Monday, June 4, 2012

Armchair BEA: Introductions


Welcome! For those of you who are regular visitors, welcome back.  For newcomers, I hope you enjoy getting to know me.  I can't believe this is my third year participating.  I'm looking forward to a great week of Armchair BEA fun!


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

Hi! I'm Michelle and in August, I will have been blogging for three years.  I was introduced to book blogging by my friend Ryan at Wordsmithonia.  I had been informally blogging about what I was reading on MySpace when I discovered Twitter.  I met Ryan, checked out his blog, and the rest is history.  After a few pointers from him, I jumped in feet first! Now, not only do I host this blog, but I also have a horror/speculative fiction blog, Castle Macabre, and twelve other blogs including a Christmas blog, a writing blog, a history blog plus a reading challenge blog and blogs for the four reading challenges I host (check them out in the left sidebar, if you like).  I host four week long, seasonal read-a-thons a year and have recently created a dedicated blog to host them from (Seasons of Reading).  I have always been an avid reader, but in the past three years, reading (and blogging about it) has taken over my life...literally.  I wouldn't change that for the world!

On a personal note, I'm the mom of two boys (who recently started their own blog, G n R Book Club) and two cat daughters, Alice and Arya.  I'm a stay-at-home mom, only just recently employed (see below) and I'm writing my first novel, set in 14th century Italy.  It's a full life!

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

What am I not currently reading?  *wink*  Let's see...The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood, Middlemarch by George Eliot, The Queen's Pleasure by Brandy Purdy, and A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin.  My favorite read so far this year?  Ghost Story by Peter Straub

Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.

I have been searching for years and years for a legitimate work from home job.  I've made many attempts to work as a virtual assistant because my past job experience qualifies me for that type of work, but no one would ever give me a chance or what I did find was not legit.  Well, all of my hard work finally paid off.  I was recently hired on as a Virtual Assistant and although I'll be in a trial period at first, I finally have the work from home job I have long sought after.  Yay!

What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)? 

I'm a firm believer that cats and books go together so every Thursday, I host a feature called Cat Thursday.  Within this feature, every second Thursday of the month is Cat Thursday:  Authors and their cats.  I have several participants who are of a like mind about cats.  Cats are just so lovely. <3

Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read? 

I'm a firm believer in being yourself in blogging so this post is a favorite I wrote just a little while back:   http://thetruebookaddict.blogspot.com/2012/04/why-i-like-your-blog.html 

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed your visit. 

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33 comments:

Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment. It means so much.

I apologize for word verification, but as soon as I changed the settings from only users with Google accounts, I started receiving a ton of spam comments...within one hour of changing the settings. The bots are on high alert apparently.

  1. Love getting to know you better! Your favorite post is mine too. I love it! Thinking we can introduce your boys blog on our blog?

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  2. Krista,
    I know you love that post! I'm so glad. =O)

    That would be so great of you all to introduce their blog. Reece is going to write his first review tomorrow. I told him he can type it himself. We're also going to be posting about the Nashville Library Summer Reading Program that we're participating in.

    Thanks for visiting!

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  3. Congrats on getting such a perfect stay at home job! I know how hard it can be to find something that works. I also have to say that 14th C Italy sounds fascinating for a novel. Good luck!

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  4. I'm so pleased to get to know you better! I really love your Cat Thursdays and agree that cats and books go together really well. My cats have absolutely no problem with my reading addiction as it provides them plenty of opportunity for a nap on my lap! Congrats on the new job! :)

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  5. Wow that's a lot of blogs! I love my cats, except when they try to climb my bookshelf and knock things down. That is the only time I don't think cats and books work well together, but then they come and crawl into my lap when I'm reading and I forgive them instantly.

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  6. Conrgrats again on the new job! I'm so excited for you.

    I also love your Cat Thursday posts. Eric and I always get a big kick out of them. Speaking of which--how is Arya doing? Is she better?

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  7. So cool that your sons started their own blog!!!

    Aww about Cat Thursday! Cats are lovely.

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  8. I get told that I have a lot of blogs, but you have me beaten hands down!

    I have everything crossed that your job works out like you hope, and that you enjoy Armchair BEA!

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  9. Good Morning! Welcome to Armchair BEA. congrats at your work from home job! I am sure that you will be amazing!

    Lisa

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  10. I'm so glad that we connected on twitter and that you started one of my favorite blogs, well more than one of them but that's besides the point. You are a wonderful friend and I hope we have many more years ahead of us.

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  11. I am so happy that you finally got a legit job, I hope it truly pans out and expands to greatness for you, you deserve it!!
    .
    My Intro post
    .

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  12. CAT thursday? That's interesting... All I need is .....


    A CAT

    :( which I don't have ...


    Krazyyme @ Young Readers

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  13. Great to meet you! I also was so excited when I found a legitimate work-at-home opportunity that I could fit in around my kids. I hope your Virtual Assistant job works out wonderfully for you!

    Pleased to meet you, and thanks for stopping by my Armchair BEA Intro Post.

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  14. Nice getting to know you Michelle! I hope you visit my post; http://fredasvoice.blogspot.ca/2012/06/armchair-bea-day-one-introductions.html?

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  15. This is my first time participating and am excited about it. Congratulations and WTG on your new venture. Hope to hear more about it.

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  16. Oh I'll have to be sure to check out that post and your other blogs, especially the Christmas one!

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  17. wowza you have so many blogs! congrats on finding a job as a Virtual Assistant, it sounds perfect. also love love your cat feature. One of my favourite blogs, Vegan YA Nerds features their cats with all their book reviews!

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  18. I see that you are a fan of Queen Elizabeth! She is my favorite historical person as well as her father :]
    It's so great to meet you!!
    Hope you have a great Armchair BEA week!
    Here's my post: http://little-red-reads.blogspot.com/2012/06/armchair-bea-introductions.html

    xo Stephanie

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  19. You are writing a book, you have a book blog, and your a full time mom? Wowza! How in the world do you have time? Busy busy lady :)

    It was so nice to meet you! Armchair BEA @ the Brunette Librarian

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  20. Congratulations on your new job! That's awesome. I'd love to work from home myself one day.

    If you have the time, I’d love to hear from you at my armchair BEA post.

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  21. Wow - you have quite a lot of blogs going...I'm impressed!

    I love historical fiction and recently finished reading The Queen's Pleasure. I love all books set during the Tudor period and especially those that include Elizabeth I.

    Here's my Armchair BEA Intro Post.

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  22. Wow, you run a ton of blogs! I'm familiar with Castle Macabre, and participated in one of your events last Halloween. :-) Virtual Assistant sounds like a really cool job. I hope it's everything you were hoping for!

    My Armchair BEA intro: http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca/2012/06/armchair-bea-2012-introducingme.html

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  23. Aw, I love Cat Thursday! :DD And that's awesome you finally got the job! YAY. That's awesome when it happens. \o/

    Thanks for stopping by!

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  24. Wow, you certainly do have a lot going on Do you sleep?! I can barely keep up with one kid, one blog, one cat and one dog. And you do it all several times over! Nice to meet you :)

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  25. How on earth do you keep up with kids and all that blogging?! Color me majorly impressed :)

    I love your list of current reads, although I'm definitely a one book at a time girl.

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  26. I'm impressed you're able to do all that. I barely manage to keep up on one blog with one kid. Good job!

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  27. I am a firm believer of being who you are too, and recently wrote something along those lines in a post just over a week ago.
    Three years of blogging is no small achievement, so congrats!

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  28. Wow, so many blogs! *impressed*
    And congrats on your new job! :)

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  29. Congrats on the new gig! How did you find it?

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  30. When Baby Whimsy is older I want to work from home too.

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  31. Being a virtual assistant sound fun and interesting. And the best part, never having to leave your house!!!!

    Happy BEA Week!

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  32. Congrats on the new job! I love your Cat Thursday posts too and enjoy reading your wonderful historical fiction reviews. :)

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  33. Congrats on finding a job where you can work from home. I would love love love to find one myself. :)

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