{ ++ } Each week, Rachel features one lucky blogger and her feature is Bonnie at Hands and Home. Alison also features a blogger, and hers is Me, My Shelf, and I. Everyone please head on over to those blogs, follow, and show them some love! It's a huge honor (I think!) to be featured.
Q. Talk about the book that most changed or influenced your life (was it a book that turned you from an average to avid reader, did it help you deal with a particularly difficult situation, does it bring you comfort every time you read it?)
{ ++ } What a great question! There have been several books over the years that launched my love of reading into a new genre, or ramped it up to a fever pitch. Some authors, whether they will ever know it or not, have deeply changed the way I read books, or thought about my own writing style, and inspired me to dig deeper for my own creativity.
Books/series that totally swept me off my feet as a pre-teen: Sweet Valley High (and later, University and Senior Year), The Baby-Sitter's Club, and R.L. Stine's Fear Street series.
Later in life: V.C. Andrews. Patrick Rothfuss. Beverly Lewis. Janette Oke. J.R. Ward. J.K. Rowling.
And the the authors that, with their books and their writing, literally changed something about me, the way I read books, and the wy I think about good books: Jodi Picoult. Robert Jordan. Anne Bishop. (I can pick up Bishop's Black Jewels trilogy, and I'm home. I start crying at the touching parts. I laugh and laugh at the hilarious parts. It's a little cheesy at times, but it made sense to me. The alpha males were fucking awesome. They bled over a little into my writing - I've since learned how to write kick-ass alpha males. And I adored the relationships and the plot. The trilogy will forever hold a special place in my heart.)
{ ++ } What about y'all?
{ ++ } Hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books, what better way to allow us book bloggers to mix and mingle than a bit of a reading-related social? Every week she hosts this event, where we can throw our names in the hat so to speak, and hopefully end up with a few new friends who share our interests and our love (and in my case, obsession) of books. It's also a party and it's all in fun!
Q: What is the one ARC you would love to get your hands on right now?
{ ++ } Just one? Oh alright! Probably Kelley Armstrong's The Calling...because um, hello, cliffhanger much?! I so need to know what happens to these characters! Um, wait, can I change my answer? Maybe the third (untitled) book in Pat Rothfuss's The Kingkiller Chronicles trilogy. BECAUSE UM. KVOTHE. AND GAH. I HAVE to know how it all ends.
{ ++ } I want to wish everyone a VERY awesome weekend. I also want to say a big, happy hello to my new followers. I am off to do some hoppin' and hopefully will see a few familiar and a few new faces around here soon. : ) Peace out.