I'm the Mystery Blogger on Kindle Fever today!

Hi peeps! This is just a heads up that the lovely Rebecca over at Kindle Fever interviewed me today. It was really fun answering her questions! Many thanks to Rebecca for having me as a guest :).

Head on over if you're interested in learning more about me, and check out today's Mystery Blogger interview post!

BBAW: Interview with Jennifer of Crazy for Books

Happy Book Blogger Appreciation Week! Today is interview swap day and I was really excited to be assigned Jennifer @ Crazy for Books! She may not know this but in the early days of my blog (er... 4 months ago) I participated regularly in her Book Blogger Hop feature! You can read my hop posts here. I was able to meet and get to know so many great book bloggers through her feature, I highly recommend it - especially to new bloggers. Now, let's get to the questions, shall we?

Hi Jennifer, welcome to A Book and a Latte!

1. What prompted you to begin book blogging?

Reading has always been a huge part of my life. When my friend, Lori (from Lori's Reading Corner), started a book blog, I thought it was a really cool idea! I didn't really know too much about blogging at the time. I have always loved to write, so I thought this would be a great platform to combine the two things I love to do! I enjoy talking about books and sharing my opinions, so what better way to do that then with the whole world? :) So, in August 2008, I took the plunge and registered crazy-for-books on blogger!

2. What is your favorite part about book blogging? Your least favorite?

My favorite part about book blogging is meeting some amazing people who share the same passion for books that I do! I love that I can find other blogs who love to read the same things I do, read their reviews of books that I've read, and gain a new perspective that I hadn't thought of before.

My least favorite part of book blogging is the pressure that I put on myself to try and do too much. With all of the amazing books being released every day, it's impossible to keep up with them all. Even though I want to, I've come to accept that I cannot accept EVERY book that is pitched to me for review. I can't join EVERY blog tour that pops up on TLC Book Tours. I have the problem of overcommitting myself, which results in reading stress. And, this is supposed to be fun, right?! Every so often I have to remind myself that I am doing this because I love to read and for no other reason.

3. Did book blogging change your reading habits, or the type of books you read?

I don't think book blogging itself has changed my reading habits. I have definitely read different types of books because of other book bloggers recommendations (Hunger Games comes to mind!), but it's more the seasons of my life that have affected my reading habits. For example, during my growing faith journey this past year, I have been reading more Christian Fiction which is a genre I hadn't read at all before. Also as I continue my journey through infertility, I always love reading contemporary fiction about strong women who are battling life and coming out on top. Because I feel like I'm doing that every day.

4. What genre do you enjoy reading the most?

WWII Historical Fiction. There is something about it that just tugs at my heart. The pain, the anguish, the survivors. I want to know every detail I can.

5. Do you prefer to read physical books or ebooks? What about audiobooks?

I actually prefer to read ebooks. I have a NookColor that I will take everywhere (especially the gym!). I find it easier to transport one device that a bag of books. I'll always have my physical books and will continue to read them, but I'm a gadget girl and adore my e-reader.

6. What is your favorite non-reading hobby or pastime?

My husband and I love to watch movies. We are at the Redbox at least once a week (if not more) and we have Netflix Live Streaming through our Wii, so we always have something going on there, too!

Thank you for stopping by Jennifer, and taking the time to answer my questions. It has been great getting to know you better through our interview swap and google chats :). Don't be a stranger!

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Please be sure to check out my answers to Jennifer's questions over at Crazy for Books! I'm a bit overwhelmed with work at the moment, so I'm not sure how many posts I'll get to this week... but I'll be browsing BBAW posts when I get the chance. Happy BBAW everyone!

Armchair BEA: Interview with Jennifer from Books, Personally

Since I can't attend the Book Expo America and the Book Blogger Convention and rub elbows with peeps in New York this year, I'm thrilled to be participating in Armchair BEA this week. Today is round-robin interview day! Meaning someone interviews me (Jennifer from The Literate Housewife), and I interview someone else, and then the person I interview is assigned to interview another person, and so on... make sense? OK, let's get this party started!

An Interview with Jennifer from 

Books, Personally:

I'm honored to welcome Jennifer from Books, Personally to A Book and a Latte! 

Me: Hi Jennifer! It's wonderful to have this opportunity to meet and get to know fellow book bloggers from the comfort of our favorite chairs. Can you tell us about about your blog, and also a little bit about yourself?

Jennifer: Hi Jen! It's so nice to get to know you this week and thanks for hosting this interview! I blog over at Books, Personally and also contribute book reviews occasionally to The Best Damn Creative Writing Blog. I'm a mom (of two kids and very large dog), wife, avid reader, chief laundry-doer, and classroom volunteer.

Me: Do you have any pets? If so, any funny related stories to share?

Jennifer: We have a very sweet, very big, white, fluffy Great Pyrenees dog named Rosie. She's quite the local celebrity, attracting attention and adoration wherever she goes. I just consider myself lucky enough to be part of her entourage.

Me: Did book blogging change your reading habits, or the type of books you read?

Jennifer: Such a great question - it did, actually! I've developed a real interest in indie/small press short story collections since I started blogging. I love participating in #fridayreads on twitter each week, and at Valentine's Day Shelf Unbound Magazine put out a special collection of modern love stories for Friday Reads participants. There I discovered some very exciting new-to-me authors and books, and have become a big fan. 

Me: What is your favorite thing about book blogging?

Jennifer: I love the reading and writing of course, but have found getting to know other bloggers and even a few authors to be the most rewarding part. Collaborating with other writers and bloggers on guest posts and interviews has been especially fun- there are a lot of interesting, and talented people out there working hard on their blogs every day.

Me: What genre of books do you enjoy reading the most?

Jennifer: I have fairly eclectic taste, but tend toward literary fiction, now some small press/indie short stories. I also enjoy some mystery or suspense, sometimes non-fiction.

Me: Who are your favorite authors?

Jennifer:  Carson McCullers is maybe one of my all-time favorites, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter made such an impression on me when I was a teen. I'd like to reread it. I'm rereading The Member of the Wedding - her writing is even more moving than I remember. I also love Audrey Niffenegger, Kate Mosse. Newly discovered favorites from small press/indie publishing include Patrick Somerville, Matt Bell, and Alan Heathcock.

Me: What is your favorite book(s) from your childhood? How do you share your love for reading with your kid(s)?

Jennifer: We love reading aloud together. Kate DiCamillo's books (ranging from the irrepressible Mercy Watson to the moving Despereaux and Winn Dixie) are maybe my favorites to read to read aloud, but we read everything and anything, and, quite frankly, we all adore Captain Underpants as much as anything.

Me: What book do you wish more people would read, and why?

Jennifer: I had the chance to read/reread some Langston Hughes poetry in February while the kids were celebrating Black History Month at school.  He wrote some incredibly moving poetry- much uplifting, much sad, all insightful, all beautiful, all reflecting an important era in American history. Not to be missed.

Me: I love that you share some of your writing on your blog. You are so talented! I was genuinely moved by Exfoliated. How long have you been writing? Are you published, or do you aspire to be published?

Jennifer: Aw, thank you! When my youngest went off to full-day Kindergarten, I figured it was my chance to try, just to see if I could. Blogging is a great way to test the waters and practice putting oneself out there. I follow a lot of real, everyday, hardworking,  amazing writers on twitter - I'm humbled and inspired by them, and I'm nowhere near -much less in- their league. I sure don't have any plans to quit my day job.

Me: If you were stranded on a deserted island, which 5 books would you want to have with you?

Jennifer: Ha! Well, maybe some old favorites for comfort (Rebecca, A Catcher in the Rye), some humor to uplift the spirit (David Sedaris, the entire Doonesbury collection), and The Daring Book for Girls - because I think it has instructions for Weaving A Grass Hut Out of Palm Fronds as well as How To Send A Message To Passing Naval Ships In Morse Code and other handy survival tips.

Me: What are some non-bookish favorites? 

Music/song - Favorite music/musicians - Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle 

Food - coffee, scrambled eggs on tortillas with salsa, Thai green curry. Not together. (I love curry too!)

TV Show - Battlestar Galactica (the newish one) (me too, me too!)

Movie - I worry it might be When Harry Met Sally. Please don't tell anyone. (such a good movie...)

Place you've traveled - Japan, Ireland, the Caribbean (Wow!)

Thank you so much Jennifer, this was so much fun! Everyone, please go check out Jennifer's blog Books, Personally. You can also find her on twitter @occasionallyzen.

Also, don't forget to enter the giveaway I posted yesterday if you haven't already!

Armchair BEA: Who I Am, an Introduction

Well hellooo, and welcome to A Book and a Latte! Yes, this is an official introduction post for the 2011 Armchair BEA. To my followers, thank you so much for following my blog, and I hope you like getting to know the girl behind the posts a little more. To the newcomers -- WELCOME! I'm really excited to be participating in this year's Armchair BEA, and look forward to getting to know all the other participants.

To introduce myself, and this blog... here's a question and answer session as a mock interview.



When and why did you start book blogging?
Though I've been reading book blogs for a while, I am new to the book blogging world. A Book and a Latte was "born" on May 11th, 2011. That's right, it's only been online for two weeks (as of tomorrow)! It was up and running for a little over a day and then the Blogger Apocalypse happened... which was interesting... since a bunch of formatting changes, posts, static pages, and comments just disappeared! Basically, the meat of my little book blog was gone... thankfully it slowly started to reappear but I had to re-do a lot of work in the process.

I was a ferocious reader growing up. I used to get grounded for staying up all night reading with a flashlight, and detention for sneaking books in class! Then I went to college and I just didn't have the time or energy to read for enjoyment. I started reading again afterwards, but it just wasn't the same... until I embraced the YA genre! The Harry Potter Series and Twilight Saga reignited my passion for reading and once I accepted my love for all things YA, I fell in love with books again! I still read all kinds of books, but YA is where my heart is... I started this blog as a way to share my passion for reading... and really all things YA - reads, TV shows, movies, and anything else that catches my eye.

Who are you?
My name is Jennifer (but you can call me Jen), I'm in my early thirties, and I live in a suburb outside of Denver with my husband and pup-dog Koda. We love living in Colorado, and feel lucky to have such a huge playground (the mountains) in our backyard. I have a B.S. in Engineering Physics, and currently work as a Systems Engineering Consultant. I started my own consulting business, and I enjoy being my own boss, working primarily from home, and my flexible schedule!

What genres do you usually read?
I primarily read the YA genre and all it's fabulous sub-genres. My favorites right now are paranormal, romance, contemporary, and dystopian.

Do you have a favorite book series?
This is hard... I'll start with the obvious - The Harry Potter Series, the Twilight Saga, The Hunger Games, The Wolves of Mercy Falls, and most recently, the Hex Hall series!

What are your other hobbies?
Besides reading, I enjoy watching TV/movies, listening to music, playing the piano, hanging out with friends, playing games (anything from cards to board games to video games), hiking/snowshoeing, camping, traveling and SCUBA diving when I have the opportunity.

What TV shows and movies do you like to watch? 
I'm a self-admitted TV addict. I heart my TiVo. I watch all kinds of shows... The Vampire Diaries (my fav), American Idol, Parenthood, Criminal Minds, Castle, Friday Night Lights (love!), Grey's Anatomy, Gossip Girl, The Voice, and So You Think You Can Dance (another fav)... there's more but this list is already long and embarrassing :). I love movies too! Some all time favorites are Dirty Dancing, Good Will Hunting, The Abyss, Top Gun, anything by John Hughes with the "Brat Pack" (Sixteen Candles, Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Pretty in Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful, etc.). I'm also a sucker for anything dance related - Step Up, Center Stage, Stomp the Yard, Save the Last Dance...

What are you looking forward to most for Armchair BEA?
I'm most looking forward to meeting other like minded bloggers! My experience so far has been amazing. The book blogging community has been so supportive, welcoming, and helpful! I've learned so much!

Where will you be while participating in Armchair BEA?
I will be blogging and browsing ABEA from my Macbook while lounging on my chaise I scored from overstock.com, I love it!

Thanks to Kristin from Beneath Shining Stars, I Read for the idea of doing a mock interview as an introduction post, and offering to share her questions! Please go check out her blog too!