Armchair BEA 2012 - Introductions

So I have no idea how out of the loop I am/was. I've been backed up on emails this past week so when I finally started going through them I saw all these bloggers I follow talking about going to BEA (BookExpo America) and I was totally jealous. I might have to see about making a trip to NYC next year--which if any of you know me very well will know that's a major step outside of my comfort zone. But I'm sure it would be totally worth it. Anyway, I can participate in Armchair BEA this year. And that's what I'm going to do.

Day 1: Introductions

1) Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?

My name is Sandy, and I love books. Let's face it...I love love stories. Of course that's not the only thing I love about reading, but it's a major aspect I love. And while a love story isn't necessary for me to read or love a book, it sure does help. I live in Alabama and work as a computer programmer at an insurance company (nerd much?). But I'm still really new at that, so I don't know what I'm doing most of the time. I'm married to my best friend who completes and balances me in so many ways it's amazing. And I praise God for bringing him into my life.

I started blogged in March 2011, but I wasn't really sure what I intended the blog to become so I didn't tell anyone about it really until January 2012. I've always loved to read but within the last 5 years my reading has increased exponentially. I've got several friends that are readers too and surprisingly most of us have similar tastes in books. I find myself being pushy about books I want my friends to read, but I can't help being passionate about what I love. Ultimately, I found that while we started in a very similar place and read all of the same books, my friends have begun branching off. Some read at a slower pace, some just don't read as often, some want to read different books, and various other reasons have gotten us seperated. Blogging became the best way for me to get my thoughts out about books that I'm reading when I'm reading them and a way to connect me to a community of other readers.

2) What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?

I'm currently reading George R. R. Martin's A Storm of Swords. But my favorite books of 2012 have been Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend for giving me an entirely new way of seeing how people relate to each other, Push by Chalene Johnson for pushing and challengeing me (go figure), and Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare for being one of those books that makes me scream "yes" and "no" all in the same book.

3) Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.

I workout five to six times per week...and mostly I love it. Obviously, I wouldn't be human if there weren't days when I hate it. We have one of those relationships.

4) What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)?

Well obviously I love reviews. They are the reason I started blogging in the first place. But there are two memes that I specifically love participating in. They aren't unique to my blog, but I enjoy them so much they need mentioning: In My Mailbox hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and Top 10 Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Both of these memes are great networking opportunities. But more than that, I love being exposed to new books that are being released, but with In My Mailbox you get to see books that aren't only new releases but often times books that have been published for some time. It's really interesting to me to see the variety of new releases plus older books in different bloggers mailboxes. Top 10 Tuesday is just a really fun meme. So far the topics for each week have been really fun and interesting, and I enjoy reading other bloggers top 10 lists just as much as I enjoy creating my own list.

5) Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?

Actually, my favorite post might be the one I plan to post for tomorrow's Top 10 Tuesday. The topic for tomorrow is kind of a freebie of all the past topics, and since I'm new to this meme, I have all of the past topics to choose from. I decided to start at the beginning and therefore my Top 10 Tuesday topic will be Childhood Favorites. I'm really excited to post it and hope you guys check it out.

Other than that, I'm really critical of my writing and my posts, so it's hard for me to say.

6) What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years?

My favorite part of the book blogging community is seriously how much of a community it is. I've never experienced so many people that love reading in my life. It's great to be in contact with others who share your passion, and I've yet to encounter someone I wish I hadn't.

I'm not sure I've been an active part of the community long enough to note any changes I'd like to see. But one of my favorite quotes is about being the change you wish to see, so you can bet that if I find something I'd like to see changed that I'll start with myself and my own blog and hope to inspire change that way.

7) Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?

Um, I think in some ways my reading tastes have changed. I still love my YA genres, but I've branched out some since blogging. Most notably I've read and reviewed several non-fiction books in the last year.

That's it for my introduction, if you're participating in Armchair BEA let me know so I can check out your posts. If not, feel free to answer any of the questions above in my comments so I can get to know you better.