Author Spotlight: Holly Goddard Jones

Literary Friday ya’ll…..

Friday, Bloggiesta, and lots of reading! What’s your Friday plans?

1. Deep South Magazine and their #literaryfriday: News of James Franco as Faulkner, SoFest of Books in Nashville, 11 scariest mothers in books, upcoming book signings, what Erin is reading now (some good looking books that *may* be on the upcoming Fall Reading list!) and much more!

2. Bloggiesta is happening this weekend! Basically, it’s a 3 day weekend to work on your blog, make connections and visit the other blogs hosting the mini-challenges. It’s blog love, baby! I don’t always participate in Bloggiesta- but I try to do some work when I can during these 3 day blog-love weekends! This time, I’m REALLY trying because 2 of my fav blog buddies- Rebecca @ Love At First Book and Allison @ The Book Wheel are both hosting mini-challenges (Whoo, Rebecca and Allison! Proud of you girls!)

Here are some interesting Bloggiesta-related things I’ve found today:

Love At First Book: How To Host (and participate) in a Digital Book Club & Giveaway!

The Book Wheel: 50 Bookish Things

Always With a Book: Bloggiesta.. My To Do List and Updates

Books Speak Volumes: Ten Things Every Book Blog Needs

 

3. Did you know that I’ll be co-hosting the Hank Phillippi Ryan chat with Literary New England on September 25th at 8pmEST? You didn’t?! Well, I am! Be there as we talk about THE WRONG GIRL and giveaway some books! Use hashtag #LNEChat to join I the fun! This will be the first of 2 scheduled Literary New England/She Reads chats- and everyone is very excited!

My blogger friend, Always With a Book, got to meet Hank Phillippi Ryan this week (and was kind enough to pick me up a signed book!) Read about K meeting HPR- Author Meet and Greet: Hank Phillippi Ryan

 

4. This isn’t Bloggiesta related, but Ivory Owl Reviews blogged this week about what she learned in her first year of blogging- and it’s worth a read!

 

5. #giveaway: Have you heard of The Returned by Jason Mott? The blog-osphere is all a-twitter about this book! And you are in luck! Luxury Reading is giving away a copy! Need more of The Returned? The Book Wheel was lucky enough to get an interview with Jason Mott (that girl is a mover and shaker- folks!)

 

6. 2 reviews posted this week on Traveling With T: Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand and What A Mother Knows by Leslie Lehr.

 

7. Holly Goddard Jones, author of The Next Time You See Me, stopped by Traveling With T this week for an Interview and Author Spotlight.

 

8. Book Lovers Unite September read Astor Place Vintage is still going on at Book-alicious Mama and October’s book has been announced for when it returns to Traveling With T: The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman I’m very excited for this discussion- and I hope you will join in the fun! Reading schedule to be posted next week!

 

9. Catching up on posting about 2 fab authors I met over the summer: Meeting Anton DiSclafani and Meeting Susan Crandall

 

10. Another Blogger Made of AWESOME: Drey @ Drey’s Library!

 

11. My #fridayreads: Astor Place Vintage, Wedding Belles by Beth Albright, and maybe 212 by Alafair Burke! What are you reading for #fridayreads?

 

Happy Reading and good luck with Bloggiesta if you are participating!

 

 

 

 

 

Author Spotlight: Holly Goddard Jones

the next time you see me

Today, Holly Goddard Jones is back to reveal her #literaryconfessions and #literarycrush!

 

Author Spotlight: Holly Goddard Jones

What are some of your favorite books, Holly?

Felicia’s Journey, by William Trevor, anything by Margaret Atwood, several Stephen King novels but especially The Stand, Faulkner’s Go Down, Moses, Cloud Atlas, State of Wonder, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Serena, by Ron Rash. A recent favorite is Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life.

If you could choose to be a character in a book- who would you choose?

Most characters in books have it pretty hard—much harder than I have it. If I’m being realistic, I’d choose a boring character with a nice life, which would mean someone on the periphery of a good story. But if I mean a character who has qualities I admire, and I wish I could respond to adversity with the wisdom and grace that they do? The first two to come to mind are Elizabeth Bennet and Daenerys Targaryen. Ha!

If you were not an author, what would you like to be?

I have a layperson’s interest in criminal psychology, which is pretty analogous to what I do as a writer. Or I’d like to be in some zoological field and work with primates.

 

Do you have any #literaryconfessions? 

God, too many to own. I haven’t read tons of things I’m supposed to have read, like Moby Dick and Mrs. Dalloway.

Do you have a #literarycrush? 

I’m still smarting over the fact that Cassandra spurned Stephen Colley in I Capture the Castle.

What is your favorite song?

It depends on the day. But because I love The Beatles best overall and have a sentimental attachment to it, I’ll say, oddly, “You Never Give Me Your Money.”

Do you have any guilty pleasures? 

I don’t feel guilty about any of my pleasures, except the time I waste on the internet. Just because it’s more habit than pleasure.

What books are in your to be read (TBR) pile?

I just started Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk. I’m also in the middle of the fifth book from A Song of Fire and Ice. I’d like to read Alyssa Nutting’s Tampa and Meg Wolitzer’s The Interestings. Oh, and Stephen King’s Joyland.

 

* Thank you Holly Goddard Jones for the author spotlight!

 

To connect with Holly, please visit her website or Facebook.