BBAW: An Interview of a Partial Prejudiced and Ignorant Reader

Part of the fun of Book Blogger Awareness week is getting to know bloggers who don't usually cross your radar. When I applied to take part in the interview swap, I wondered about the type of partner I'd be assigned. Would it be someone whose blog I could recommend, or someone I'd have to try real hard in order to find something nice to say? Well, I needn't have worried. Brooke from A Bluestocking Guide and I were assigned to each other. Brooke's way of trying to stand out in the book blogger world is her use of podcasting for her author interviews, and so rather than submit a written interview to me, she called me one day and we chatted for quite some time. It will be interesting to see how she edits it to get a final product. Even though she was interviewing me, having her on the phone gave me a chance to get a real feel for her and she seemed like a person I could really enjoy meeting for coffee and a good book discussion.

I'm a little more conventional, so I submitted a list of questions to her, and here is the final result:

1. How did you come up with the name of your blog?

It took a few hours. I wanted something clever but quirky. The Bluestocking Guide: A “bluestocking” is a derogatory 18^th century term for a woman with strong scholastic or literary interest. There was a Bluestocking Society in Italy a long time ago. I choose the term “Guide” because I was giving recommendations as to what to read. Reviews by a Partial, Prejudiced, and Ignorant Reader. I wanted a tag line on my blog. The Partial, Prejudiced, and Ignorant is a reference to a Jane Austen book called The History of England by a Partial, Prejudiced, and Ignorant Historian. Her book is tongue in cheek, witty, sarcastic, and the like. I aim for that in my reviews. I don’t know that I necessarily succeed though.

2. How long have you been blogging?

I started blogging on May 11, 2007.

3. What made you start blogging?

I wanted to share the good books I was reading. Not to mention, it was hard to find something good to read. This was back when there weren’t that many book bloggers. I figured a lot of people were uncertain about what books to read as well.

4. I notice that you do a lot of pod casts. What made you choose to blog in that way?

It was a way to stand out for book blog tours. Most of the time when you do a book blog tour, there’s an author interview. Written Q & A is nice, but I’d rather hear the author’s voice. In the past I had visited some fan sites that had podcasts, boy what fun! Most of the podcasts are author interviews. Lately I’ve done 3 Monday memes as podcasts because I’m too lazy to write out 3 posts.

5. What is your favorite genre?

Science Fiction and Fantasy.

6. What percent of books that you read do you review?

I review everything that I read.

7. Where do you live, and what do you like about that area?

I live in Southern New Jersey. I like the fact that it’s rural.

8. Tell me about your family.

I’m single. I have a mom, dad, sister, and dog.

9. What is the first book you remember reading by yourself?

The Last Silk Dress

10. What is your favorite book blog?

I don’t have one.

11. What's you favorite book?

Pride and Prejudice

12. Who is your favorite author?

Jane Austen

13. You told me you collect books. How many do you have, and where do you keep them?

As of September 10, 2009, I have 640. I have 4 book cases. Two in my bedroom and two in the family room.

14. How often do you re-read books?

LOL! I’m not going to answer this out loud.

15. How much time do you spend reading each week, meaning reading for fun?

No idea. I would guess 10+ per week.

16. How much time do you spend each week blogging?

5?

17. Is blogging strictly a hobby, or is it something you either have or hope to make into a paying proposition?

I’d love to get paid. But for now it is a hobby.

18. What are your other hobbies or interests?

I’m a gym rat. I love to cook. I love black and white photography. I love to Latin dance. I love shopping.

19 What is your favorite charity?

My church.

20. If you could leave one and only book you've read in the last year to your granddaughter, which one would it be?

Farworld: Water Keep.

21. Tell me something about you that all your friends know, but that I probably wouldn't figure out by reading your blog.

I sing in the Women’s Choir.

So folks, now that you've had a chance to get to know Brooke, head on over to her blog and say hi to her!