The first topic is simply an introduction, so here we go:
Who Am I?
I am 47 years old, married to another book lover, and mother of two sons, ages 18 and 15 (one who is another rabid book fan and the other who is not). I have always been a book lover, from my earliest days flipping pages of Go, Dog, Go! while sitting on my potty seat (seriously, we have photos) to the present where I write two book blogs and belong to four book groups. I began this book blog over seven years ago in 2006 and within a couple of weeks added a second one, Great Books for Kids and Teens. Outside of blogging, I am also a freelance writer; my reviews of books and other media for kids have been published for the past 8 years in Family Fun magazine. I also write about food, health, travel, and family topics.
Where Am I?
We currently live in Delaware, the second-smallest state in the U.S. We moved here about 20 years ago when my husband and I were transferred (we both used to work for DuPont; now only he does). I am originally from Rochester, NY, and my husband is from Oklahoma. We met when we were both living and working in New Orleans, and that city holds a special place in our hearts.
One Non-Book Related Thing About Me
I have a chronic illness, an immune system disorder known in the U.S. by the silly term Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), though it is a very debilitating illness. I write another blog about living with chronic illness, Learning to Live with CFS, that has a very positive focus (writing this post, I am beginning to see why I never have enough time for everything I want to do...). Check it out if you or someone you care about has a chronic illness...or just stop by on Mondays for my movie reviews!
Previous Armchair BEA?
This is my first time participating in Armchair BEA, though I have wanted to do it in past years and just didn't have time - we'll see if I can make the time this week! I would love to visit BEA in person and only live 2 hours from NYC, but right now, that would be a bit too much for my limited stamina. Armchair BEA is perfect for me - I like things I can do from the comfort of my couch.
Favorite Posts
Oooh,,,,that's a tough one because there are 520 of them (plus another 400 on Great Books for Kids and Teens). Let's see, here are some favorites:
- Welcome to My Reading World, my first blog post, from 2006, that tells you about my relationship with books and how it's changed over the years.
- Top Ten Favorite Novels, my first Top Ten post, before I even knew what a meme was! I like looking back at old Top Ten posts because sometimes we forget our older favorite books and only remember the more recent ones.
- Meeting with Author Rachel Simon, for 3 reasons: I love my book group, I love The Story of Beautiful Girl, and I loved meeting one of my favorite authors.
- 2013 Big Book Summer Challenge - I started my first-ever challenge last summer and had so much fun I am doing it again this summer. Although you only need to read 1 book over 400 pages this summer to participate, I have several big books I've been saving up for the challenge. Join the fun!
Keeping busy is a good thing, though! And keeping your mind active is always a good thing!
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy Armchair BEA!
I hope you have an enjoyable week of Armchair BEA. Last year was my first, and I loved it, so I'm back for another. The best thing about it is hopping around to discover blogs I might not otherwise ever see, and I'm thrilled to have discovered yours. 7 years of blogging is thoroughly impressive. :) Cheers-- Kelly @ Reading with Analysis
ReplyDeleteIsn't it nice being married to a book lover? My husband is also an avid reader and while we don't read the same type of books, we do enjoy an outing to the bookstore.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy ArmchairBEA!!!
My Intro Post
It's nice that at least two out of the your three other family members are book lovers! That's more than in my family (sadly). I'm sorry to hear about CFS. I hope you enjoy Armchair BEA :)
ReplyDeleteYay glad you're participating in ABEA this year! You already know I love your posts, especially your Monday's when you share what your family is reading :-)
ReplyDeleteWow! I can't believe you keep up so many blogs - impressive. :)
ReplyDeleteHi! It's so nice to meet you. ;-) This is fun, though, to hear a little more about you! I need to go back through my old issues of Family Fun to see if I can find things you've written!
ReplyDeleteI'm very jealous that you have a husband who is also a book love. Mine doesn't read, which makes it a bit harder for me to find time to read.
I hope you enjoy your first Armchair BEA! I'm hoping to find time to post daily, but unfortunately, I didn't manage to write my posts ahead of time so I'm not sure if it will happen!