Interview with Bibliosue…

A few months ago, an event happened called Booktopia. Thanks to Twitter, I was able to start tweeting with one of the people attending the event- she always had interesting comments about books, so I began to read her blog, and really enjoyed that, as well. After meeting @bibliosue in person (in real life, her name is Suzanne); I knew this was a person and a blog that would be defintely worth keeping in touch with. A few weeks ago, I asked if she would mind asnwering some questions for a blog post for me. Suzanne agreed, and so here we are. Thanks so much @bibliosue!

If you enjoy the interview and want to know more about Suzanne, check out her blog. Suzanne also tweets as @bibliosue on Twitter.

Interview with Bibliosue:

Why did you decide to become a book blogger? Was it to discuss books with others? To recommend books? When did your blog debut?

I started my blog in November of 2009. I’ve always searched out people with whom to talk about books and reading, and when I discovered the Books on the Nightstand podcast it led me to so many online connections to do just that – Goodreads,Twitter, and book blogs. I started my blog just to write about what I’ve read, and most of the time if I’ve liked the book it will be a recommendation. It’s just a hobby for me though; I don’t have the desire to spend hours and hours on it, especially when I could be spending that time reading 🙂

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Margaret Atwood, Nick Hornby, Rohinton Mistry,

Do you enjoy going to book signings and meeting authors?

Absolutely! There aren’t many close to where I live, but there’s an indie bookstore about an 1 ½ hour drive away that has great events and I try to make it there when I can.

Is there a book that you think is outstanding, but others dislike?

I recently read and absolutely loved Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks, but a friend of mine with similar tastes didn’t like it at all.

Is there a book that others rave about, but you think is not worth the hype?

I couldn’t get through The Passage by Justin Cronin, but I think it was because it’s just not my type of book. I strongly strongly disliked Emma by Jane Austen, which some people consider her best novel.

Name an author (or authors)that you would like to have dinner with.

In no particular order (and not necessarily at the same time): Margaret Atwood, A.J. Jacobs, Nick Hornby, Bill Bryson, and if he were still alive, Christopher Hitchens

Name your Top 5 favorite books.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood , A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry (I’m re-reading this now and it’s still amazing), The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, The Help by Kathryn Stockett (this list changes regularly!)

Do you have any #literaryconfessions?

I’m a bit ashamed that I’ve never read Little Women

Man VS Books Club (@MVBClub)- Interview

The Man VS Books Club (@MVBClub) is a group of people who LOVE to read. And they want men to read! The group is comprised of both men and women- and all share a love of the classics. I credit this group of people for encouraging me in reading of Pride and Prejudice, for encouraging me to try books outside my normal picks.

Thank you for taking time to answer some questions about reading tastes, the MVB Club, and #literaryconfessions!

Interview with MVB Club:

1.Why do you think women read more than men?

The consensus is that the literary market is more geared towards women instead of men. For example the top 3 best selling books were the 50 Shades of Grey book series which appealed more to a female audience,although I am sure that some men may have read them too. Moreover, I think some men find it less time consuming to read a newspaper or a magazine rather than to commit to a 500 plus page book. Lastly the probable thinking is why read a book when I can watch television, surf the internet, and/or play video games.

2.When the blog MVBClub was created- what were the expectations? Has it exceeded expectations?

The expectations were to encourage as many men to start reading books and to discover the joy you can get from doing so. The MVBClub blog has far exceeded our expectations. We have been receiving such positive feedback from men and women alike that we are thinking up more features to add to our blog in the near future.

3.When it comes to genre, are men just more of a non-fiction lover than women? Could this potentially have an effect on how much men read since fiction books are generally promoted more and easier to find than non-fiction?

I think Men like reading non-fiction and fiction just the same. Whether they read the book will come down to whether the story synopsis piques their interest and if the book was written by an author that they read before.

4.Are current authors writing books today that are aimed at men or have authors decided to target the women as their audience for book sales?

I think that most authors are generally writing for the mass audience not just the male or female demographic. However, there are those authors such as Danielle Steel and Nora Roberts whose books tend to cater more to the female audience.

5.What is one (published in the last 10 years) book that men should not miss?

A tough one…there are so many wonderful books from this past decade that I could recommend…However I will say that the Hunger Games is a current must read. Hopefully men will continue to read the remaining two books in the trilogy. They won’t be disappointed.

6.MVBClub is a fan of the classics; but for some people, classics are overlooked. Name a few current author favorites for the group. Then name a classic book that will entice readers to give the classics a try.

Well Jane Austen is always current author for us. Her influence has been exhibited in two of the most popular books series on the literary market today most notably Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey book series’. We always suggest that a first time reader of Jane Austen should start with Pride & Prejudice. It is such an entertaining read.

7.Does the MVBClub have any #literayconfessions?

Our Literary Confessions are: First: We love reading. Second:Reading and our mutual love of Jane Austen has brought us together as friends and collaborators on the ManVsBooksClub blog. Third: MVBC blog has allowed us to spread our message that Reading is Sexy.

For more information on the club or to follow their tweets- please visit at Manvsbooksclub.wordpress.com. And on Twitter @MVBCLUB

Melanie Toye- Entice Me (self-published)

With so many great books being published- I mean this summer alone, I could barely keep up with all the new books I wanted to read being published- some books get over-looked. I think if you have people who can and want to help you that really helps, but for the self-published author- I think it’s harder to find the audience for the book (however, I could be wrong in that thought).

So, spreading a bit of good karma and “paying it forward”, when I was asked to consider posting something about this book- I wasn’t sure what to say at first. But, I admired Melanie Toye’s gutsy attitude- she asked for what she wanted, and I applaud that.

*Full disclosure: I did not receive this book for interview purposes, nor have I read the book. I did read the plot-line, thought the book sounded interesting.
The book is currently $2.99 on Amazon in the Kindle section. For more information on Entice Me, click HERE!

Melanie- I sincerely hope Entice Me is a huge success. Best of luck!

Interview with Melanie Toye

1. The book, Entice Me, is a catchy title. What inspired the title?
I was lying in bed one day and Entice Me just popped into my mind. I knew straight away this was the title for it. Although I had nearly gone with ‘Secrets Unravelled’ and originally ‘Desired Life’ I wasn’t completely satisfied that it was the perfect match. For me the hardest part in writing a novel was coming up with the enticing title (mind the pun).

2. Why did you choose to self-publish?
I spent a year and a half seeking out publishers. For a women’s read there are not many publishers out there for the genre. Also as a first time author it made it harder to break into the publishing scene. I came across Amazon and realised if I wanted to see my novel out there and pass on the inspiring message to readers to chase their dreams then this was my option. There have been many success stories for self-publishing on Amazon, so I thought well I tried the traditional way, not give this option a go?

3. People seem to have different and conflicting views on the idea of “chick-lit being dead”. What is your opinion? Is chick-lit still going strong, evolving, or ending?
Personally, I love chick lit. I love to sit down and just be entertained. I love feel good stories and who doesn’t love a sweet ending? If romantic comedies are still strong in the movie and film industry, then chick lit novels would still be going strong in the book world.

4. Sometimes a character is a reflection of the writer. Are any of the characters a reflection of you?
Absolutely. There are three main characters, Miranda, Grace and Louise. They are based on different aspects of my life. Miranda is like a girl next door, but a workaholic. It is so easy to get swept away into a career that you forget about living. Like Miranda, I was a recruitment consultant and worked long hours and regretted the time I spent away from my husband. Grace is the free spirit who won’t let circumstances tame her down. If she isn’t happy with a situation, she will move on. I am very much like this, nearly every year I would change jobs because I lost interest and was no longer satisfied. And Louise is a nervous wreck when it comes to social situations. Previously I have been nervous in new social environment (not to the extent of Louise) but it was a good basis to draw upon when building her character. Not only characters have been drawn from my life and personalities but even some scenario’s and scene’s from Entice Me have been similar occurrences that I have experienced.

5. Do you have a routine when you write? Or do you write more when inspiration strikes?
I don’t like to feel trapped by a routine; however I do have a goal of how many words I need to write a day. I can write at any time of day or night as long as I achieve my word count. I generally find early mornings or very late evenings are when inspiration hits me. I always ensure I have a pen and paper in every room of the house and in my handbag, because I have so many ideas in my head if I don’t write it down then it blocks any more coming through as I try to remember it. However I don’t just wait for inspiration, once I make it time to write, I just write whatever comes to my mind and let the editing process knock out the boring parts.

6.Your favorite book?
Janet Evanovich – Stephanie Plum series

7. Favorite band?
Music is such a motivator and energy riser for me. So anything that gets the heart pumping as I dance around the house in excitement. Don’t judge me on this one … but I am a huge ‘Pop and R&B’ fan. So anything by Britney Spears (I said don’t judge), Justin Timberlake, Usher … oh and the list goes on.

Interview with Melinda McGuire (@melindamcguire)

Starting a new feature on my blog: interviewing other writers or bloggers about their writing or blogging. It’s still very early stages, but I think it’s only fair to shine some light back on some people who have encouraged me in my beginning as a blogger.

Melinda McGuire, @melindamcguire on Twitter, is a sweet Twitter friend. She had an idea about interviewing Southern creatives (#STHRN) on her blog (melindamcguirewrites) and has interviewed some great people. I had the good fortune of just returning from a trip to William Faulkner’s Rowan Oak, pitched her my idea and she was gracious enough to accept it.

In a spirit of “paying it forward” or helping expose readers/book signing lovers to new people and events- I interviewed Melinda. Read on to out more about The Grand Festival of Books in Fairhope, AL; Melinda’s favorite book, #literaryconfessions she has, and her advice to beginner writers!

Thank you, Melinda, for taking the time to answer the questions. I sincerely hope you have a fantastic time at The Grand Festival of Books and meet tons of interesting folks!

Interview with Melinda McGuire

Why did you decide to become a writer? Was the decision a life-long dream?

I can’t remember a time of not writing or at least writing stories in my head. If I didn’t write, my house would be much cleaner, but I would be miserable! It wasn’t really a decision so much as filling a need. I knew I had to write, that I was meant to write, so I went about acquiring the skills to do that. Thankfully, the most important skill in being a good writer is being a voracious reader!

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

My favorite part is sitting down with a blank document pulled up on the computer and listening to the story the characters tell me. I just try to transcribe as fast as I can. That’s my favorite part – getting to know the characters, where they are coming from, what’s happening, why they are important.

Do you like meeting fans at book signings? What is the best part, in your opinion, about book signings?

I LOVE talking to people at book signings. I am meeting people who like to read and I like to read, so automatically we have that in common. I am not a very good salesperson, so I focus on meeting new people, getting to know them, where they are from, what books they like. I like being around people, especially readers, so book signings are wonderful opportunities.

The Grand Festival of Books at Page and Palette in Fairhope, AL will be October 5^th and 6^th. What can visitors expect from this event?

There’s going to be over 150 artists and authors there, so I hope that visitors can expect to have a great time! I am excited to be going and thrilled to have been invited. This is my first time there, but I am looking forward to being in such a creative, artistic environment, and I cannot wait to meet the readers, writers and artists who attend.

When you write, are any of the characters based on real-life people?

Tamara, are you trying to get me in trouble?

I think that all writers take bits and pieces of people, whether it is conscious or not, and morph them together to make their characters. Some writers borrow more directly from the people in their lives, but for most of us, our characters are compilations of people we’ve known.

Any advice for beginner writers?

1 – Write, write, write. Stop talking about writing and write. Stop thinking about writing and write. Nothing’s going to happen until you get the words out of your head and on the paper.

2 – Write for your IDEAL reader. Once you get your first draft out of the way, do your revising and editing and subsequent drafting with your ideal reader in mind. There are going to be people who do not like your style, your character, plot, setting, whatever, but you aren’t writing for “everybody”. You are writing for your specific audience, and your specific audience starts with your ideal reader.

What is your favorite book of all time?

No question – Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner. I have many other favorites – To Kill a Mockingbird, In Cold Blood, but for me, it all starts with Faulkner.

What books are you currently reading?

I am re-reading Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying. James Franco is filming the movie version in Mississippi in October. I am excited to see his adaptation. I am also reading $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau and The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell.

Name an author (dead or alive) that you would like to meet.

Besides the obvious answer, Faulkner, I would like to meet Hemingway, maybe even at the same dinner so I could watch as they threw literary insults at each other!

Do you have any #literaryconfessions?

One of my #literaryconfessions is that I hated poetry until I watched Dead Poets Society, and then I went and read every poem mentioned in the film and tried to force myself to like ALL of them. It didn’t work, but I did develop a greater appreciation of poetry. And, because of that film, I wanted to sound my own barbaric yawp!