BBAW - Barbara's Meanderings

As part of Book Bloggers Appreciation Week, we were paired up with another blogger to do an interview swap. I've just got my questions, so haven't answered them yet, but here is the half to post on my blog. Step forward Barbara, from Barbara's Meanderings. Not my usual sort of blog, since our reading tastes are very different, but a portal onto a different world... I really enjoyed having a look at it, go and have a see yourself.

-Maybe start off by telling us a bit about yourself and the content of your blog?

I have been a serious writer for over ten years. I have been married for 44 years to the same person and we have two grown daughters. My background is teaching and I have a Masters in Reading and Writing K-12. The last year I taught I was a Literacy Specialist. Most of my work is either YA [Young Adult] or MG [erm..? Could someone tell me what this is!], but I do have a few adult pieces as well. My children's story was published online in Story Station and my adult story was published in Moondance.org. In addition various memoirs and poems are published online as well. I also have a YA novel ready for publication and I am almost finished with my second YA novel. I am a member of several writing groups on Yahoo including a KidsMuse, a critique group and several other message board groups.

My blog is called "Barbara's Meanderings" because my thoughts wander and though it is mainly about writers and writing and I interview guest authors and review their books, it is also about my life. At times my life becomes very interesting because of the places and things I wind up doing. So I write about that too, as well as some current events and my own political views. I also write about my day-to-day life and how world events affect it.

1.) How did you enter the world of blogging? What/Who made you decide to start?

The idea of writing a blog started on MySpace, but when I moved over to Facebook I decided to make it a more regular blog and joined Facebook Networked Blogs. I am also a member of Blog Catalog. The idea of writing a blog started when I realised that I had a lot to say and nowhere to say it.

2.) How would you describe your taste in books? Maybe give us a few examples of great reads from 2009 so far.

Of course I love to read YA books, so I have read quite a few this year. I like to vary my reading and alternate between adult books and YA. Usually I like to read novels, and I love romances. But I also enjoy well-written non-fiction biographies.

It's hard to remember all the books I've read this year, but the YA book that stands out for me is Purge by Sarah Littman. I have read all the books in The Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher and wait eagerly for the next one. In addition, I have read the latest Richard Russo book, That Old Cape Magic, and at the moment I am in the middle of Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Wiener. I also review books, so I have read the books of all the authors I have interviewed on my blog this year, starting with Simon Rose, Tim Hooker, Pierre Dominique Rostan, Cynthia Polansky, Penny Ehrenkranz, Jennifer Banash, and my latest interview with RD Larson. Furthermore, I love to read books by authors I love, so I will read any book by John Irving, Nicholas Sparks, Richard Russo, Dennise Lehane, and Barbara Kingsolver.


3.) Do you see yours as a reader's blog or a writer's blog, or do they meld?

I think that reading and writing do meld, but on my blog it depends on the day. When I can, I like to add to things like Quotable Thursday, that one of my friends does, where you need to post a quotation of your choosing. I almost always use quotations abouts writing. When I am reviewing a book, I'm concentrating on reading.

4.) A frequent feature on your blog is weekly author interviews - talk about those for a bit!

What I like about these interviews is how different they are. Many times my questions are the same for each author, but it's fascinating to learn how diverse these interviews are. Authors are given the questions ahead of time and they send me the answers which I post on my blog. Then they are usually available to answer any questions or comments. Very often I have a drawing for a free book from the author from the names of the people who have left a comment. The next post is usually a review of the author's latest book.

5.) Right, pretend I've not read your blog before - could you send me in the direction of three blog posts you'd most like me to read?

Sure!
Walter Cronkite Dies at 92
Postcard Friendship Friday! With a Polar Bear...
Why I Love Lions


6.) Whilst we're talking links, could you recommend three bookish blogs to me?

This was difficult, but here are three that I think are the best:
Bertram's Blog
Cynsations
Jill Corcoran Books

7.) Finally, the silly question. Since we're celebrating Book Bloggers this week, I'd like you to answer this question using only words which begin with 'B'... how many adjectives beginning with 'B' can you think of to describe accurately your blog?

You could say that my blog is bookish, beautiful, believable, breathtaking, bold, bright, brash, brilliant, Barbara-like, big, and broad!