BBAW Guest Interview: Lisa of "Lit and Life"

As a rather new blogger--I was but a twinkle in a blogger's eye last year, so to speak--I was both excited and apprehensive about participating in Book Blogger Appreciation Week. I certainly wanted to express my gratitude for all of the blogs--the dozens upon dozens--that I love to read and that make my day a little brighter. But I'm so new to the game; what could I have to contribute? I was particularly concerned about the BBAW interviews, where participating bloggers are paired to interview each other. I loved the concept, but felt I simply lacked the experience to have anything to say.

In a stroke of luck, for my BBAW interview, I was paired with Lisa of Lit and Life. Lisa, like me, is a newcomer to the book blogger world. We get each other. We remember what it's like to be new because we are new. My anxiety went away, and in the process, I learned about the author of a blog I will certainly be following from now on!

----------

And here is Lisa in all her glory:

1. An oldie but a good: what is your favorite book and why?

Pride and Prejudice; I love the dialogue between Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy.

2. I see that you like flea marketing (and I can relate!); do you look for books there as well?

The only books I look for at flea markets are old children's books, which I collect. I'm pretty picking about buying used books; it's terrible to say but I don't like them once their pages are yellowed.

3. Since you love both cooking and reading, what is your cookbook collection like?

I do have a fairly big cookbook collection but don't use them as much as I should. I'm pretty prone to freelancing when I cook.

4. What is your favorite movie adaptation of a book?

That's a tough one! I love movies but I'm not always happy with adaptations of books I like. I do really like the most recent adaptation of Pride and Prejudice but mostly for the scene at the end in the field!

5. Do your husband and children share your love of reading?

All of the guys in my house like to read but none of them read as much as I do. My daughter really doesn't like to read which makes me so sad. I keep trying to find her that book that will really grab her and turn her into a reader.

6. What have been the highlights of blogging for you? Any negatives?

I have been happily surprised with the sense of community in the book blogging world. I really feel like I'm making friends, even if that makes my family laugh at me. The only negative is that I've become somewhat addicted to reading blogs now--which makes my TBR list grow daily but cuts into my reading time.

7. What criteria do you use when reviewing books?

I like to start my actual review with the things I liked about a book. I've been lucky since I started blogging in May and haven't picked up anything yet that I've had a hard time doing this. Next I'll get into what I didn't like about the book. But I always try to end on a positive note--even if it were just to say that maybe this just wasn't the right book for me or that it wasn't the right time for me to read it.

8. On your blog, you list the top five books you've read this year; why those five?

The Help, City of Thieves and The Housekeeper and The Professor all had wonderful characters first and foremost. The Mighty Queens of Freeville was such a positive book and made me laugh. People of the Book has this fabulous looks back into history. And I felt like all of them were really well written.

9. How do you choose your quotes of the day come from?

I've used several sources for my quotes. Sometimes I just starting going down a list until I find something I like. Sometimes I'm looking for something particular. I started with the idea to only use book related quotes but that went by the wayside one day when I found a really funny quote I wanted to use. My sister even sent me the one about the grandfather.

10. Do you have any plans for your blog looking forward?

I'm hoping to get my very computer-savvy son to help me put together a header and go to a three-column format. I love when I can figure out how to change or add something new on it. After the first of the year, I'm toying with the idea of hosting a challenge.

----------

Again, please check out Lisa's blog at Lit and Life, as she truly has a wonderful writing style!