments! You are all my favorites. I hope you stick around for the rest of the week. Or forever. That's cool too.

BBAW: Interview with Heather from Buried in Books

Hi everyone! Today, as a part of Book Blogger Appreciation Week, I have an interview with Heather of Buried in Books for you!

Kaitlyn: What book genres are your favorites? Do you have a favorite author?
Heather: I read Middle Grade and Young Adult books.  I don't have a preference but I can say I don't care for dystopians (though I loved Divergent) don't like Zombies and don't like Sci-Fi, unless you call Across the Universe Sci-Fi b/c I love that! My favorite author changes every time I read a new book.  I love Melissa Marr, Julie Kagawa, Beth Revis, Kady Cross, JL Bryan, Maureen Johnson, John Green, Kirsty Eagar I could go on and on.
K: I love how different we are. I'm in love with dystopians. :)


K:Why did you start blogging?
H: We had just moved to a new state and I didn't know anyone.  Before I volunteered a lot, but felt disinclined to do so there.  So I had been reading different types of blogs and thought I'd give it a shot. Besides the obvious of wanting someone to discuss books with, I wanted to find book recommendations from other bloggers.
K: My TBR shelves have never been so massive! Book bloggers sure do have some amazing recommendations.


K: What is your favorite part about blogging? Least favorite part?
H: My favorite part about blogging is the interaction with other bloggers and authors. My least favorite is writing reviews, especially of books I loved.  I feel like I'm not doing them justice b/c I'm all emotional about them.  And I never think my reviews are good.
K: I completely agree with you (minus the part about your reviews not being good--they are)! Rachel from Fiktshun and I thought of doing love letter reviews for books we absolutely adored. Sometimes all you want to do is gush about a book in a love letter!


K: What are the top 3 books you would suggest as must reads?
H: Dear Bully, it just came out and I think everyone needs to read it whether they were bullied or not.  Raw Blue, it's not available here in the US but it is written by the phenomenal Aussie writer Kirsty Eagar and it is incredible and I'll go with the River of Time Series, Waterfall, Cascade and Torrent.  It's a great time travel series with knights, and sword fights and the Dark Ages and romance and it's just such a great series!
K: I haven't read any of these, but I'll have to. Dear Bully and the River of Time series have been on my radar for awhile now.


K: I see on your blog that you do some writing and participate in NaNo. Are you working on a book currently and, if so, can you tell me a bit about it?
H: I am constantly working on the same book over and over.  There is a girl named Lilie, we know who her parents are and it was a big no-no for these two to get together and where they got together.  She's been passed around from family to family and like any child like that has no sense of belonging and doesn't trust anyone.  She stayed with one family a long time, seven years after they rescued her from a terrible situation and she thought she was with them to stay.  But one night she's told to pack she'll be leaving in the morning.  She arrives at a house called Sisters, broken, hurt, confused and that's where I am.  I know why she's there and all, but I don't want to give everything away.
K: Ohhh interesting! I would read it. 


K: Anything else you would like to share?
H: I think book bloggers are some of the most generous and friendly people on the planet.  There isn't one time when I've said I don't know how to do something that someone hasn't offered to help me.  I've made some great friends through blogging and I am so glad I started doing this.
K: You're right. Book bloggers are AMAZING.


K: Now some rapid fire questions: Dog-eared books or bookmarks?
H: Bookmarks
K: Hardcover, paperback, audiobook or e-book?
H: Hardcover or Paperback
K: Eat while reading or no food near your books?
H: No food, gets the pages dirty
K: Book or movie?
H: Book first
K: Fiction or nonfiction?
H: Fiction
K: Young Adult or Adult?
H: Young Adult


Thank you so much, Heather! It has been lovely getting to know you. :)

A Transmedia Experience with Michael Grant

You guys should know by now how much I enjoyed Gone by Michael Grant. Well, he has a new series coming out this winter! Super exciting. It’s going to be a whole interactive experience with the readers... which is amazing. Seriously. This is the best time to be alive! Reading is now becoming a social experience and I am so pumped about it. I just had a nerd moment here. Excuse me. Here is the description:

The missing son of a U.N. diplomat... the reemergence of a strange organization... a pair of society twins caught in the middle... this is just the beginning of "Go BZRK," a new transmedia experience from author Michael Grant.


If you're ready to take the plunge in an interactive story like you've never experienced before, visit societytwins.com and register with nexushumanus.com to take your first steps in a strange and compelling universe.


Filled with video, puzzles, community collaboration, and more, "Go BZRK" put YOU the player right in the middle of the action as you join Nexus Humanus and unravel a mystery that may hold the key to the fate of all mankind.

Sounds really fun, right? Now, to give you a better idea, here is a Q and A that was sent to me with the author, Michael Grant.

What is “Go BZRK”? Is this a book or some kind of interactive story? Both. The book comes out this winter, but the interactive part starts now.  One leads up to the other, but they're part of a complete package. 

Why “transmedia”? There are different approaches to transmedia.  Most people take a single story and reproduce it on various platforms.  My philosophy has been to make each element - ARG, app, web, book - a thing unto itself, each revealing some aspect of the world of BZRK.  I've been fascinated with this is as a new way to tell stories.  The book remains central, but now I can reach beyond the book and create a much more complete world.  I can tell stories that enhance the book, and stories that parallel the book, and stories that are offshoots of backstory.  I guess the answer to "why" is "because it's fun." 

Is this the future of publishing? I began a few years ago reaching out to publishers and saying we collectively needed to understand that the old models were dead or dying.  I want publishing to survive, and of course I'd like my own career to thrive.  So Egmont Publishing and my partners and I certainly hope this is a part of the future of publishing.

How long is this running? Is this part of a larger picture? We'll be running this in several chunks between now and the book release this winter. Because these things have a hard start/stop point, August is a ramp-up phase. There'll be a lot of content coming out, but the experience really gets underway at the end of the month… just in time to distract the kids from their schoolwork.  

What if someone wants to follow the story but doesn’t want to participate? You don't have to do anything.  You can do one thing and not another.  But the deeper you plunge the wetter you get.  I think every part of this is fun, I think people will enjoy the ARG, the app, the site and the books. 

App? You've mentioned that a couple times now. Just wait and see. 

What can you tell us about the story? What is “BZRK”? It's a battle for the soul and freedom of the human race carried out simultaneously in the world we know, and in a world that you're not going to expect. It's a world where if you make a false move, you're going to lose your mind. 

Insanity… is this something you have a personal familiarity with?
The line between writer and crazy person is very thin.  Both go around holding long, involved conversations with people who aren't there. 

What’s this other world thing all about? Do you really want spoilers? I'll tell you this. We'll be going "down in the meat." It's going to be vast, bloody, and beautiful. 

Wait… isn’t this supposed to be for kids? Adults like to flatter themselves that kids won't get, won't understand, won't be able to handle, more intense, more complex stories. That's nonsense.  It's the adults who are easy to creep out or scare.  Say the word "biopsy" in a room full of adults. Or "audit."  See?  Easy to scare.  Kids are a tougher audience because kids think they're immortal.

I love his comment about kids being a tougher audience than adults. It’s so true that kids see no end to their lives. I did so many stupid things as a teen. So many.


How cool does this sound? You should totally sign up at the websites! What do you think.. is transmedia something you are excited about?

Interview with Jayne Fordham-Author of A Season of Transformation

I would like to welcome Jayne Fordham, author of A Season of Transformation, to Bookland today! Thanks so much to Jayne for stopping by today. It's a lovely interview.

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Thanks for having me Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn: Can you give my readers a brief description of A Season of Transformation?

Jayne: A Season of Transformation is a YA fantasy romance novel set in contemporary Australia. On the first day of autumn, five teenagers are drawn together by an unstoppable force that brings them to the Catherine Vale showgrounds, in their local town. They uncover a box with a series of letters left for them by their ancestors. They discover that they will develop abilities which they will need to use to defeat Maxvale, an ancient villain who will resurrect on the final evening of autumn. These five teenagers who are all very different from each other must put their differences aside and form a team to defeat Maxvale and save their small town from destruction.

K: I see that you're a psychologist! I studied psychology in my undergrad. Do you think that your psychology background plays a role in the character development and themes throughout your novel?

J: That’s great Kaitlyn! I have enjoyed meeting other writers/ bloggers along the way who have studied psychology too. It’s nice to see us writers come from all different backgrounds and can use this in our writing. In a way I guess it has played a role in helping me form characters in the novel. I had an image in my mind of how I wanted the characters to be at the beginning of the story. From there I had to work my way back through their lives to figure out how they got to that point. I suppose psychology came into it then and helped me to work out each of the characters’ conflicts and how they would grow throughout the story. Mostly, writing is a way for me to get away from the seriousness of my everyday work and escape into another (fantasy) world J I just wanted to describe average teenagers with everyday problems who one day wake up with special powers.

K: Did you always want to be an author?

J: I guess I have been writing on and off since I was a child. I have a collection of short stories and half completed children’s novels that I worked on as a kid. Throughout my teens I wrote stories, letters and journal entries and then it was quite a few years- not until my early 20’s that I really got serious about writing. I certainly wanted to be a writer as a child, but somehow winded up being a psychologist. I enjoy combining both of these roles through freelance writing and creative writing and of course working in the mental health field.

K: You are also a freelance writer (so cool, by the way) that specializes in health, lifestyle, and travel. What travel destination is your favorite?

J: Thanks :) Well it’s tough to say what travel destination is my favourite (sorry about the Aussie way of spelling!) because it’s more about the experience. I live in Australia and have travelled interstate, to America and south-east Asia. I guess to date my favourite country was Cambodia- such beautiful and welcoming people who have had a horrific history. In particular I loved visiting the little town of Battambang, which is off the tourist trail and provided a true cultural experience.

My plan is to make a trip to South America at the end of 2011 and I am very excited about this!

K: If you could have any of the powers that the characters in your book develop, which one would it be and why?

J: Ooh that’s a tough question! Each of the abilities is unique in their own way and would be useful in different situations. For instance when I play soccer obviously speed flexibility would come in handy! When I don’t feel like reaching over to the T.V remote control then telekinesis would be perfect haha. Oh and certainly rapid knowledge acquisition would be very helpful when studying.

K: If you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring 5 books with you, which would you choose?

J: Hmm. Okay I would probably choose really long novels so I can drag out my reading experience as long as possible!

1.      Pride and Prejudice- I have to have my Jane Austen fix!

2.      The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice- I haven’t read it yet but it is 3 books in one and is super thick and screaming at me on my TBR shelf

3.      Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden- great aussie read although it would frustrate me that I couldn’t read the rest of the series

4.      Twilight- because no one can pay me out for reading it (again) if I am on a desert island!

5.      A Sookie Stackhouse novel- not sure which one, maybe the first one- if only they could put all 11 books in one then i could take them all

K: What authors have inspired you?

J: I have a fairly eclectic taste in reading so I read across various genres and many different authors. I guess the ones that stand out for me are Jane Austen’s classic love stories and then Australian authors such as John Marsden and Monica McInerney.

K: Who is your ultimate literary crush?

J: Okay it’s definitely a paranormal crush. I can’t decide

Team Edward (Twilight)

Team Eric (Sookie Stackhouse)… although if Alcide had a chance with Sookie then I would be team Alcide!

(Side note from Kaitlyn: yay Team Eric!)

K: Is there an interview question you have always wanted to be asked but never have been? Feel free to tell us what it is and what your answer would be!

J: Do you have an e-reader?

No I don’t, but I would love one! *hint, hint*

K: Anything else you would like to share?

J: Just want to thank you for having me on your blog and I am so glad you enjoyed reading my novel :)

Now some rapid fire questions!

K: Dog-eared books or bookmarks?

J: Bookmarks!

K: Hardcover, paperback, audiobook, or e-book?

J: Paperbacks definitely

K: Outlines or wing it?

J: A bit of both.

K: Favorite Aussie phrase?

J: “No worries.”

K: Fiction or non-fiction?

J: Fiction (I have to be in a particular mood to read non-fiction).

Thanks again Jayne! I'll be posting my review of A Season of Transformation on Wednesday!

Armchair BEA: Interview with Jessi from The Elliott Review

Today for Armchair BEA I am welcoming Jessi from The Elliott Review! We had a lovely little interview that I would like to share with all of you. It's so much fun getting to know other book bloggers :)

Kaitlyn: Can you give my readers a brief description of yourself?

Jessi: I am a teacher who is looking for a library job. I’m a wannabe writer. I love having deep conversations and (of course) discussing literature. I’m an optimist who is too realistic and thus is sort of pessimistic (if that makes sense).

Kaitlyn: What genres are your favorites? Do you have a favorite author?

Jessi: I really like anything young adult but ESPECIALLY young adult paranormal romance or fantasy. I have a lot of favorite authors. Strangely enough, my ultimate favorite authors are not young adult. I LOVE Jodi Picoult and Chaim Potok. I wish I could combine their styles and suddenly write like them. Some favorite young adult authors are J. K. Rowling and Cassandra Clare, though there are a LOT more than that.

Kaitlyn: Why did you start blogging?

Jessi: When I was completing my library degree, I came across a couple of book blogs and always had it in my mind to start one of my own and kind of tinkered with it. But last summer I rediscovered book blogging and finally took the plunge. I guess the idea of sharing my love of books in a blog format really appealed to me, as well as getting to know authors and read awesome books I might not have found another way.

Kaitlyn: What is your favorite part about blogging? Least favorite part?

Jessi: My favorite part is getting to “meet” authors through blog tours or through Twitter, etc. The least favorite part would be when I get behind in what I need to be reading. I always feel guilty, like I’m not doing enough.

Kaitlyn: I see that you're an aspiring librarian. That is so amazing. Do you have any ideas for programs that you would like to start in a library?

Jessi: I want to work in a school library (preferably middle school), and I would love to do anything and everything to promote reading to students. I’m talking competitions, book clubs, book talks, book review site for students … Whatever it takes.

Kaitlyn: What is your favorite part about being a seventh-grade English teacher? Least favorite part?

Jessi: My favorite part is connecting with certain students. Some days I feel like nothing I do really has an effect in the long run, but there are those little moments where I can sense that maybe some exchange DID matter or DID make a difference. They are few and far between, but I love them. Also, middle school kids are a strange breed. I think there were studies done that show that what is normal behavior in that age group would be considered insanity in any other. They can’t decide if they are little kids or adults, and some really funny/crazy stuff happens. My least favorite part is when I have to (for lack of a better term) get crunk on bad student behavior. By nature I am a peacemaker, so I HATE having to be mean. But I have to on a regular basis, or things would be crazier than they already are.

Kaitlyn: What are the top 3 books you would suggest as must reads?

Jessi: That’s hard! More like top three series. The Harry Potter series. The Mortal Instruments series. And … Since it can only be three… I’m going to say the Divergent series.

Kaitlyn: Any tips for current and aspiring bloggers?

Jessi: Only sign up for tours/reviews that you are excited about reading. Just because an opportunity comes along doesn’t mean you HAVE to take it. I have learned and am still learning this the hard way. I was so excited in the beginning about any reviews that were requested, and now I have to pick and choose because I simply don’t have time to read everything. I’d love to, of course, but then I’d have to quit my job and hide from my husband in a little locked cell.

Kaitlyn: On your blog you said you have written some fanfiction. What source material did you use?

Jessi: Oooh… I love me some Harry Potter fanfiction both to read and to write… I have never finished a novel ever, but I’ve come pretty close with a story based on characters from HP. *Adjusts glasses* Yes, I am a nerd.

[Insert from Kaitlyn... I love this answer!]

Now some rapid fire questions...

Kaitlyn: Dog-eared books or Bookmarks?

Jessi: Bookmarks because they rock, but I’m not above dog-earing if there are no bookmarks around or if there is a passage I know I’ll want to read again and again.

Kaitlyn: Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook or e-book?

Jessi: Yes, please. I really like all of these. I love paperbacks the best, but I’ve started buying hard covers because I hate having mismatched sets, and when I buy new release books I want them to match with the ones I already have. I have a nook and LOVE it even though physical books are always going to be my favorite. I recently started listening to audiobooks in the car, and I like them when there is an awesome narrator.

Kaitlyn: Eat while reading or no food near your books?

Jessi: My books go wherever I go, so I do sometimes read while eating.

Kaitlyn: Book or movie?

Jessi: Definitely book, though I really like seeing movie interpretations of books. I always try to read the book first, though.

Kaitlyn: Fiction or nonfiction?

Jessi: Fiction!!

Kaitlyn:Young Adult or Adult?

Jessi:Here lately I’m more into young adult, but there are some great adult books out there.

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Thanks so much Jessi! You all should check out her blog. Woo!