Wow - two years! That's pretty crazy! I've met a lot of really wonderful bloggers and readers in the past two years and have learned that I'm not the only crazy person who likes to read about things that go bump in the night...and in your bed! I've also met some really cool authors. Some were new favorites who were so down to Earth and others were such big authors to me that I was left star struck!
To celebrate my second blogoversary I thought I'd switch things up a bit. All this week I will be the one interviewed!
I've asked some of my favorite authors and bloggers to pick my brain and boy did they come up with some interesting questions! Some went the serious route and threw one big question at me, while others wanted to know a series of things about my reading life. Others still - and you know who you are - took a bit of a less serious route.
Here's the schedule for the week:
Mon. 7/29
Author Jenn Bennett
Giveaway: one book in the Arcadia Bell series
(US/CAN)
Tues. 7/30
Blogger Jennifer @ The Book Nympho
Giveaway: Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep
(US/CAN)
Wed. 7/31
Author Darynda Jones
Giveaway: First Grave on the Right
(US/CAN)
Thur. 8/1
Blogger Jenese @ Readers Confession
Giveaway: Biting Bad by Chloe Neill
(US/CAN)
Fri. 8/2
Author Stacey Jay
Giveaway: Ebook copy Of Beast and Beauty
(INT)
Sat. 8/3
Blogger Laura @ Little Read Riding Hood
Giveaway: Undead and Underwater & Undead and Unsure by Mary Janice Davidson
(US/CAN)
On to day three! Today, Darynda Jones, author of the paranormal/romance/mystery series Charley Davidson is here to pick my brain a little. Find Darynda's questions and my responses below!
Alright, Christen, are you ready?
These are going to be SUPER hard!
*You have a great site! How did you decide to start a blog for reviews and did you design the site yourself?*
First of all, thank you for the compliment! I started honing in on the paranormal genre and fell in love. When I joined Goodreads I discovered that there was this huge book blogging community and I starting visiting all these great blogs and making some friends through Goodreads. I just kind of made the decision one day that I wanted a blog for myself - somewhere to share my thoughts on books that would get more views than just Goodreads. Goldilox was a nickname I'd had since elementary school so it seemed like the perfect name and I played around with lots of different names before coming up with Goldilox and the Three Weres. When I did, it was like, DUH! I contacted one of the friends I'd made through Goodreads, Mariya from Mystifying Paranormal Reviews and she literally made a header that was exactly what I had had in my brain! And the blog was born!
*What do you think it is about paranormal and fantasy that fascinate you so much?*
I started noticing that the books that I gravitated to had some sort of paranormal, science fiction, or fantasy element to them (Harry Potter, The Time Traveler's Wife, etc.) so I started to search out more books like that. I discovered the Twilight series and then the Sookie Stackhouse series and realized that what I loved was a whole genre! I think its that something extra. Its not just a love story.....its a love story where the characters have to overcome bizarre other worldly problems. Its not just a murder mystery.....its a murder where the suspects are crazy paranormal creatures. The paranormal/fantasy element gives a regular story something special and exiting.
*Do you like adult or young adult speculative fiction best?*
I really love them both equally. After reading the Twilight series I really didn't read any YA for a long time. When I started the blog I didn't even review YA books for like six months! That's so funny now because I'd say I read and review adult and YA 50/50. If I HAD to pick one I'd say adult urban fantasy is my absolute favorite.
*How many books a month do you receive for reviews? And, considering you are a full-time teacher (teachers rock!), how many books a month do you read?*
YES! Teachers DO rock - thank you for noticing that!!! It really depends on the month. Some times of the year are busier for book releases than others. For this July I've received 8 print books for review and 6 ebooks for review. Most are Fall releases. This was a really busy month though. Sometimes I don't receive anything all month and usually when I get a ton for review its more ebooks than print (Netgalley and Edelweiss are like a drug we book bloggers can't quit). Most of those were books I'd requested but some of them were random books I received because the publishers send books similar to books I've reviewed in the past. I often get great books that I'll never get to read because they're in the middle of a series I haven't even started yet and just don't have time to read. Sometimes I get nice surprises in the mail though! I can read anywhere from 1 to 4 books a week, depending on what's going on that week in my real life and how busy I am. Sometimes 1 book takes me an entire week to finish and other times I read an entire book on Saturday, an entire book on Sunday, and two more during the weekdays. Its hard to balance books for review with books in series I just want to read. That's very difficult. I think we all wish we could read more older series but those don't have due dates and review books do.
*What do you think attracts you more - character driven or plot driven stories? Why?*
Oh, this is easy - character driven all the way. I even find in my reviews that I often talk a lot about the characters more than anything else - how well they were developed, their relationships with each other, where I hope their story lines go in future books, etc. I have put down and not finished books that were strictly plot driven before because its just not my cup of tea. For me the characters are everything.
*What do you do if you really dislike a book but really like the author?*
Ugh.....cry.....weep.....Seriously, that's incredibly difficult. There are a lot of authors I ADORE and some I've even built pseudo-friendships with through Twitter and Facebook or at conventions. Its extremely difficult to read one of those author's latest releases and just totally not vibe with it. It's honestly one of the hardest things as a book blogger - to write a negative review about a book by an author you love. Sometimes its the latest in a series but often its a new or second series by the author that I'm just starting. I try to review it honestly and make sure I'm true to myself when reviewing the book, but do it in a respectful manner. Sometimes the book just has elements that push my buttons and its a personal thing. Sometimes I'm just underwhelmed. I can't just give every book by an author I like 5 stars no matter what, no one would trust my reviews anymore if people started noticing that I did that! I have to find a balance between honesty and politeness. I try to focus on the book and why it didn't work for me, and not focus on the author behind the book. That's really true with any review actually.
*Where is your favorite place to read?*
I usually read laying on my sofa with my dog sleeping on my head. Or laying in my bed with my dog on my head. Do you see the pattern?
*Do you have a favorite author and/or series?*
I have several - of course!!! Downside Ghosts by Stacia Kane and the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning are my all time favorites. Cat and Bones, Vampire Academy, Aracdia Bell, pretty much everything Jennifer L. Armentrout writes, Shadow Reader, Kate Daniels.....I could go on and on! The Charley Davidson series is also one of my all time favorites - I'm not just sucking up, I swear! Ever since book three I've been obsessed with the series!
*What book/series would you most like to be made into a movie?*
A lot of my favorites are actually being made into movies now, which is really weird and great at the same time. I think the Cat and Bones books would be super fun as a series on a channel like HBO or Showtime. I also think The Infernal Devices should be made into movies since they are making The Mortal Instruments into movies now. I think TID series would be even better than TMI as movies with the love triangle and the setting and all the glorious steampunk-y elements!
*What was the last amazing book you read?*
The most recent 5 star review from me was Heart of Iron by Bec McMaster. I absolutely freaking adore those books (add that to my list of favorite series above!) and can't wait to read the third one, which is actually one of those review books I received this month!
*Whew! You did it. This was super fun!*
I DID do it! Thank you, Darynda, for taking the time to come up with those questions for me! I know you had way too much fun turning the tables on the blogger!
And check out the Charley Davidson series!
Enter to win a copy of FIRST GRADE ON THE RIGHT, the first in the Charley Davidson series!
US/CAN only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
