Armchair BEA Introduction

Monday, June 4, 2012


Why yes I did forget Armchair BEA started today. Fail. Sorry this is just going up, but I still wanted to participate. I enjoy my fellow book bloggers so much and I feel like a slacker when I don't join in on some of these big events. So here it goes...

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?
My name is Melissa, I'm 28 and I live in Indianapolis with my pup and the Huz. I work full time at a medical journal and review Indy theatre and write a book blog for fun. I've been blogging since Jan. 2010 and I started because I love talking about books and writing.

2. What are you currently reading?
I'm currently reading Villette, Beautiful Boy, The Stand and I'm rereading The Perks of Being a Wallflower  (a classic, a nonfiction, a YA and a newer fiction book, yup that's how it usually is)

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

Everyone I'm close to calls me Lissa (not Lisa) and I love planning and taking roadtrips and weekend getaways with friends of the Huz. Oh, also I love good TV. Give me a season of Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Doctor Who, etc. and I'm good to go.

4. What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)?
I started a Reading the States feature this year and I hope it will be a good resource for people in the future. Whenever someone wants to read more books set in a specific states (whether they're about to travel there or they're just curious) they'll be able to find each state through the Reading the States page.

5. Where do you see your blog in five years?
Still around I hope. I love having a group of people to talk books with and each year it seems like I've done a few new things (RIP challenge, hosted a readalong, Dewey, etc.)

6. Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?
One of my first posts was on creating my library when I moved into my first home. I love that one and I don't think anyone read this blog back then. Also, my 2011 year end survey would be a good way to get a feel for what I read.

7. If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?
Neil Gaiman, there are authors I may love more (though most are dead), but Gaiman is so fantastic and we could not only talk about his books, but also about Doctor Who!

8. What literary location would you most like to visit? Why?
I've gotten to see a lot of my dream places (Stratford-Upon-Avon, the courthouse that inspired To Kill a Mockingbird, the Algonquin Round Table, Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore, Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey, etc.), but I would really love to go East and visit Walden pond, Louisa May Alcott's home and Mark Twain's Connecticut home. 

9. What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years?
The people! I've loved making friends with readers all over the world. I probably never would have met them otherwise. I hope that bloggers continue to welcome new members to the community and connect with them one-on-one. As this group of people grows I think that will become harder to do.

10.  Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?

Yes! I read so many more new releases. I used to wait to read almost all new books because I couldn't afford to buy new books on a newspaper reporter's salary. Now it's so hard to resist when the whole blogosphere is buzzing about a new release.

16 comments:

Red said...

Yay for someone else that wants to visit Stratford-Upon-Avon! And Mad Men love? You have excellent taste.

Melanie said...

Wow you have so many books! Wish I had space to make an entire room into a library :)

Jeanne said...

It's probably stodginess--or laziness--but reading new blogs does get harder, once you have an established round. Still, I occasionally like hopping over to visit someone who comments here. So when you find bloggers new to you, I benefit too.

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

Hello Melissa...stopping by to say Hi. I'm not participating in the Armchair BEA, but reading all of the posts has been fun. It's always great learning a bit more about fellow book bloggers.

(My taste in books has changed a bit since blogging as well.)

Kat @ NoPageLeftBehind said...

I love (and envy) your home library! Yay for Hoosier book bloggers :)

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Red - There's no place like England for literary locations!

Melanie - This was the first time in my life that I could do it. Before we moved into this house about 3/4 of my books were in boxes.

Jeanne - It is hard! I love that you've found a few through this blog though. I do the same with your blog and a few others.

Diane - I think it's hard not to change your reading habits when there are so many great influences in the blogging world! It's good though, because I've read stuff that I probably would have missed otherwise.

Kat - I love it too!

Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanity said...

Scott loves Doctor Who but I just can't get into the show! And I'm totally with you on the roadtrip planning. Love it!

I didn't know you worked for a medical journal! Love learning little tidbits about blogging friends!

The Brunette Librarian said...

Mad Men is magnifique! :) LOVE Pete - he's just so smarmy but awesome.


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

Aarti said...

Did you know the sequel to Shadow of the Wind is coming out in July, I think? I am excited for it- it focuses on Fermin :-)

I have had The Perks of Being a Wallflower on my TBR shelf for some time - I hear so many good things about it!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Trish - I got addicted to Doctor Who last year. Once you get past the silly special effects, it's so good! I worked at a daily newspaper and then an ad agency, but for the past year I've been at a medical journal. It's about the only stable job in the media world right now.

The Brunette Librarian - They do such a wonderful job developing the characters' back stories, I love it!

Aarti - I know!!! I can't wait. I'm definitely preordering The Prisoner of Heaven.

Care said...

Let me know if/when you are in New England to visit Mark Twain and the Concord Mass area! These are on my list to visit and I live here. :S

Kristi said...

I love these kinds of posts where we get to learn more about other bloggers. My five year old is named Alyssa, and we often call her Lissa or Lissy. I've never met anyone else with that nickname.

I'm so sad that I didn't visit Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore when I was in Paris last year. I didn't even know about it until I got back. Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey is great.

I'm much like you. I never really read new releases. I still don't read them right on release, but usually a month or two after and that's a big change for me. I feel like I've branched out a bit more and have been willing to try new books because of blogging.

The people are the best part of blogging, and you are one of them. I'm glad you intend to still be around in five years because I'll still be around reading your posts.

*ೃ༄ Jillian said...

Oh, hey -- we DID pick the same literary location! :) That's awesome! I'm excited you're reading Villette. I love that one and can't wait to know what you think. :D

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Care - That would be so much fun!

Kristi - You have a Lissa too! That's just awesome. It's a pretty rare nickname. You'll just have to go back to Paris to visit the bookstore, it's worth it! :)

Jillian - So far it's wonderful. We'll have to discuss when I'm done.

Jenners said...

Well, I'll reintroduce myself to you, Lissa! : )

I think your Reading The States is a great resource, and I imagine it is lot of work for you to compile but it must be kind of fun too.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Jenners - Thanks! Sometimes I don't know if anyone is actually using it, but I'm hoping maybe people will remember it when they plan a trip in the future. Plus, I do enjoy discovering new books and authors from each state.