I’m so excited to share with all of you that I was awarded a Liebster Award thanks to my pal Chelsey, from Chels and a Book. A Liebster Award allows bloggers to both share their favourite blogs and also to gain exposure for themselves and I’m thrilled to be a part of all the fun! The award nomination consists of four parts: state 11 random facts about yourself, answer 11 questions which were given to you by your nominator, then nominate people yourself, and finally list the questions that your nominees will answer. Okay, it’s time to get started…
11 Random Facts About Myself
1. I won a lip syncing contest in grade school for singing Barbie Girl. To date, it’s still one of my proudest moments.
2. The first chapter book I ever read was called B, My Name is Bunny by Norma Fox Mazer.
3. My favourite album of all time is Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette.
4. My two best friends have the same name as me, which gets a little confusing when we got out to events together.
5. I write and highlight in many of my books. All bets are off if its an advanced reading copy.
6. One of the highlights of my publishing career was meeting and interviewing Salman Rushdie.
7. I once owned every copy of the Full House Stephanie Tanner chapter books.
8. I’ve had the same pen pal for almost 15 years. We still haven’t met.
9. I’ve seen Lady Gag in concert 3x
10. I’ve recently become obsessed with audiobooks.
11. Belle was/is my favourite Disney princess.
Answers to Chelsey’s Questions
1. What is your favourite childhood book, favourite read from the last year, and most anticipated future read?
Favourite childhood book would have to be Anne of Green Gables. I’m still convinced that Anne Shirley and I are kindred spirits. It’s hard for me to pick my favourite read from last year, because there were so many great reads, but if I had to choose, I’d say Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri. It was a beautiful story of a family that was disrupted by war and politics. And the book I’m most excited to read this year is Rainbow Rowell’s Landline. I’ve recently become a huge fan of Rainbow Rowell’s work, and I can’t wait to read her newest book this summer!
2. If you had the choice to create your last meal (appetizer, main course, dessert and beverage), what would it be?
Ooohh this is a hard question, but if I had to choose, I’d say:
Appetizer: Scallpops
Main Course: Lobster
Dessert: A huge bowl of chocolate ice-cream
Beverage: Coca-cola.
3. What would your ideal bookshelf/ library look like? (Pictures accepted!)
Oh this one’s easy and thanks to Pinterest, I can show you…
4. If you were to get a tattoo tomorrow, what would it be and where?
It would probably be the letters MLMM, which means Mom Loves Me More. As a child my Dad started saying this to me as a joke and it just kind of stuck. So for years and years, he and I have been saying and slipping notes to one another with the letters MLMM. That combination of letters means so much to me. I’d get it on my wrist.
5. Do you anticipate your birthday, wish it was over faster or remain indifferent?
I LOVE my birthday. It’s always a great excuse to get together with my favourite people and celebrate.
6. What is in your ideal smoothie?
Coffee, peanut butter and bananas.
7. If you were to go to a ball (Disney Princess style), what would your dress look like? (Pictures accepted again. Pinterest, here we go!)
Oooohhh what a fun question. If I got invited to a ball, I’d probably show up in this outfit:
Now here’s where I admit that I got side tracked for about fifteen minutes looking at pretty dresses.
8. Do you have a favourite mug? Where is it from, how long have you had it and what does it look like?
I have a two favourite mugs. In my house, I have a mug that I got in a blogger conference bag from the Marilyn Denis Show. I’m not sure why, but it’s always my first choice when I go to choose a mug for my beverage. The one I use at work is a travel mug that has Mickey Mouse on it. I love it because it keeps my coffee hot for even longer because of it’s lid.
9. What is your favourite thing about your blog?
Oh this one’s easy, the opportunity to share my love of reading with others and to connect with fellow book lovers.
10. Who is your favourite man or woman in literature and why?
I’m going to stick with the classics here and say that Jane Austen will always be at the top my list of favourite people in literature, because her books have such timeless and relatable themes in each and every book.
11. If you were to adopt a dog or a cat today, what would one of your name considerations be?
I’d adopt a dog and I’d likely call it Scout because of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.
Liebster Award Nominations
Here are the people I choose to receive a Liebster Award. These are a collection of some blogs I visit regularly and some new bloggers whom I’ve recently discovered.
Michele – Just a ‘Lil Lost — Michele is not only a great book blogger, but over the years, she and I learned that we have tons in common. If you see conversations between us on Twitter, they’re usually about books, the Backstreet Boys and Veronica Mars. She writes with heart and her honest recap of books is one of the reasons I love her blog so much.
Literary Hoarders — The tag line on this blog reads, ‘3 women with out of control book hoarding issues’ – now these are my type of people. I love that there are different reading tastes and voices incorporated on this great book blog.
Vanessa – My Pen, My Voice — Vanessa is an absolute doll and if you ever get the chance to meet her in person, you’ll fall in love with her, just like I did. Her blog is a combination of books and the ongoings of her life. It’s more of a lifestyle blog that takes you on fun adventures around this city!
Karen – One More Page — Karen’s someone I recently connected with and after spending almost an hour of her blog one day, I quickly discovered that we have very similar book taste. Her recent review of All My Puny Sorrows is delightful, so be sure to give her a follow.
Maria – I Believe in Story — Maria is not only a great book blogger, but she’s become a really good friend. Her take on literature is fun, upbeat and fresh. Not to mention, she is a master at photoshop, she writes fun, smart lists and also shares great tips/advice for writers and bloggers.
Naomi – Consumed by Ink — Naomi is a blogger I recently discovered by searching through tags on WordPress. She’s from NS (my hometown) and is on a mission to read more Canadian books. So if you have any recommendations, be sure to stop by her blog and recommend some great reads!
Courtney – Once Upon a Bookshelf — Courtney is someone that I’ve met a blogger events and conferences. Not only is she absolutely adorable, but she reads a little bit of everything, so you’ll be sure to find a great new book by visiting her blog.
The Paperback Princess — Not only are you going to get fresh and frequent book reviews from The Paperback Princess, but she also writes really great original pieces, like, I’m in Book Buying Rehab and the woes (and advantages) of commuting to work each day.
*Be sure to go connect with each of these awesome book bloggers!
… Now for your question nominated bloggers:
1. What is the one book you could never ever part with or get rid off?
2. Paper books or eBooks? Why?
3. If you could travel to one place in the world (all expenses paid), where would it be and why?
4. If you could meet one author (dead or alive), who would it be and why?
5. Do you play music while you read?
6. If you could create a dish with any cookbook author, who would you want to cook with?
7. If you were given $5000 to spend in one store in the world, where would you do your shopping?
8. Do you have a favourite quote? Can you share it with us?
9. If you had to be a member of a literary family, which family would you join?
10. Do you have a bad habit when reading? Twirling hair? Clicking your tongue? Tapping your foot?
11. Who is the one author or book that has changed the way you read?
Thanks again to Chelsey from Chels and a Book for nominating me, be sure to check out her blog and her great vlog for lots of great book recommendations!
Reeder Reads 