Today’s fLiP iT fRiDaY features the adorable Korianne from Korianne Speaks, @koriannespeaks on Twitter.

Describe a typical day in your life.

I wake up, make myself some oatmeal or Kix with milk. If it’s a Tuesday or Thursday I go to school at noon and get back home at around 3:30 or 4. If not I pretty much do all the daily tasks of cleaning, doing wash, and in general organizing of the house. I eat lunch at about 1. Usually some sort of veggie burger or Spaghetti O’s, but I eat a lot of different foods. Then I catch up on a bit of reading. At about 5 I go and get my mail and do my daily walk around the block. I occasionally go jump on my trampoline. Then I get my time with Cecilia, my computer. I am pretty much glued to my computer until about 2 am, unless of course one of my favorite shows is on TV. I hop into bed at about 2:30 after a quick shower and the getting ready for bed rituals (brushing teeth, putting on PJ’s, etc.). Then I curl up again with my book and read until I am half dead. I wake up the next morning and do it all over again.

What is your favorite YA book and why? Or, which YA book has had the most profound effect on you and why?

Same Difference by Siobhan Vivian. It really tapped into some of my feelings about breaking free from my suburban town. It taught me that it’s totally okay to just be yourself. I had learned that lesson before of course, but it really drove it home and helped me to realize that you don’t have to conquer the world in one day.

You know, I really need to check this book out. I loved Siobhan’s A Little Friendly Advice, and she read from Same Difference at the NYPL last summer and I wanted to get it then, too, but it wasn’t out yet. Adding to bookstore shopping list now!

What are 5 of your favorite things?

1. Twitter – I am an addict! Probably one of my biggest Internet distractions.
2. Julia Nunes music – Her voice is gorgeous and her original song lyrics are intelligent and heartfelt. I can not say enough good things about Julia.
3. The word Lovely – I say it far to much! I really want this shirt on Threadless that says Lovely on it, because is sorta my trademark.
4. My kitty Keagan – I live with 5 cats, and I would love to say that I love them all equally, but Keagan is too adorable! She’s just like a newborn baby. She lets me carry her around the house and curls up next to me at night.
5. Books – I am a book blogger so of course books are one of my favorite things. But honestly I am incredibly attached to my books. Even to the point where I am sort of greedy (totally not my typical personality). I have only recently been able to loan out my books and I make the borrowers promise they won’t damage them. I also have only been loaning out to other book bloggers, because I know they love books as much as me and will treat them with respect.

OMG I’m the same way with books. It pains me when I get them back all dog-eared and crack-spined. That’s even worse then never getting them back at all! Ack! And thanks for the Julia recommendation. I just subscribed to her YouTube videos. Very cool music!

How long have you been blogging, and how did you get your book blogging start?

I have been blogging since December 2008, so not very long, but I am already very, very passionate about it. I started a book blog after finding a few book blogs on Bookmooch and following them for about 6 months. I decided that I was missing out on all the fun by not having a blog of my own and by not being able to comment.

Are you planning any upcoming new features or special content on your book blog and/or is there anything specific you want potential new visitors to know about your blog?

I currently do my “Just Another Manic Monday” feature and “To Be Read Tuesday,” along with “In My Mailbox” (a feature started by The Story Siren) on Sunday, so I am pretty set on features. However since I participated in BEDA (Blog Every Day April) this April I think I won’t rule out the idea of a new feature soon. I am also working on some new changes to my layout with tabs for my features and reviews which I am pretty excited about.

In addition to blogging, what other creative pursuits do you enjoy?

I love all things artsy! I am an avid crafter and if it can be handmade I can probably make it. I especially enjoy working with paper such as making greeting cards, scrapbooking pages, and bookmarks. I also love to sew. I make a lot of purses. As far as photography goes I love to take photos but I am not a pro. I am however sort of a pro at photoshop so I can make all my crappy photos look superb. I write a bit in a journal that has story ideas and I am in the beginning stages of writing a novel, but I do not consider myself a writer really, I just do it for my own enjoyment and to let off steam. I have no musical abilities at all, but before I die I hope to learn how to play the piano or the guitar.

You love books. You love making stuff like purses. Korianne, this link is for you!

What do you want to be when you “grow up”?

I have joked recently that I want to grow up to be Maureen Johnson, but if I had to go with my realistic goals I would say I want to be a librarian. I am currently in college working on my general studies and I am still a bit confused with what I want to go into before I get my Masters to become a school librarian, but I do know that I want to do something with books and kids. I also would love to be a mother and wife when I get older. I love kids and hope to have a few of my own and also adopt.

What are 3 things you’d like to do or accomplish in your lifetime?

I recently had a class assignment about 50 things I want to do before I die. It really got me thinking. Sure there were a few ideas I wanted to accomplish before I died, but I had never really wrote them down. Narrowing them down to 50 was super hard! I didn’t realize how many things I wanted to do! Funny thing is, after I wrote them down I was more motivated to do them. I have done 4 of the things on my list and I am working on one more! But there is still so much more I want to do. The 3 that are pressing on my mind the most at the moment are:

1. Open my own handmade shop (on etsy or even at a physical store)
2. Take an unplanned road trip.
3. Stop biting my nails

That’s awesome!

*Wants to visit the Korianne Boutique*

Tell us something that people who know you in real life would be surprised to learn about you.

Hmm. This one is a tough one. Recently I became a vegetarian, and I think people I went to high school with would be really surprised to hear that. But people who are in my life right now, well they might be surprised to hear that people actually read my blogs! Mom and my family don’t really understand the blog world, I think they think it is something I do that no one reads. However 130+ followers and lots and lots of comments tell me differently!

You’re a vegetarian? Yay! Together we will unite against the evil, cow-killing author, Josh Berk. Yeah, Berk… hear that! We’re coming for you! Mwahahah….

Now, it’s time for Apocalypse Mad Libs!

If I ever had to face an attack of rabid killer hamsters I’d want Maureen Johnson on my side, because because she knows how to tame hamsters. Even if the hamsters mauled me, I would still be entertained by her in my last moments on earth. I would request that she tell me what really happens to Ginny and Keith in “the sequel” to 13 Little Blue Envelopes and show me a bit of her trapeze act.

If she wasn’t available, I’d take Edward from the book the Twilight Saga, because even though I am shamed to admit it his eye candy and dramatically unrealistic phrases would calm me. I mean it’s my last day on earth, why not be fangirly!

In any case, if I only had 1 day to live before the end of the world, I’d eat fried okra with Lipton raspberry white tea and then I’d tell everyone, “Be sure to let my friends who I live in my computer know that they didn’t forget to be awesome, and they made my life. I will miss you all, watch out for the hamsters.”

Come on, now, K. Edward is not just eye candy. In the unfortunate situation of killer hamsters, he could eat them, thus killing the killers and quenching his thirst for blood, leaving him free to love you and boss you around. 🙂

Thanks for stopping by fLiP iT fRiDaY, Korianne! Check out more of Korianne’s adorableness at from Korianne Speaks or on Twitter at @koriannespeaks.

fLiP iT fRiDaY is a weekly feature at SarahOckler.com showcasing the fabulous YA book bloggers and reviewers who share young adult fiction with the world and inspire raves, rants, intelligent discourse, and a whole bunch of book-lovin’ among readers everywhere. If you’d like to be featured on fLiP iT fRiDaY, contact me!

Today on fLiP iT fRiDaY, we welcome our awesome Aussie friend, Adele from Persnickety Snark, @snarkywench on Twitter.

I was secretly hoping Adele would answer these questions in video so you could see how cute she is with that accent, but I guess you’ll just have to trust me and just imagine its loveliness on your own. 🙂

Describe a typical day in your life.

I captain a group of grade eight student’s towards the righteousness of the written word, the delights of our past and the frustrations of technology. (AKA I am the teacher of grade eight English, History and IT). My typical day is rushing around school corridors, waving my arms around in front of a whiteboard, telling boys to keep their feet off their chairs, drinking copious amounts of Diet Coke and then getting home to mark my student’s work, then read and review while managing my whole twitter addiction.

English, History, and IT? That’s quite a combo!

What is your favorite YA book and why? Or, which YA book has had the most profound effect on you and why?

My favourite would have to be Melina Marchetta’s Jellicoe Road. For fourteen years I was crushing madly on her debut work, Looking for Alibrandi, but I have switched alliances. It’s authentically Australian, beautifully characterised and a challenging but ultimately rewarding read (and now a Printz recipient).

OMG I *love* Jellicoe Road. Its my favorite YA book, too. I love it so much that I picked up her other books at ALA — Saving Francesca and Looking for Alibrandi. She was signing them and told me (after I was a complete fangirl, of course) that if I liked Jellicoe, I’d love Alibrandi. Can’t wait to read it. Everyone, go read Marchetta’s books. Like, right now, if you haven’t. You’ll love them. See? Fangirling again!

What are 5 of your favorite things?

1. Diet Coke – ambrosia of the Book Gods
2. The smell of damp grass
3. Friday Night Lights DVDs
4. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
5. Swirly dresses (you know the ones that you can get good spin factor in?)

I, too, love me some Reese’s PBCs. Halloween is coming here in the states, you know. And the only reason the kids get the good stuff (i.e. Reese’s PBCs) is so that I can eat the leftovers. One for you, two for me and all. Don’t tell my husband.

How long have you been blogging, and how did you get your book blogging start?

I stumbled across a couple of YA review blogs in late December and started my own the next month (January 9th, 2009). Ten months in and I cannot believe all the friendships I have made, the characters I have come to know (and love) or the experiences that have burgeoned because of this little thing called blogging.

Agreed. Thank God Al Gore invented the Internets! 🙂

Are you planning any upcoming new features or special content on your book blog and/or is there anything specific you want potential new visitors to know about your blog?

I have never thought my reviews are particularly special but I have found that people enjoy the constructiveness I try to convey. I still give a blanket grade (check out the system, your brain might collapse) but I like to be fair in my approach. I think my blog is a little different as I am presenting the amazing literature coming out of Australia and giving a voice to many authors that don’t get much media exposure. I have Author’s Spotlights frequently that feature an author’s thoughts on reading, an interview on their most current work and occasionally a guest blog.

I am definitely enjoying writing discussion posts the most and I think people like the subjects that I have covered so far. My Bad Boys discussion went down a treat but mention Logan Echols and the girls will come a-running. I am not much of a contest girl so I am trying to engage people with fun discussions and honest reviews.

Bad boys? Well, since you asked… my fave is hands down Jonah Griggs in Jellicoe Road. Really. Is there any contest? No. I don’t even know who this Logan boy is. There is only Jonah. And maybe Edward. But anyway…

In addition to blogging, what other creative pursuits do you enjoy?

I have been dithering with the notion of writing. I signed up for NaNoWriMo this year so that should be an educational month. I have many ideas floating around in my head but am not sure if that will translate to the page. Until recently I was a podcaster (PSnark took up too much time), I hosted a show that revolved around the FOX TV show Fringe. We got around 1200 listeners a week and was enormously fun. The listeners were beyond lovely but it proved to be too time consuming in the end. I also like weeding, not gardening just weeding. There’s something incredibly cathartic in pulling something out of the ground.

Yay, another NaNo victim! I look forward to procrastinating online with you. I mean, encouraging one another to finish a novel in 30 days.

What do you want to be when you “grow up”?

I have already grown up and achieved my goal of becoming a teacher. However, I did envision myself as Jo March, holed up in an attic with a weird hat, writing passionately for awhile. That still sounds good but, as Jo, I would definitely ensure that I ended up with Laurie (Professor Baer – shudders) and that my sister would live 😛

I would like to finish a good manuscript. Not necessarily to publish as the chances of that are monumentally slim but to have that sense of accomplishment in writing a book, even if it’s only for you.

What are 3 things you’d like to do or accomplish in your lifetime?

1. Find my tall, dark and dorky – or marry Ryan Gosling.
2. Travel and meet new people.
3. Continue to write for joy – whether blogging, journalling or creatively.

Continue to write for joy — I love that. It’s easy to lose sight of that core reason. Thanks for the reminder.

Tell us something that people who know you in real life would be surprised to learn about you.

I am beyond clumsy. It has been suggested that I seriously look into permanent bubble wrap or getting a seeing eye dog. And no I am not exaggerating, the bruises attest to my inability to walk straight and stay upright.

Hmmm… permanent bubble wrap sounds both fun and… impossible to sleep in.

Now, it’s time for Apocalypse Mad Libs!

If I ever had to face a clown apocalypse I’d want Beth Fantaskey on my side, because her random sense of humour and love of the bizarre would make the experience a little less terrifying.

If she wasn’t available, I’d take Jessica from the book Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, because because she’d belittle the scary clowns with fierce rhetoric and a well placed kick in the shins.

In any case, if I only had 1 day to live before the end of the world, I’d eat a big juicy steak and then I’d tell everyone, “Clowns are vegetarians….right?”

Thanks for the fLiP iT fRiDaY visit, Adele! I urge you all to visit Persnickety Snark and check it out Adele’s videos if you want to hear that accent! Follow her at @snarkywench on Twitter, too.

fLiP iT fRiDaY is a weekly feature at SarahOckler.com showcasing the fabulous YA book bloggers and reviewers who share young adult fiction with the world and inspire raves, rants, intelligent discourse, and a whole bunch of book-lovin’ among readers everywhere. If you’d like to be featured on fLiP iT fRiDaY, contact me!

It’s finally time for another (severely delinquent) fLiP iT fRiDaY! Today we’re taking a break from revisions to chat with Kayla from Midnight Twilight’s Book Blog.

Describe a typical day in your life.

Pretty much I go to school, and read every chance I get. Then I go to work at Barnes and Noble and find twenty more books I want to read!

Working in a bookstore is one of those secret dreams I harbor but will never pursue because it would be like when I was 16 and I worked in this huge grocery super store where we could cash our checks right there. I never made it out of the store with any money. Just lots of candy and hair products.

What is your favorite YA book and why? Or, which YA book has had the most profound effect on you and why?

My favorite book would have to be The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong. I love the supernatural books, and this one was written so well. But Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher has had the most profound effect on me since I have known people (not personally, but they were friends of my friends) who have committed suicide.

What are 5 of your favorite things?

1. Books
2. Friends
3. Food
4. Music
5. Money

How long have you been blogging, and how did you get your book blogging start?

May 4th was my blog’s one year anniversary! I got started because I read so many books I couldn’t remember what books I read and how much I liked them, the blog was a place for me to log my reviews and keep a list of the books I’ve read.

Are you planning any upcoming new features or special content on your book blog and/or is there anything specific you want potential new visitors to know about your blog?

Mostly my blog is just a place for me to store my reviews and recommend great books to other people. Plus with both my job and high school I don’t have that much time to devote to my blog. So, there are some interviews and contests, but mostly just reviews.

In addition to blogging, what other creative pursuits do you enjoy?

I love photography! I live in upstate New York so the landscape is always changing and there are so many beautiful places I can’t help but want to capture it on film.

Yay, a fellow upstate New Yorker and photographer! This is actually my favorite time of year in the northeast for photography. So many stunning colors and landscapes. That reminds me — I need to do a photo walk. Maybe I’ll bump into you!

What do you want to be when you “grow up”?

I really want to do something with the publishing of books, editing of books… reviewing of books (lol).

I’m sensing a theme here…

What are 3 things you’d like to do or accomplish in your lifetime?

1. I really want to travel the world. If I’ve been to at least three countries on every continent I think I’ll be happy!
2. Another would be to read every book on the official 1000 books to read before you die list.
3. And having at least one moment where I think there is no way things could get any better.

I love that so many book bloggers want to travel. We’re going to need an extra tour bus at this rate!

Tell us something that people who know you in real life would be surprised to learn about you.

That I read really slowly. I usually finish books pretty fast, but my reading speed is very slow. If I don’t read at the pace people usually speak nothing will make sense to me.

Now, it’s time for Apocalypse Mad Libs!

If I ever had to face The Hunger Games I’d want Meg Cabot on my side, because she kicks butt!

If she wasn’t available, I’d take Jess from the book 1-800-Where-R-You , because she sees missing children in her sleep, amazing to help me find the opponents.

In any case, if I only had 1 day to live before the end of the world, I’d eatan Ellio’s Pizza and then I’d tell everyone, “Free Pizz… AHHHHHHHH!”

Kayla, thanks for stopping by fLiP iT fRiDaY! Readers, don’t forget to check out Midnight Twilight’s Book Blog!

We’ll be back next week with another blogger on fLiP iT fRiDaY! If you’ve written recently about being featured, don’t worry, you’ll hear from me as soon as I exit the cave of revisions! 🙂

fLiP iT fRiDaY is a weekly feature at SarahOckler.com showcasing the fabulous YA book bloggers and reviewers who share young adult fiction with the world and inspire raves, rants, intelligent discourse, and a whole bunch of book-lovin’ among readers everywhere. If you’d like to be featured on fLiP iT fRiDaY, contact me!

Today on fLiP iT fRiDaY, we’re chatting with not one, but two Reader Rabbits from Reader Rabbit: A Book Site, @ReaderRabbit on Twitter.

Describe a typical day in your life.

The alarm rings. RR1 slaps “sleep.” Another alarm rings, from a few rooms over. RR2 does not turn it off. She remains asleep. And snores. RR1’s alarm goes off again. RR1 turns it off. RR2’s alarm continues to buzz. RR1 gets up, walks over and turns off RR2’s alarm. The two proceed to squabble. Then, in a rush, they compete for the bathroom where the winner brushes her teeth and gets ready for school. The loser stands at the door complaining at the unfairness of it all. Eventually, the two are ready. They grab something for breakfast and rush out the door in order to catch their respective rides to school. They spend the next 8 or so hours at school. Then, they bus home. When they get home, they sadly encounter each other again and more squabbles occur. Finally, the two proceed into their own rooms where they do their homework, read terrific books and sleep (sleep is at a premium in the RR household.)

“The loser stands at the door complaining at the unfairness of it all.” Ah, a true metaphor for life, huh? 😉

What is your favorite YA book and why? Or, which YA book has had the most profound effect on you and why?

RR1: I can’t really pick a favorite book but I will say that I recently read Fire by Kristin Cashore and it really had a profound effect on me. I used to be such a big fantasy reader but lately not many books for the genre have interested me. However. Fire didn’t just interest me, it captured me and really brought back my love for fantasy books!

RR2: The Book Thief.

I have Cashore’s Graceling on my shelf but haven’t read it yet. Need to get on it so I can pick up Fire!

What are 5 of your favorite things?

RR1: Books, chocolate, Tim Hortons, Money and Rain
RR2: Procrastinating. Being a rabbit of few …few words.

As a recent homecomer to Buffalo, NY, I too have become a fan of Timmy Hos! RR2… interesting for a blogger to be a rabbit of few words!

How long have you been blogging, and how did you get your book blogging start?

We’ve been blogging for around a year and half. We started randomly, since we didn’t have anything else to do and we thought that starting a book blog would be awesome. We got it started by making a blogger account and posting reviews!

Are you planning any upcoming new features or special content on your book blog and/or is there anything specific you want potential new visitors to know about your blog?

We recently finished a Canada Month feature but who knows, we may have something coming up!

And on a related note… be sure to check out Canadian YA debuts, Give Up The Ghost by Megan Crewe and Fairy Rebels: Knife by R.J. Anderson!

In addition to blogging, what other creative pursuits do you enjoy?

RR1: Unfortunately, school has sucked out everything creative about me. I do like to cook, and writing is fun but I don’t spend that much time doing those.

What do you want to be when you “grow up”?

RR1: I’d like to be a fairy. Seriously though…I have no idea. Which is pretty problematic.
RR2: Surgeon!

Hmmm. I’m thinking you two can combine your talents and open a fantasy-themed medical practice. I would *so* sign up for that!

What are 3 things you’d like to do or accomplish in your lifetime?

RR1: Travel around the world! (Especially Europe!), get a job that doesn’t suck and become fluent in a language other than English!
RR2: NOTHING! I HAVE NO ASPIRATIONS! I JUST WANT TO SLEEP AND ACT LIKE A SUPER ANGSTY TEENAGER!

Looks like RR1 is joining us on our international adventures! I think RR2 wants to stay home, though. We’ll send you a postcard, RR2! An angsty one!

Tell us something that people who know you in real life would be surprised to learn about you.

RR1: They’d be shocked to learn that I have a book blog. And that it isn’t a complete flop!
RR2: Likewise.

Further proof that book bloggers are not self-promoters. That’s why I’m telling all of you to go check out Reader Rabbit: A Book Site! Because they won’t tell you themselves! 🙂

Now, it’s time for Apocalypse Mad Libs!

If I ever had to face bloodthirsty zombies I’d want Justina Chen Headley on my side, because she’s super nice and resourceful!

If she wasn’t available, I’d take Jacob from the book North of Beautiful, because he has a unique way of looking at things which would distract me from my imminent death.

In any case, if I only had 1 day to live before the end of the world, I’d head over to the food court at the mall and eat everything that looked yummy, including lots of chocolate, and then I’d tell everyone, “There’s no chocolate left for you!”

Thanks for chatting with us on fLiP iT fRiDaY, Rabbits! Readers, hop on over to Reader Rabbit: A Book Site or check out @ReaderRabbit on Twitter.

fLiP iT fRiDaY is a weekly feature at SarahOckler.com showcasing the fabulous YA book bloggers and reviewers who share young adult fiction with the world and inspire raves, rants, intelligent discourse, and a whole bunch of book-lovin’ among readers everywhere. If you’d like to be featured on fLiP iT fRiDaY, contact me!

Today on fLiP iT fRiDaY, we’re chatting with Readingjunky, an 8th-grade teacher and book blogger. A teacher… hmm… I wonder if we’re supposed to call her Mrs. Readingjunky? 😉

Describe a typical day in your life.

Weekdays – Get up at 6:00 am (reluctantly since I’ve probably been reading much too late the night before). Get ready and head to school by 7:00 am. Teach 8th graders English, Careers, and hopefully to love reading until 3:00 pm. Try to be ambitious enough to call up my neighbor so we can walk. (The exertion-level of our walks usually depend on how much we have to gripe about.) Fix dinner, do a few chores, and then settle in for the evening to read. I do have a few favorite shows, but I try to convince my husband to watch his favorites in bed. That allows me to stay in the living room and mute the sound during commercials for more reading time. (It annoys him when I do that.) Bedtime is sometime after 11:30 pm. Pretty exciting stuff!

See, for me, just the fact that you *thought* about calling your neighbor to walk is ambitious!

What is your favorite YA book and why? Or, which YA book has had the most profound effect on you and why?

THE GIVER by Lois Lowery. It is the first book YA book I read that I really wanted to book-talk to my students. I was sure they would like it, and when some of them did start reading it and were excited about it, I realized I should be reading more of what they read and modeling what I expected them to do.

I *loved* THE GIVER. It was one of the first YA books I read as an adult and it’s really stayed with me.

What are 5 of your favorite things?

1. Spending time with my daughter (more difficult since she’s away in college)
2. Reading
3. Shopping for books
4. Blogging about books
5. Our Yorkie

How long have you been blogging, and how did you get your book blogging start?

I’m guessing about 3½ yrs. ago. It started when I decided I should check out MySpace. When I discovered so many YA authors had profiles, I thought maybe it was a place to talk about the books I spent so much time reading for my classroom. After that I started visiting author and reviewer blogs to find about the latest YA fiction for my students, and things just mushroomed from there. One visit to Teensreadtoo.com hosted by Jen Wardrip developed into becoming one of her regular reviewers. That’s been a lot of fun and really keeps me busy. I still post reviews on MySpace, but now I also post on my own blog and Facebook.

I’ve noticed a general migration of authors and reviewers from MySpace over to their own blogs, Web sites, and Facebook. I wonder if teen readers have made a similar migration, or if they’re still heavily using MySpace. What does everyone think about this?

Are you planning any upcoming new features or special content on your book blog? Is there anything specific you want potential new visitors to know about your blog?

I don’t like the idea of copying too much from other bloggers, although I have started a “Waiting on Wednesday” post. (Thank you to all the bloggers out there who originally started the idea.) I try to involve my students by asking them to suggest books, and I try to post their suggestions at least once a month. One of my students suggested that I start a “Read Aloud” post telling readers what book I’m currently reading to my class. I’m not sure how many of my students actually visit my blog because it is sort of like listening to what your mother suggests, and who really wants to do that.

My comments to new readers would be to mention that I only write positive reviews. I’ve read books that I haven’t found interesting or that I really disliked, but I think there’s a reader out there for every book. I don’t want to be the one to criticize a book and have someone who might really enjoy it be turned away because of my negative review.

I struggle with reviewing, too, especially now that I’ve been on both the author and the reader side. As a reader, I’ve had the experience of being completely blown away (in a good way) by a book that others despised, and I’ve conversely been underwhelmed by books that have been hyped up and touted as the next best thing. And as an author, I know how much love and life and tears and sweat go into writing a book, and I never want another author to feel personally attacked by a critical review of his or her work. It’s hard to separate the art from the artist — sometimes, it’s impossible!

Truly, every book has its readership, which is also why reading a negative review of a book doesn’t usually turn me off to reading it for myself. I love hearing people’s opinions on books, which is why I love book bloggers so much. As a teacher, you also have great insight into how kids and teens are responding to certain books, too — ones that you’ve liked and recommended as well as books that weren’t right for you.

In addition to blogging, what other creative pursuits do you enjoy?

I like to crochet and knit. I enjoy walking. I’m involved in my public library as president of the board of trustees. Not really a lot of excitement in my small town.

I was on a train the other day from NYC to Buffalo with a group of women who were traveling upstate for a crochet convention. They were working on projects the entire time, and I kept thinking, wow… I wish I could do that! So cool!

What do you want to be when you “grow up?”

Either an author of really exciting books, owner of a bookstore, or a librarian.

All three sound great to me. Why not? 😉

What are 3 things you’d like to do or accomplish in your lifetime?

Probably the three things I listed in #7.

Tell us something that people who know you in real life would be surprised to learn about you.

I haven’t always liked to read and I consider myself a really slow reader.

A really great story transcends the medium. It’s great that you were able to push through the initial dislike to the point where you not only like reading, but have incorporated it into your career, your free time, your blog, your life.

Now, it’s time for Apocalypse Mad Libs!

If I ever had to face nuclear war I’d want Gary Paulsen on my side, because he would know the best wilderness places to go to and he’d have the know-how to help us survive.

If he wasn’t available, I’d take Brian from the book Hatchet, because he was created by Paulsen and proved through all his adventures that he knows what to do in an emergency.

In any case, if I only had 1 day to live before the end of the world, I’d eat an Outback Bloomin’ Onion and then I’d tell everyone, “enjoy it while you can.”

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