1. When did you start book blogging, and what was your motivation?
I started blogging in 2005. At the time I was posting children's book biz news once a week on my webpage for my writing students. A blog looked like an easier way to manage that, so I took the plunge. Over the years I have had 15 or so blogs. (I've lost count!) I've used LiveJournal, Blogger, Typepad, Wordpress and Twitter.
2. How often do you post?
I have 6 active blogs now, so I post 4 times a day Monday through Friday. (I write ALL of the blog posts over the weekend and then schedule them to post throughout the week using Hootsuite.)
3. Which kinds of books do you like to review?
I blog about the book genres that I write. (It helps me see what is selling.) I don't "review" books the way many bloggers do--I "booktalk" them instead. I write a short teaser and include a snippet of text from the book. (No spoilers!)
I like to have one kind of book per blog, so I have a board book blog (Read to Me), a picture book blog (Picture Book of the Day), an easy reader blog (5 Great Books) and a chapter book blog (Weekend Reads). I also have an activities blog for my own books (Book of the Week), and a new version of the Children's Book Biz News blog that started it all.
4. Where do you get the books you review?
I used to find all of my books at the library but now the publishers send them to me directly. (I also write a monthly column for the Booklist's Quick Tips for Schools & Libraries.)
5. Where do you find out about new books?
Publishers send their books to me several months before the book comes out now, so I place them on my shelves by the month of publication and plan my blog posts that way. (I blog for parents and teachers, so I only write about a book after it is available to the public.)
6. Do you read other book blogs? If so, which are your favorites?
I have a massive blogroll on my webpage at Blog Central. I read editor blogs, agent blogs, artist blogs, author blogs, and reviewer blogs. (My blogroll is always in need of updating as I continue to add more blogs to my reader.) For favorites, bookmark the Cybils blog and the blogs of my Cybils committee members! We'll be reading lots of easy readers and early chapter books for the next four months.
7. What’s one of your favorite books? How about the best book you’ve read in the past six months?
I read so many books each week that I can never answer this question, unless I were to say that my favorite is the book I have in my hand (and that changes daily!) I just love to read books.
8. What’s the most enjoyable part of book blogging? What’s the worst part? Do you blog about other topics too?
I love having all of these books come to me. I have stacks and piles of books to read, so I never run out! The other side of that coin is that I never seem to catch up. (There are always more books to read than there are hours in the day.)
I also blog about my other day jobs. For my writing students I share "children's book biz" news once a day. I'm also a children's literature consultant, so once a day I also share a literacy link.
9. Do you have an ereader? If so, do you like it? If not, do you want one someday?
I don't have an e-reader yet. It would be a nice toy for plane trips, but I'm waiting for the market to mature before I buy one. (VHS vs Beta anyone?)
10. What do you do when you’re not reading?
When I am not reading, gardening, or watching mysteries on TV, I work as a children's book author, consultant and teacher. (Yes, all of my "day jobs" involve children's books!)
Thanks, Anastasia! Best of luck with all of your blogs, and have fun with the Cybils awards this month!
