Monday, June 4, 2012

Hello!! Armchair BEA: Introductions!



The bloggers hosting Armchair BEA 2012 are encouraging keeping things simple and visiting as many other blogs as possible this week. I love this idea. I tried to keep my answers short and simple...I’m a bit of a talker so if my answers to the intro questions are kind of long sorry ‘bout that. If it‘s any consolation, my comments to bloggers posts are chatty too!!
Thank you for visiting !!

 1) My name is Amy. You can also call me Aimala, Aimster or some version of both. I’ve been blogging since July 2009 but have taken a few breaks so I've probably been blogging closer to 2 years than 3.  A photo of me will almost always include a cat!
I got into blogging because I had to ‘retire’ on disability from a job I loved and I wasn’t finding reading as enjoyable or helpful as I once did. When I discovered book blogs and this community where I could discuss books with other readers, share my views on books and learn about genres and authors I wasn’t familiar with, I was thrilled!
I have been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. My mom loved to read and tried to turn my sister and I onto the wonder and glory of books...it stuck with me, not with my sister. Reading quickly became my favorite thing to do because it took me away from ‘real life’. I had a good home life but I spent several months of every year from the age of 4 until 17, in the hospital and at home recovering from surgery. Books were a great way to get away from the boredom, pain, fear... My interest in reading anything and everything also helped me keep up with my classes, while at home recovering from surgery, in junior high and high school. I was fortunate to graduate with my class as a result.

2) My favorite book of 2012 is one I finished just last week, The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. It’s an amazing book. One of the books I’m reading now is A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash. I was leafing through this book up on Saturday morning, planning to put it on my nightstand, and the next thing I knew, I’d read 50 pages. Today, I’m 50 pages from the end of this book. It’s fantastic. A blurb on the front of Wiley Cash’s debut says it will “knock your socks off...” and that is so true!

4) My favorite feature on my blog is the pictures of my cats that I post periodically, primarily as part of Saturday Snapshot a meme hosted by Alyce on her blog At Home With Books. I also have some wonderful photos of my fuzzie-wuzzies on my sidebar!

7) There’s a long list of authors I’d love to meet for dinner. Jonathan Tropper because his books are well-written, hilarious, intelligent and he seems to be a nice , slightly wacky person! I would love to have dinner with Vanessa Diffenbaugh because of her work with the foster care system and her belief that things have to change for the better for children in foster care. One other author I’d love to meet is Susan Gregg Gilmore because I adored The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove, a book that made me laugh and cry!

9) My favorite part of the book blogging community is the other bloggers and the sense of community that exists.
There’s a very large number of book blogs and some, unfortunately, don’t understand or share this idea of community, of loving and supporting your fellow bloggers through whatever comes. That’s sad.
Fortunately, there’s a much greater number of book bloggers who understand what it is to be human and know that part of you isn’t left at the door when you create a book blog. The majority of book bloggers know that in sharing views and opinions on books, you’re also connecting with others and getting to know them as people. When I started blogging, I knew I would learn quite a bit about books and share my ideas/opinions with other bloggers. But I didn’t realize the extent of the friendships and connections I would make with bloggers who are real people with real lives. This sense of community is a glorious thing!

19 comments:

  1. I have an ARC of the Language of Flowers coming soon so I'm happy to see that was one of your favorites. The friendships created here is quite amazing!

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  2. I'm going to be reading A Land More Kind Than Home soon and am super excited!

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  3. Yay a cat person!! I would be the house of 6 tails. I need to get some better shots of my furpeople to put on my blog. They are so terribly neglected.

    Beautiful Ruins just caught my eye the other day (I see it on your sidebar) the story sound great but I'm ashamed to say, I fell in love with the cover!! It looks so early sixties nostalgia! I love it :)

    Nice to meet you and look forward to seeing you around ArmchairBEA.. you can follow me by the trail of cat hair!

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  4. Nice to meet you! I'm going to have to check out some of your favorites, because I'm not familiar with them. I mostly read YA, but I do enjoy adult books once in a while... Enjoy BEA!
    My BEA Post

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  5. A Land More Kind than Home is a terrific book name. Glad to hear it lives up to the name.

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  6. I had no idea about the health problems and surgeries you went through - sounds like some tough times. Books have always been a welcome escape for me too.

    I'm thrilled that you shared about my photo meme and that you enjoy it so much. Your kitty photos are always adorable!

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  7. I have BOTH of your favorites in my stacks - looks like I need to move them up!

    I loved what you said about community - yes, exactly why I have stayed for so long. I have been lucky, I think, because I have mostly met the most wonderful people through blogging.

    Have a great Armchair BEA, Amy!!

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  8. I have The Language of Flowers checked out at the moment, can't wait to read it after seeing it is one of your favourites :)

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  9. I feel lucky to have gotten to know you through blogging. Stopping by to visit, is always a treat for me. Plus, you have a way with words and your reviews are truly lovely and enjoyable to read. It's a win-win in my book.

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  10. I love your choices for a dinner meet-up! Jonathan Tropper would be so great! And I bet it would be so interesting to talk to Vanessa D. about flowers! (I wonder if she actually remembers what all of them mean!) Well, I know you said talking to her about the foster care part, but I'd go for the happier stuff - at least while we were eating so I wouldn't feel guilty having a good meal when so many kids don't. I've read a number of good reviews about the Cash book lately so I finally gave in and added my name to the wait list at our library. Your impressions just solidify it for me!

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  11. Everyone loves that Wiley Cash book. I suppose I better get a copy. And I love that you picked Jonathan Tropper. He would be fun but I would have never thought of him.

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  12. I kind of love it when that book that you meant to set aside for later ends up totally capturing you. I've stumbled into a few of my very favorite books without even meaning to start them! On that note, sounds like I need to find myself a copy of A Land More Kind Than Home. =D

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  13. It's nice to see you again, Amy!

    I'm still reading, too -- Just finished WHEN GOD WINKS and BOSSY PANTS. Both are very interesting. Am now reading Harlan Coben's latest book.

    Give the kitties a hug for me!

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  14. I'm not participating in Armchair BEA, but I've been jumping to and from blogs reading posts like yours. I loved what you said about "sense of community among bloggers" - very true. I love your cat pics as well Amy.

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  15. Hi Amy! I have read such great reviews for A Land More Kind Than Home. I have it on audio and look forward to listening to it.

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  16. I'm looking forward to reading the language of flowers. Glad you've found a place to discuss books, I love it!

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  17. I'm a big cat fan as well!

    I love what you said about how books can take us away from all the bad things in life. It's so true!

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  18. I love cats so much too! We have two and want more when we move and have more space.

    I just won a copy of The Language of Flowers and am just waiting for my copy to arrive by mail. It looks so good and I was super excited when I won a copy. :)

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  19. I spent so much time discovering new blogs last week that I'm just now catching up with my old firends!

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