Armchair BEA: My Introduction
I am so excited to be participating in the Armchair BEA. Since I am unable/not allowed to head off to the actual BEA in New York City this week, I will have a blast learning and meeting new people through this fabulous online event.
Now for the introduction.
1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? Where in the world are you blogging from?
You can read about the why of BookMusings here.
To add to that, I have been blogging here for the last two months, and it has been the craziest whirlwind of learning, growing, sharing, thinking and writing. Way more than I could have imagined. It is what I hoped for when the idea came to me.
I wanted to develop my writing skills, I wanted to be more aware of new books being published, I wanted to get to know the industry. I also wanted to become a sort of community for readers, which is slowly developing. Of course, there are much bigger things to come in the future, but I am very happy with the direction this blog has allowed me to go in terms of the books I read, the people I meet and the writing I produce.
2. Describe your blog in just one sentence. And Social Media details so we can connect more online.
Book Musings is a repository for book reviews, reflections and other random-ish ramblings of a fledgling writer (and some friends) who is attempting to consistently improve on quality, consistency, and originality.
Twitter: @bookmusings
Facebook: bookmusingstalk
Pinterest: gech84
3. What was your favorite book read last year? What’s your favorite book so far this year?
2013 Favourite:
Looking back at last year’s reading I find it difficult to make a resounding choice. I read a bunch of memoirs about the FLDS cult such as Escape by Carolyn Jessop which left me so shocked that I felt compelled to keep reading book after book on the subject.
However, let me go with The Forgotten Garden as my favourite book from 2013. This was the first book that I read by Kate Morton, and it hooked me. I continued on to The House at Riverton and The Distant Hours. The Secret Keeper is currently waiting on my bookshelf to be cracked open when my reading schedule will permit it.
2014 Favourite so far:
I have actually read many very good books this year, but there is one that I have to add to my all time favourite list. An Untamed State by Roxane Gay is absolutely breathtaking. Staggering. Terrifying. Hauntingly beautiful. I could go on for a long while. In fact I did here. READ THIS BOOK!
4. Favourite blogs, bloggers and the like.
LOVE Books on the Nightstand! If you haven’t checked out their podcast and blog, you must! They are great for book recommendations.
If you frequent BookTube at all, which I recently discovered has the power to advance the time into the wee hours of the morning before I notice and resolve to get to bed, you should check out The Book Junkie.
Being pretty new to the book blog world, I don’t have a huge list of frequented blogs, but a few I do enjoy are: Love at First Book, The Avid Reader, The Book Wheel, MisplacedTalent2, Daily (w)rite, and of course The Daily Post. I hope to get to know a lot more!!
5. If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 3 books would you bring? Why? What 3 non-book items would you bring? Why?
So hard to choose!!
Books:
- The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton- finally will have the time to read it!
- How to Not Calm a Child on a Plane by Johanna Stein- because it is freaking hilarious and will keep me in stitches.
- The Bible- This one can keep me busy for the rest of my life.
Not Books:
- Unlimited supply of cute bathing suits
- Sun Screen
- Tool to break into the unending supply of coconuts and pineapples conveniently found on the island
Picture this.
Lying on the white sand beach, light breeze coming in from the water, waves crashing at the shoreline. Slathered in sunblock, sipping some coconut/pineapple drink, reading a great book.
Every day. Heaven!
And if anybody every comes looking: a fresh bikini, tanned skin and a hospitable fruit offering.
Thanks for reading. Enjoy the Armchair BEA!
Design by Nina of Nina Reads
Book Musings 
Let me just say, welcome to blogging and I hope you have an Awesome Armchair BEA! I am a bit of a writer myself. I look forward to getting to know you better over the next week!
Lisa @Just Another Rabid Reader
Likewise Lisa! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
I haven’t read anything by Kate Morton as yet, but one day I must, she gets lots of great mentions around the blogosphere.
Enjoy Armchair BEA.
Thank you, it does seem like she is quite well known doesn’t it.
ABEA is a pretty good substitute for not going to the BEA, but i would still rather be there in person. Have a good week.
There is always next year… My fingers are crossed for us!
Hi Gillian, good to ‘meet’ you via BEA. I like your comment about the tool you’d need on a desert island. My must have would be a boat to get me off the island as fast as possible.
Very good idea… Plus, boating is awesome!!
Welcome to blogging. I love your description of the beach. And how wonderful that there was a hidden stash of an coconuts/pineapple juice. I’m new to the ArmchairBEA. I’m a historical fiction author who mainly writes books that are set in Ohio.
Great to meet you Alison.
I like to make up extra rules here and there, think outside the box a little. 🙂
Hi Gillian! I loved The Forgotten Garden as well – must take a look at her other books. I love that your deserted island has an unlimited supply of coconuts and pineapples! xD Have a great week 🙂
I thought maybe her other work wouldn’t be as good, but the Distant Hours turned out to be almost as exciting. House at Riverton wasn’t quite as enthralling.
You are a newbie, but your blog doesn’t reflect that. Good luck with all your book-ish plans for the future with your blog.
So happy to have met you here and welcome to Armchair BEA!
Thank you for the compliment. I have put a lot of time and effort into it and I am happy with the journey. 🙂
I don’t know that anything involving a beach would be heaven in my world– all that sand getting in my books! Good idea about the sun screen, though. I read middle grade, so I’m not familiar with the books you mentioned. That’s what is great about Armchair BEA– meeting new books and new people!
Agreed! I am excited to meet tons of book blogging people too!
Welcome to blogging!! I really need to check out An Untamed State – you did a great job of selling it!! 😉
SO GOOD! 😀
I’m reading An Untamed State now and my heart breaks at every page. So good but so difficult to get through.
Absolutely. I cried during every chapter for most of part 2.
Great intro! I finally got around to reading The Secret Keeper earlier this year and thought it was fascinating. Hehe, I also chose sunscreen for one of the items to bring to a deserted island–it’s important to protect yourself!
Day 1 @ on my blog
Glad to hear a good word about the Secret Keeper!
Also, I would be a complete fried lobster without the SPF 30+ 🙂
Visiting your blog via ABEA; my YA mystery / thriller, FERAL, will release in August with HarperTeen.
Obviously, cute bathing suits are a necessity. Nice to tweet you!
I fell in love with Kate Morton’s books when I read The Forgotten Garden! I still need to read The Secret Keeper as well 🙂
Hey Mel! Thanks for visiting. 🙂 If I get to It in the reasonably near future I will let you know how it is.
My go-to book is The Bible as well. 🙂 Great to meet you!