Armchair BEA 2015: Giveaway

It is the fourth and final day of Armchair BEA.  The themes are Giveaways and Book-to-Movie Adaptations.  I am choosing to host a giveaway.

One of the major themes of Armchair BEA is experiencing an event and a community online, since we aren't able to do it in person.  That inspired my giveaway.

A few weeks ago, I went to a Fierce Reads Spring Fling tour event at Blue Willow Bookshop.  (You'll note that the second leg of the tour starts tomorrow, at BookCon.)

It was a great event - they had a photo area with a backdrop and lots of props, bingo with custom cards, and the store provided a raffle.  Katie Finn, Lynne Matson, Marie Rutkoski, and Lindsay Smith were all promoting the second books in their series, so they were all a bit handicapped about what they could talk about.  I was familiar with most of their books, but understood that it was likely not everyone in the audience had read them.

My reviews of:
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski
Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn
Sekret by Lindsay Smith

They could talk odd coincidences, like how Finn and Matson's books both start in a Target.  (Finn did that because she strangely seems to always wear her one red shirt to Target.)  The authors also talked about worldbuilding and how it can drive plot.  Rutkoski first decided that her more martial culture would carry knives and then that they would allow duels.  At that point, she knew that there had to be a duel in THE WINNER'S CURSE.  It seems like most of them were pantsers, which is a big problem when you're writing the second book in a trilogy!

Anyway, part of the fun of an event like this is all the swag.  So I'm giving away a swag pack!  There is a Fierce Reads tour poster signed by Finn, Matson, Rutkoski, and Smith, plus a Fierce Reads pen.  There are two bookmarks and a pin for Nil and Nil Unlocked by Matson.  There is a watermelon soy chapstick for Finn's series.  There are two bookmarks for Rutkoski, plus two bookmarks from Smith - one for her upcoming novel Dreamstrider.

BONUS ROUND!  For every ten entries, I'll add more swag to the swag pack.  And believe me, I have all sorts of cool stuff - including more posters.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Armchair BEA 2015: Blogging Q&A

It is the third day of Armchair BEA and today's topics are Character Chatter and Blogging Q&A.

I've been blogging about books since March 2008, so I definitely have some ideas about what works and what doesn't.

My number one tip is to schedule posts.  It makes me so much less stressed when I don't have to scramble to write tomorrow's post that night.  (You might laugh, but it took me quite awhile to get the hang of scheduling.)

Google Calendar is also your friend, for keeping track of releases and when you've agreed to do blog tours, interviews, guest blogs, or absolutely anything.  There will still be times you look at it and go, "Wait, what?  I didn't read that THE SKY IS FALLING DOWN," but in general you will be more on top of things.

But I've never been great about handing out tips cold.  Feel free to ask any blogging questions you might have!

Armchair BEA 2015: Visual Expressions

It is day two of Armchair BEA!  Participants will be posting about either or both of the following topics: Visual Expressions and Social Media.

I am going to stick to Visual Expressions.  I will be following Social Media conversations, because I know I could be working harder in that arena.

I love graphic novels and other formats that use illustrations to enhance and expand upon the text.  You can check out my tag for all graphic novel reviews and more.  (I also have a manga tag.)

If you check out those tags, you'll find some highlights.  To me, those include:

• My year as a panelist for the CYBILS graphic novels division
• Manga Primer, part one
• Manga Primer, part two

Currently, I'm fascinated by hybrid novels like Chasing Shadows by Swati Avasthi with graphic sections by Craig Phillips and In the Shadows by Kiersten White with graphic sections by Jim Di Bartolo.  These books are both regular prose novels and graphic novels, telling two stories that intertwine in two mediums.  (The word "shadows" in the title is optional.)

I also really dig the imprint TOON Books right now.  This imprint publishes books at three reading levels to help children increase their literacy proficiency using more and more sophisticated graphic novel techniques.  The layouts help them follow changes in setting (both time and place) and the pictures help give context and expression to characters and their actions.  Plus, they're just good kid's books.

I'm still reading manga, although I don't post about it much.  My favorite series currently being serialized is Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun (that is, Girls' Monthly Nozaki-kun).  It is a 4-koma comic about a girl, her crush Nozaki who writes a popular monthly manga, and their friends who help make and inspire the manga story.  It is absolutely hilarious.  The simple structure allows for a ridiculous density of jokes.

So why do you love graphic novels?  What new and innovative titles or imprints are catching your eye?

Armchair BEA 2015: Introductions

It is the first day of Armchair BEA!  That means it is time to get to know everyone.  This is my third year, so I am an old hand at this.

What is your theme song?

My theme song is "Devil's Spoke" by Laura Marling.

Many trains and many miles,
Brought you to me on this sunny isle
And what of which you wish to speak,
Have you come here to rescue me?

What does diversity mean to you? 

This is a trickier question than it seems!  But to me diversity is plurality of voices, an environment not only consisting of different people but actively encouraging those people to speak.

What is one book everyone should read?

Watership Down by Richard Adams

What is your favorite genre and why? 

Lately, I've been loving political fantasy.  I like seeing intricate worlds built with a focus on how people interact and what makes (or breaks) power.  Go Goblin Emperor for the Hugo!

What book are you reading right now?

The Nest by Kenneth Oppel and illustrated by Jon Klassen (a real dream team!)

Take a picture of your bookshelf and share it with us! :) (#ABEAShelfie)

I actually just bought new shelves to replace those destroyed in a flood.*  Check out the tops of the shelves (and some odds n' ends) on my Instagram.

*Knock on wood, because the other parts of the shelves are being stored near a part of Houston that is currently flooding.