Deborah, blogger extraordinaire at Books, Movies, Chinese Food stepped in as an emergency interview partner for me even though we already know each other really well! (my goal was to match up people that don't really know each other that well!)
She asked me some awesome questions and I'm not quite as clever so I asked her the standard fare.
Why blog about books?
As opposed to a blog about chicken sandwiches? Well I love books. I've loved books since I was 2 years old. Books are pretty much my life. I started my blog back in 2006 because I was reading all these books and the only people I really could talk about the books to was my family (and they were getting pretty bored with it) and the occasional people from the church library (but they were mostly old ladies and didn't like Ted Dekker). So I had seen some book blogs online and I thought, well why not? I'll be able to share with other people all over the world about the books I like and maybe someone will find my review interesting and go out and buy the book. I had no idea that I would be blogging for 3 years and discover all the wonders of book blogging.
I think we all want to know the answer to this one...Why don't I see more recipes for Chinese food on your site?
well the truth is...i don't really cook chinese food. I call take out. I can cook a few things, but that is mostly from getting the recipes off the internet. my mom didn't really like to cook herself so she only knows a few recipes from HER mom. i can tell you how to cook rice. get a rice cooker. 2 cups of water to every cup of rice (if it's a half a cup of rice, 1 cup of water) and press the cook key. simple as that. The Chinese Food in my blog, I just used as a play on my ethnicity and the fact that I really do enjoy books, movies and chinese food and could be satisfied if that was the only things i had in my life.
Why read Christian fiction?
Just wanted to start off by saying, I don't ONLY read Christian fiction. I'm a huge fan of general chick lit and YA. Now as to why I read Christian fiction, well I guess it would probably be because I just enjoy it. I like reading books that don't have harsh language or gratitous sex in them. There are some REALLY good Christian fiction authors out there whose writing rivals those in the general field. Now I'm not saying I read or endorse ALL Christian fiction. As I've stated before on my blog, I don't like preachy Christian fiction nor do I like books where the characters are unrealistic because they are uber christians. I like Christian fiction that has a good story and where the characters are real and flawed. I like Edgy fiction because I enjoy seeing Christian fiction push the edge and go in places where most Christian fiction won't go. Every now and then I do enjoy reading Amish or the prairie romances but even then I prefer the ones that aren't just romances and flowers. I know the genre is not everyone's cup of tea but if you are ever in the mood to pick up one and you don't know where to start, email me! I can give you recommendation of where to start.
Who are some bloggers who inspire you?
The first blog I ever read was Camy Tang's blog. Her blog is what started me to write my own blog. Also Rel from Relz Reviews, Swapna from S.Krishna's books, Natasha from Maw's Books Blog and my friend Amy from My Friend Amy. Oh wait that's you!!!
What's the best book you've read so far in 2009?
You of all people know better than to ask me this question and then expect me to answer with just one book!! Can I give 5? I mean as of today i've read 334 books in 2009, it's hard to pick just one!
1. Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo
2.Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita
3.Play it Again SAHM by Meredith Efken
4.The Knight by Steven James
5.Fools Rush in by Janice Thompson
You recently got married...what has surprised you about married life?
I could write a book on this. Warning to all single girls who are pouting because they're not married yet. It's not all roses and candy. I think the hardest thing is getting used to the fact that you have to get used to someone else and their way of life. I grew up in a family with 3 girls so we are used to yelling all the time when we want to be heard. My husband had just one brother, and they don't yell. Just that alone is hard to get used to. We also have trouble remembering to clean up the kitchen after one cooks.... But I really can't complain because my husband is cool with my ever growing book collection (he even opens the packages for me when I am out of town so I can find out what they are) and even helped me to build my bookcase.
How do you want LOST to end?
This is the worst situation ever. I don't want it to end, but I want to know all the answers. This is the best show that's ever come on TV and I am devasted that this is the last season (what on earth am i going to do on wed nights after this??) The funny part is the only reason why I started watching the show was because Dominic Monaghan was on it and I had a crush on him from LOTR. I had no idea that I would get hooked. Anywho back to the question, I know I dont want Penny or Desmond to die. Can Kate die? I don't like her. I want Sawyer and Juliet to somehow get back together. I want Jack to stop breathing hard and be happy. Please don't like Jin and Sun die or be separated. As long as they answer all the questions we've had over the years, I will be happy. Oh and don't do a spinoff. It would do the series injustice if they did.
What's been the most exciting thing that has happened to you since you've started blogging?
I'm breaking rules again as several things stick out. One is getting to meet all these other fabulous bloggers. Honestly it's so awesome about how great the blogging community is and the fact that I'm actually able to meet these people face to face. I'm so excited about the National Book Festival later this month because I finally get to meet you!!! Probably though the most exciting thing was that my name and blog got published as endorsements in 4 books. I was so incredibly geeked and floored that forever in history of the printed page my name is enshrined forever for all to see. That sounds a bit dramatic but that's how i felt! Oh and also of coolness was when I went to meet some authors at a book signing, after telling my name and my blog, they recognized ME because they had visited my blog! to quote the guy from the magic bullet ads "How cool is that?"
Don't you just love her? I do! I get to meet her next week!!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Interview with the fabulous Deborah of Books, Movies, and Chinese Food!
Posted by Amy at 10:19 PM
Labels: BBAW, Blogger Interview
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24 comments:
Oh cool. Someone else who reads Christian lit. hmmm it sure is nice because you don't have to skip page after page of the pa-rump-pa-pum-pum like in other books.
Congrats on the marriage and best of luck.
What a fun interview despite the lack of cool photos found over at Deborah's! :)
Chicken sandwich blog? I bet you could find the niche for it. And thanks for the shout-out. Very thoughtful and nice.
I love all the exciting things that have happened since you started blogging, Deborah! Christopher Meeks quoted me in one of his books and I practically died of excitement, so congratulations on four!!
Also, living with a man is hard! I'm glad you're sharing that truth with the world, LOL.
What a great personality! She probably could make a chicken sandwich blog interesting. I'm also impressed that she has been around as long as she has. Not nearly as many people were blogging back then...she is a pioneer! A really great interview!
Another Lost fan! I agree with her Lost ending. That's what I want too.
I loved that interview - it was great. I'm definitely going to vist her blog now. :-D
I started watching Lost because of Dominic Monaghan too hehe. But I stopped after the 2nd series finale - I didn't realise it was still going on. I'm going to have to get back into it. :-D
Yes, I do love Deborah and feel like I know her from Twitter, but now I know her even better! I picked up a book at BEA simply because it had a blurb from her in it.
On behalf of my fellow chicken sandwich bloggers I am now boycotting book blogs :)
Thanks for sharing a nice interview about beatccr. You asked the million dollar question: why not more entries about Chinese Food. Now I know!
Amy, What a great intereview, and a new to me blog as well; thanks so much
Sob!!!! I wish I could got to DC. You two are a hoot. Deborah: Amy is as awesome in person as she is online. You'll have a blast.
I love the rice recipe – that’s MY kind of cooking! And she’s a LOST fan who likes Sawyer and Juliet together?! YAY!
Hey, since the two of you will be at the DC Book Fest, any chance you can come to the Baltimore Book Fest the Friday night before? I’d love to meet you both!
I cook my rice the same way! Can't cook anything else that's Asian, but I've got a handle on the rice.
I absolutely love Deborah's blog, and visit it several times each week. This interview was great! :o)
Chicken sandwiches might be a tough blogging subject...
I prefer the realistic & edgy Christian fiction. Sometimes I think that genre is too restrictive. I mean really, no one led a pure life before being saved - and many don't afterwards!
BTW - I'm all for the take out as well!
L. Diane Wolfe “Spunk On A Stick”
www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
I have to agree... a chicken sandwich blog can only go so far. And Chinese food that's homecooked or ordered both taste good.
(Psst! Amy! The link to Deborah's blog is broken. You misspelled "Chinese" in the URL. Don't worry -- it happens to the best of us.)
Thanks for sharing this interview. It is always fun to hear why people started blogging and what they are getting out of it.
Fantastic Interview.
I love reading these interviews, and am glad to see you got to do it, too!
Great interview - I hear ya' on the adjusting to living with a guy thing. How come nobody told me that guys are gross?? =)
Hope you to have fun in real life - can't wait to see pictures.
"I want Jack to stop breathing hard" - LOLOLOL!!!!! Thanks for the shout out, Deborah! This was a great interview.
I started watching LOST for the same reason!
I'm off to look up those books on GoodReads and most likely add more than one of them to my wishlist.
Sounds like you two will have a great time in DC!
Very fun interview, as was Deborah's interview of you over on BMCF!
The District will not know what hit when the book bloggers descend next weekend :)
The LOST question rules!
But agree it's so sad that it's the last season. :(
At least we have Flash Forward (which starts this week by the way). Hopefully that's going to be a good buffer.
Great interview ladies!
On a whim (and dare I admit such a thing?) I googled my name and found a link to here. First, it's great to hear that Meghan appreciated the blurb of her review in the front of my new book, "The Brightest Moon of the Century." A huge truth I learned as an author is that what I say about my book doesn't matter. Even writing here. It's you who review that matters.
I found this in a huge way two weeks ago, about a month after my two short story collections, "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea" and "Months and Seasons" were made available for the Kindle. (Does anyone here have a Kindle?) Suddenly, by books had a HUGE sales spike to the point the first book was #3 on the Kindle for short story collections behind Jumpa Lahiri's "Unaccustomed Earth." I had no understanding of why.
Then a friend sent me a link four days later, this one: http://www.amazon.com/tag/kindle/forum/ref=cm_cd_ef_tft_tp?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSESG&cdThread=Tx8ANGR0RGQKXC&displayType=tagsDetail
It goes to an Amazon forum where someone had written spontaneously about my writing, and others wrote in enthusiastically, and the sales took off. Selling my books for $1.95 there helps, too, but then there are no printing costs.
The bigger point is that it takes a community to make a book, and I thank anyone here who's read and reviewed or talked about my books.
I also had to laugh, Amy, at your thoughts about being married. Sometimes I can see my wife has the look in her face that "It's hard." Still, we're a good team. May you find it easier as the years go along. Kids don't make it easier, by the way. Much tougher. But relationships are what my stories are about, so I find it all fascinating.
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