BBAW: Name The Book Giveaway….
Another chance to choose out of the prize box!
What book has these two characters: Katniss and Peeta?
First correct answer wins!
BBAW – Who’s That Blog? GIVEAWAY!!!
Recently one of my sidebar blogs wrote a great little snippet on the book Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. The book sounds like a wonderful read…. my question is, which of the blogs (name the blog) that I have on my right sidebar did this come from AND what is the final sentence of that snippet that is shared form this book?
First fully correct response will receive choice out of the gift box!
BBAW – Interview Swap: Ryan of Wordsmithonia
What has been fun about this particular interview is that Ryan and I had connected through Book Blogs early on and were already chatting back and forth through Twitter and on our blogs. I was excited to do this interview and get to know him even more! ~ Sheila
Ryan, first I want to know about this avatar that you use. Who is he?
The characters name is Dr. Strange. He is a Marvel supherhero.
When did you develop your love for books?
I had an unusual childhood. We moved around a lot and even ended up traveling with a carnival for many years. Needless to say I was never in one place long enough to really learn how to make friends. It’s a deficit I’ve since gotten over but as a kid it was hard. I had learned to read before headstart and I found myself turning to books for comfort. They were the friends I didn’t have and they were my source of strength and escape as a kid. They were my first love and still have a hold on my heart that is eclipsed only by my son.
Are you a lone reader or did your book interest come from a family member or friend?
I was and still am a lone reader of the family. Now that’s not talking cousins and extended family cause I really have no clue as far 
as that goes. I am teaching my son the love of books and it seems to be one he is taking too.
Why read as opposed to do something else productive like errr…. lets say… sky diving?
Actually, I love sky diving, camping, hiking, horse back riding, snowmobiling, cooking, dancing, and a million other things. I actually want to learn how to fence. With foils and epees not sell stolen merchandise. Reading however is my escape. It’s how I relax, decompress, and feel better about myself. It’s what has saved my sanity a million times and will probably do so a million more.
Favorite book?
Gosh, what a hard question. I’m not sure I could break it down to one or even 10 or 20. Some of my favorites that come to mind at this moment in time are: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, The Eight by Katherine Neville, Pandemonium by Daryl Gregory, The Thief of Always by Clive Barker, Watership Down by Richard Adam, Looking for It by Michael Thomas Ford, and the Last Herald Mage trilogy by Mercedes Lackey. There are so many other books I reread all the time that I almost feel bad for not mentioning them.
Favorite genre to read?
Fantasy hands down. It allows me to escape into a world that is totally different from our own that I’m able to forget everything else and allow myself to “be” there in that world for the period of time the book is open. I’m starting to read horror/suspense right now as well. Though I think it has more to do with the approach of Fall then anything else.
When did you start book blogging and why?
July 19th, 2009. A good friend at B&N bookclub site, Deb of Bookmagic, had started her own blog a month or two before that and she seemed to be having a lot of fun with it. So I thought, why not? So here I am a few months later and having a blast though when I started it I wasn’t sure how involved I would be with the whole thing. I thought I would just pop on every once in a while and post something about the current book I was reading. Now I’m having so much fun that I can’t help but log in and post.
What do you think is the best blog post you have written?
I’m not sure if it’s my best but the one that was the most personal to me so far was my first post in my Favorite Fictional Characters series. Vanyel Ashkevron is the main character of The Last Herald Mage trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and is the first character that I was able to connect to on such an emotional level. He is the one character that when I’m really feeling down I’m able to visit and feel at home with. This was a character that went through a lot of the same issues I had as a teenager and had come out OK.
Your blog title, Wordsmithonia… where did that come from?
From Barnes & Noble’s bookclub site again. A few months prior they had started a laurel system in which users could give laurels to posts they like for any reason. Along with the laurels we were given different ranks as well bases off a still a not completely understood criteria. One of the higher, new ranks was that of wordsmith. On a lark another user, Kathy, made up the Kingdom of Wordsmithonia and appointed me her son and heir the King of Wordsmithonia. It started as a lark and grew into something that is just now losing steam. I love the idea though of a place were words and the usage of them is celebrated and revered. So that’s the name I chose for my blog. Not sure if I’m living up to it yet or not but I’m striving for it with every post.
Do you only blog on books or do you have other blogs out there on other topics?
Right now it’s been about books with the occasional appearance of movies and TV shows. I had intended to maybe sprinkle some political posts in there as well but it doesn’t seem to fit in. I’m a political junkie and one day if time ever permits I may start a separate blog for that purpose.
What do you find to be the best part of book blogging?
What do you find to be the best part of book blogging?
The community I have found of other book lovers is amazing. I have found everyone to be supportive and welcoming and I’m not sure I was expecting that. I think it’s one of those aspects that keeps me coming back day after day to post and read other blogs.
What do you think is the best blog post you have written?
Since it just happened last week I do. I got Dark Time by Dakota Banks from the publicist. I was so excited I did my own version 
of Snoopy’s happy dance. I had recieved ARCs from the First Look program on B&N’s site before but this was different in a way I’m not sure I can fully put across in words.
What have you learned from blogging that you wish you would have known in the early stages of your book blog?
Since I’m still in my infancy I’m not sure. There is still so much for me to learn that sometimes I feel like I’m playing catch up in school. I still have a heck of a time trying to get two or more images into one post without them staying together. I was so thankful when I finally figured out, with Deb’s help, how to change to a 3 column blog. So I’m looking forward to learning more and hopefully being at a point where I can be the one to help out.
What do you look for in blogs that you enjoy reading?
The blogger’s personality to come through in how they write is what I connect with first in a blog I haven’t been to before. Great reviews or features are an added bonus as well as an introduction to books I haven’t heard/read before.
Share with us a little known fact about you.
I was a state officer of Health Occupation Students of America when I was in high school. After 5th grade and until I started high school, we traveled with a carnival and I would go to school week by week in whatever town we were in.
Thank you Ryan! Please stop by and see Ryan at the very cool Worsdsmithonia!
BBAW – My Nominees are…
Today our assignment for BBAW was to post our favorite blogs that did not make the short list. This is the point when I could kick myself for not hanging on to my worksheet when I nominated blogs about a month ago! I planned to be so organized for this week and keep the week lite of appointments so I could fully enjoy every moment. yet here I am at 11:54 pm on day one, finally sitting down and getting to this late post…. but important post. 🙂
Here are a few I would like to recognize:
Kay Cassidy’s Y 2.0: Seriously…. I don’t even know how I ever found Kays blog to begin with but I am sure glad I did. Her interviews with authors are fun and you have to get in there and see the three truths and a lie questions she asks each of them. She is also one of the founders on Living Your 5 which I for one am excited to take more of an active part in! This YA blogger is a must read!
Miss Remer’s Reviews: What I enjoy so much about Reagan’s blog is that she is on her way to being a teacher and her blog is designed to find and review books to encourage reading among YA. How super cool is that? Regan actively seeks out Guest Reviewer for her blog to post the great YA reads they have come across. I love that she promotes reading and her blog is a wonderful reflection of this goal.
At Home With Books: Alyce has wonderful reviews and I love stopping by and seeing what she has posted. I can count on her reviews to be wonderfully straight to the point without giving away too much of the story. Check out her blog – it is a wonderful layout with great reviews!
Bibliophile By The Sea: Recently discovered while I was hopping through the blogesphere, this blog has become a must stop for me. The layout alone is worthy of your time, but the reviews – and wonderful book reviews I might add have really put this one on my radar. I suggest you stop by and see for yourself.
Thats A Novel Idea: Fantastic review spot… I check her blog frequently. I love the layout – I am envious of how current it looks all the time…LOL A great poster and just plain fun things are always popping up at this blog!
Between The Bookendz: I feel this blog is a wonderful place for me to find new reads. Eve is my book twin I think… every time I stop at her blog the review is wonderful – the book looks incredible and nect thing you know I am adding it to my list to read. I highly recommend you check this blog out… she is reviews and lots of them – and not the books many of us are reading either, but books that I have usually not heard of but look so WONDERFUL!
This award I give to all of you for the smiles you put on my face when I see you have stopped by – or I read a post on your blog and know that I am once again…. reading something special!
I know there are so many more that I ADORE and dont miss a post…. The Book Blogging Community has really been such a blessing to me. I love the great connections I have made with other bloggers and all the great books I have been introduced to becuase of their reviews. Happy BBAW to everyone!
** Tomorrow I will have my interview post up as well as more giveaways to celebrate this wonderful week!
To E Read or not to E Read…. that is the question….
This is a funny topic for me as I am truly a book girl. And by book…. I mean BOOK. You know… sheets of paper with words on them all wrapped in a gorgeous cover…. old school. That’s me.
There is a girl in my book club who has a Kindle. I have walked her through my home library pointing out the book shelves I love and all that they hold…. my treasures…. “See,” I tell her. “If I had a reader like this, what would be on my shelves?”
Yet… as time has went on…. I see them …. yes – THEM. E Readers. They are at the YMCA where I work out. As I struggle to turn pages on my book while on the treadmill, the girl next to me runs and looks 
at her E Reader. When no ones looking I ask her, “Do you like this form of reading?”
“Oh Yes,” she says. “I love it and I can take it anywhere.”
I do travel a lot. Road trips, planes a couple times a year. I have been in situatuations where I am looking for a particular book and can not find it. Or I have read everything I brought with me. And of course there is the weight/space factor. My book take up a nice portion of my suitcase.
So…if I were to get an E Reader, being a die hard books to the end girl…. it would need to do all the things I wish my books could do. It would need to capture improtant facts so when reviewing I could easily find these passages again. It would need to look up words for me that I did not know in a quick and easy manner. Easy to read… many MANY books to choose from…. light weight, easy to travel with, price not too scary….I may be able to be persuaded to take an E Reader for a spin.
BBAW – Game Time!
Ist person with correct answer gets to pick from the Gift Box! 
Nora Roberts wrote a trilogy about three women called The Three Sisters Trilogy. Name the three women characters.
1st correct answer of all three names wins. 🙂
FYI. These are my favorite books by Nora Roberts.
Watch for many more random games this week for BBAW!
Morning Meanderings….
Good morning! I am back from the 150 mile bike ride and I am feeling great! I posted last week what this was about 
and why I was involved. If you did not have a chance to read that post, I encourage you to do so here. The post explains what I knew going into this event… but coming out of it… I am so thrilled to have been a part of such a great cause.
The weather was fantastic! Sunny and mid 80’s both days of the ride. I LOVED it! I met so many wonderful people from our team who bikes to support the camp that Connie started. Not only is Connie’s story one of true amazement (that is in the post I mentioned earlier) but talking to her throughout the weekend really was an eye opener as she shared her journey with me about what it was like to be a woman with Aids through a blood transfusion for 28 years – from the early days (which were painful and hard to see people turn their back on her) to now…. (Yeah I know that was a run on sentence but I had a lot to say there …LOL)
I had a bit of trouble on Saturday when my bike was hit by another bike. I was ok but my bike took a serious hit and the back tire rim was all bent up. At first look the team thought I was done unless I had another bike to ride (which I did not). Thanks to Pete on our team (who works in Brainerd at Trailblazer Bikes) he was able to fix the tire well enough for me to continue the ride.
Thank you to those who sent me well wishes on this ride. I cant even begin to describe how fantastic is was to meet the Team of Rhinos (our team name) and to just hang out with friends for the weekend. I feel good – a little sore but nothing too bad and I cant wait to be a part of this next year!
Its BBAW September 14 – 18
This post will remain at the top of this blog through Sept 18. All new posts are below! 🙂
Happy Book Blogger Appreciation Week ! There will be much going on here this week so make sure you stop by often! I have book reviews and giveaways…. watch for posts with the gift box on them – these are giveaways (they will be sprinkled throughout the BBAW week) and by clicking on the gift box you will be taken to the giveaway page of what is being offered!
Starting today I am having a comment contest – earn one change per comment on any post on this blog from now until midnight (central time) on Friday, September 18. I will draw at that time a name using random.org, the winner will receive a $15 Amazon Gift Card emailed to them on Sept. 19. EARN 5 extra entries by taking my new blog logo (upper right corner of my blog, and adding it your blog). Top Commentor for the BBAW will receive a $15 Amazon Gift card emailed to them on Saturday the 19th. Be sure to let me know if you did this so I can give you the bonus entries. **Gift card winners can be anywhere in the world.
This is the code for the my blog logo: <a href=”https://bookjourney.wordpress.com/”><img title=”OPJTAWOB 2″ src=”https://bookjourney.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/opjtawob-21.jpg?w=150″ alt=”OPJTAWOB 2″ border=”0″width=”150″ height=”114″ /></a>
Have fun! I cant wait to see what everyone is doing!
Click on the gift box!!!
Morning Meanderings…
Still biking – day two now and as of the time this post is up I should be biking from Hinckley Minnesota to Duluth 
Minnesota…. the last 75 miles of this ride. I wonder what I am thinking right now? LOL (Read about this ride I am doing here).
During my usual morning stride through the blogesphere with the ever full, ever wonderful Coffee Cup, I had recently read another great review on a blog called Bibliophile By The Sea. The book is called Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls. This is the author who also wrote The Glass Castle which has been on my shelf for over a year and I still have not read it. have heard wonderful things about the Glass Castle and now seeing this book – I want to read it too!
Please take a moment today and stop over at Bibliophile By The Sea and read this wonderful review.
**I will be back in town tonight… hopefully after a successful (and not too wet) bike ride and a little reading time as well! ~Sheila
Book Journey 
