Tuesday, September 15, 2009

BBAW -- Book Blogger Interview!

As part of the Book Blogger Appreciation Week, I had a fantastic pleasure of interviewing Lizabeth over at Book Hoot. She has a wonderful blog filled with great reviews and information on young adult novels. Let's get to the questions!
1. Why did you start blogging?
I started blogging because a friend and I were thinking about presenting a paper at a national English conference about young adult fiction for teenage girls. We were sick of the sort of books that kill off the mother and focus on female teenage characters who are disempowered, or just plain old sad. So the search for “kick ass female protagonists” was on! Since then, I’ve blogged about the sorts of books I want to teach in my English classes.

2. Tell me something about your blog that visitors might not notice at first.
I think they will see my obsession with owls! I try not to be too overt about the teaching, because I don’t want to be overly teachy/ preachy. I’ve dropped my teaching ideas for texts for that reason. My (small amount, but most welcome!) followers aren’t teachers they just love books!

3. What is you all time favorite book and why?
This is WAY TOO HARD! When I was a teenager, my favourite book was John Fowles The French Lieutenant’s Woman. I think it was the first ‘post modern’ text I had read- I loved the way the ending messed with my head. Then there’s a whole list of classics that I read and reread all the time: Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, The House At Pooh Corner, Atonement… Like I said too hard!

4. What is your favorite thing about blogging?
I like comments! It’s nice to know that someone is reading all my random thoughts. I like thinking about my writing, and how it is improving too.

5. How do you choose the books that you review?
This changes all the time. Sometimes I review something that comes across my desk at work. We have been looking for some year nine (14 year old) texts recently, so this had been my focus in my choices. But I also try to look at the current and controversial texts that are getting press coverage.

Thanks Lizabeth and keep up the great work -- your blog is fantastic!

5 comments:

gautami tripathy said...

Great! I too like comments. Don't we all?!

BBAW: Interviewing myself

Heather J. @ TLC Book Tours said...

what a great name for her blog - I love it!

Jenny said...

Great interview! I followed you over from Liz's blog. My husband and I LOVE How I Met Your Mother so Liz's post of your interview immediately caught my attention!!

Missy B. said...

I love the owls, and the name of her blog. Great interview!

Literary Feline said...

I was just over at Liz's site reading your interview, Jess. :-) It was nice to get to know you better.

I'm getting to know quite a few bloggers I am unfamiliar with as well--like Liz. Thanks for the introduction!