Book Blogger Hop and a Fabulous Friday

I don't know that I'd call myself a Book Blogger anymore, because I've been absent for so long, BUT I like the company, so I'm jumping right in again.

Book Blogger Hop is hosted each week by

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

This week's question is:

Have you ever read a book written in a foreign language that you might be fluent in and then read the same book in English?

My answer is:

No.

I'm only fluent in Pig-Latin and I don't know that any books have been written in that language.

Seriously tho---I am not fluent in any foreign language.  I wish I were.

Each and every Friday, Michelle of the blog, That’s What She Read, shares what makes  Friday a Fabulous day for her and she has a Mister Linky where you can share your own post of what makes your own Friday fabulous.

Just click here to check it out for yourself!

Okay, this Friday is fabulous because....

see these two old ladies?

These two old ladies  have coffee together every Tuesday morning at 6am. In our jammies. 

We've been doing it for over 12 years.

Every.

Tuesday (sorry not Friday)

6am.

I had to change the from color to black and white and  have a 'smaller' pictures so you can't see all of our 6am flaws.

Just a few, but you know.... 

I took the photo on Tuesday, but now that it's FRIDAY

(they made me wait until today--sigh), I can tell you why.

We are both going to be grandmas! Again!

Number 8 for each of us.

And that is fabulous!

It's a fabulous day when I can finally blab about a new baby!

It's also fabulous because we get to have dinner with our Friday Night Friends--who have been in Europe for a month, so it'll be fun to catch up with them.

How about you?  What makes today fabulous for you?

Book Blogger Hop

Book Blogger Hop is hosted each week by

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

This week's question is:

Would you take a book with you when you go to your family's Thanksgiving gathering/dinner?

My answer is:

Of course I'd take one!  But I probably wouldn't read it.

I always have a book with me--just in case.

I'd only read it if the trip was an overnight one.  If we just went for the day, I would not, but I'd feel safe knowing I had one in my purse -- just in case.

Most of the time I'm the one doing the cooking, and later in the day, there is no time to read, there are board games to play, or a walk to take, or a football game to watch.

Book Blogger Hop, Fabulous Friday and This or That

Book Blogger Hop is hosted each week by

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

This week's question is:

You've been invited to a costume party and the theme is classic literature characters. Who would you go as?

and my answer is:

The same as it always is for bookish/Halloween/costume parties--

The Ghost of Jacob Marley.

It's classic!

I always thought that having my jaw tied shut would be a good thing with all that Halloween candy, but upon giving it a second thought--those chains would get old by the end of the evening!

Hmmmmm, so....maybe Lady McBeth?

Or I could always go as the clown as in Stephen King's

IT!

But being a clown right now is not really a good thing.  Clowns are very creepy tho.....but  I think I'll have to stick to Jacob Marley.

A classic literature ghost!

*******************

Each and every Friday, Michelle of the blog, That’s What She Read, shares what makes  Friday a Fabulous day for her and she has a Mister Linky where you can share your own post of what makes your own Friday fabulous.

Just click here to check it out for yourself!

As usual I have Friday off, so what's not fabulous?

But this one?

It's RAINING!

I don't expect all of you who don't live in the desert to understand how fabulous this is.  It's so rare for us.

And this dry lake bed in the photo below?  A short 30 mile drive from my house and there you are! 

That probably is not pretty, as there will be flash flooding, but... I'm not there today. I am warm and safe with a book and coffee, on my couch,  watching the rain fall.

I just realized how boring I sound.

Rain.

Books.

Coffee.

Want to come join me?

******************

~ RULES ~

Mention the creator of the tag.

Thank the person who tagged you.

Tag other people and spread the love.

Thanks to JoAnn from Lakeside Musing, for tagging me (and  also you if you'd like to join in) in the This or That Book Tag, and to Ayunda from Tea & Paperbacks, the creator of this book tag.

1) Reading on the couch or reading in bed?

A big comfy chair actually, but I can do the couch.

I sometimes take a book to bed and the Handyman laughs at me, because I just hold it for a while and then fall asleep without reading a word.

I'm one of those people who can fall asleep the moment my head hits the pillow.

2) Main character: Male or Female?

I've never given this much thought.

My two favorite series main characters? One is a woman, one is a man.

I a fraught with indecision!

3) Sweet or salty snacks while reading?

Homemade snickerdoodles!  Or chocolate chip cookies.

Or brownies.  Or....

I guess my answer would be sweet snacks.

4) Trilogies or quartets?

Series that never end!

5) First Person or Third Person POV?

Both.

6) Night or morning reader?

All day reader, but my favorite time is morning.

I'm an early riser and I love nothing more than to grab a cup of coffee and my book and read for a couple hours (I'm a REALLY early riser) while the sun comes up.

7) Libraries or bookstores?

This is like asking me to choose between my children.  I have always told them in private that they are my favorite. 

They are on to me--but seriously, my love for each of them is different, but the same. 

I'm talking Libraries and bookstores here.

8) Books that make you laugh or books that make you cry?

I think books that make you cry stay with you longer.  They have a particular appeal to me.

On the other hand---there is nothing better than a good laugh.

9) Black or white book covers?

Both book covers matter!

10) Character driven or plot driven stories?

If I had to choose, I would say character driven novels.

(with a good plot and setting of course)

The reason I like series is because of the character development over time.

What about you?

Consider yourself tagged if you want to be!

Book Blogger Hop and Fabulous Friday

Book Blogger Hop is hosted each week by

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

This week's question is:

  Name one book that scared you so badly that you couldn't finish reading it.

My answer is.....

hmmmm---nada.

I've never not finished a scary book.

Scary books are kind of fun and get your adrenaline going.

One time,  long ago, when I was newly married, 38 years ago,  on a cold winter night in January, my husband was doing inventory (he worked for JCPenney at the time), so he was going to be working late into the  night. 

I was all alone, so of course I would pick up my book, right?

I was reading the Amityville Horror AND I had the Twilight Zone on the TV.  At about  2 in the morning  I began to  hear strange noises on the patio--I can't even explain them--it was a crashy slushy sound, really weird.  What did I do? 

I went and got my husband's gun (he was also a reserve police officer at the time)  and set it on the coffee table in front of me (not that I knew how to use it, the safety was on the whole time he told me) but I DID NOT stop reading or having Twilight Zone on for background noise.

So no, I don't stop reading a scary book, although I don't read many of them.

I'm very diverse in my reading, but scary books are probably one of the lowest on the list.

And scary movies?  Not for me.  I guess I can always put the book down and walk away if I need to,  but scary movies -- in a theater-- you can't.  Of course there are exceptions to the rule--Alfred Hitchcock movies are great!

oh...and the scary sound was just icicles falling of the roof and crashing on the patio. 

The Handyman and I still laugh about that night, because when he walked in soon after 2--he looked at the gun and then at me and said  "Honey, I told you I'd be late!"

(and then later---what were you going to do with that gun? Throw it at me? Cuz the safety is on)

And now...

Each and every Friday, Michelle of the blog, That’s What She Read, shares what makes  Friday a Fabulous day for her and she has a Mister Linky where you can share your own post of what makes your own Friday fabulous.

Just click here to check it out for yourself!

Can I just always say that I have Fridays off so they are all Fabulous?

Today I am joining some old friends for lunch, so that will be fun to catch up with them, and it's Fall, and there are crunchy leaves to walk thru on the ground and crisp air and sweatshirts to wear.

And then later I get to cook!

Just call me a dork and get it over with--YES, I like to fool around in my kitchen and make new recipes and  (okay this is really dorky) work on my Friday Friend Cookbook Countdown.

So, I guess it's Fabulous to know yourself and know what you like to do and have fun doing it.

Have a great--I mean Fabulous--Friday!

Book Blogger Hop and Fabulous Friday

Book Blogger Hop is hosted each week by

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

This week's question is:

Do you encourage other reading friends to start a blog or at least put their thoughts/reviews on public reading sites such as Goodreads, Amazon, etc?

No.

Wow!  That's the shortest answer EVER.

But.... geez.... I can't leave it at that.  Or maybe I can. No. Wait.

I do have a few friends who are on Goodreads---local friends, I mean. 

I keep up with them there, and I guess I have encouraged them to keep track there.

Just changed my answer...

Yes, I have told people about Goodreads and keeping track of their books there, and it's also a great source for reviews.

**********

And now, for the first time ever, I'm going to tell you what makes Friday Fabulous for me!

Each and every Friday, Michelle of the blog, That’s What She Read, shares what makes  Friday a Fabulous day for her and she has a Mister Linky where you can share your own post of what makes your own Friday fabulous.

Just click here to check it out for yourself!

So... I have Fridays off which makes them all FABULOUS,  but today, I have nothing to do!!

Being an introvert, who needs down time, and having a job that doesn't allow for down time (ribbon cuttings, Business mixers, events, etc), I treasure alone time.

It's just me and the dog, a cup of coffee, a stack of letters I need to answer.  It's almost October--I'm in heaven!

That is until----5:30pm, when I have to attend a 'kick-off' mixer for the Lazy P Adventure Farm!  (corn maze, haunted house and all that).  BUT, I kind of don't mind this one, as I love all things Fall and this is a pretty good event.

Anyway---Love me some alone time, which I will have all day today!

That is fabulous!

My day:

Yay!!

Book Blogger Hop

Book Blogger Hop is hosted each week by

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

This week's question is:

How many years have you been blogging? Anything special you want to tell everyone about your experiences?

I have been blogging since  2007.  9 years.

I started out blogging questions and answers to my friends, but they didn't really 'get' what a blog was at the time, so I switched over to food blogging.

It's a wonderful world of food bloggers out there---but I was not original, I just like to cook.  Then I had a book blog, then a big backyard blog, etc.

It was a lot of work, so I decided to just have my own blog and talk about whatever I wanted to, which is mostly books.  Then food.  Then random stuff.

I've met two blogging friends in person, become pen-pals with a couple others.

Those would be special experiences for me.

The blogging community is a very nice and supportive group of people.

At least the book nerds, foodies are.

It's special.

Book Blogger Hop

Book Blogger Hop is hosted each week by

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

This week's question is:

When you set a yearly reading goal, do you set it high to force yourself to meet that goal or do you keep it low and normally go over that goal any way?

My answer?

This is a hard one for me.

I always think I set it  'just about right' and then I go way over  OR don't come anywhere close.  But to be fair, the couple of years I didn't come anywhere close, there was lots of upheaval in our lives.

(does upheaval mean only bad?   Because in those years there was both good and bad stuff, but just really busy kind of stuff that kept me from reading.

  I'm getting off track, aren't I?)

Anyway....

I'm not as fast a reader as some, but I am a fairly fast reader.  I sent my goal last year at 52, but read 98.

This year I set it at 60 and today I'm at 58 read.

I do like to meet my goal, but I guess I do need to up my game and set a more realistic number.

What about you?  Do you set reading goals?

Book Blogger Hop

 

Book Blogger Hop is hosted each week by

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

 

This week's question is:

 

 

Why did you start your blog?

 

Hmmmm....why did I start my blog.

Honestly, I thought it would be a better forum for my group of "Friday Friends" to discuss things. Better than email.  But it never really caught on with them.

If you go to the beginning of my blog in 2007,  there is a bunch of rambling that no one would ever understand. (it's my friends from all over the country discussing and answering some random questions, which I had posed to them)

That was short lived, because them I discovered food blogging.  Then book blogging, then photography blogging, etc.

I had separate blogs for each, and then I decided 'screw that' it's my blog, my hobby, I can do whatever I want in ONE blog and WAH-LA!  Here it is.

It is 68% a book blog and 32% food and other stuff.

 

And that's why I started this blog.

You?

 

Book Blogger Hop

 

Book Blogger Hop is hosted each week by

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

 

This week's question is:

 

Have you ever ventured out of your comfort zone in terms of reading a genre you have never read? If so, did you get hooked on that new genre?

 

My answer:

Well....let me tell you....I read pretty much everything.

But if I had to choose, Sci-Fi and Fantasy are my most least read, but when I do read them I LOVE the stories.  They're just not my 'go to' kind of book.

 

Right now my guilty pleasure are Romance Novels.

I hadn't read them for 25 years, but  lately .... there have been a lot of them.

They're fun, fast and really good.

 

 

Book Blogger Hop

 

 

Book Blogger Hop is hosted each week by

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

 

This week's question is:

 

How much of your day is devoted to your blog, and how much is devoted to reading?

 

My answer?

Reading Wins!

Here's the thing.  I blog for fun.  I never review books--I just love the book blogging community and all the people.

My blog is not sophisticated, I am not very technologically  inclined,  Twitter still intimidates me (I know this is about my blog and not Twitter, but I just thought I'd throw that in), I don't understand my IPhone, and  I don't take the time I probably should to figure out stuff for my blog, BUT -  I so love  YOU and your blogs!!

I have found my 'blog' place and it's okay.

 

Sometimes I will go a week without a blog post update---my life just gets in the way---but I'd never go a day without reading, BECAUSE, reading IS my life.

Well, books and the Handyman, my kids, grandkids, friends, dog, cat, cabin in the woods, church,  wino bingo, book clubs, lunch, cooking!

Those things are my life, but I'm always able to get some reading in between; morning, noon and night.

 

I am amazed and in awe of how many of you keep up such wonderful blogs AND interact with other bloggers so often.

You are my heroes!

 

Did I answer the question?

More time devoted to reading.

Less to my blog.

 

 

Book Blogger Hop

 

Book Blogger Hop is hosted each week by

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

 

This week's question is:

 

 

Do you believe audio books are the future and why do believe?

 

and my answer is:

I don't believe they are THE future, but I do believe that more and more people have come to love and appreciate them.

Stephen King says they are 'story telling at it's best', and everyone knows we love a good story.

 

I listen to audio books very often--every day, in fact.  In the car, while I clean the kitchen, while I go for a walk, etc.  BUT there is also nothing like having the afternoon to yourself and curling up with a good book IN HAND.

 

 

Book Blogger Hop

 

Book Blogger Hop is hosted each week by

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

 

This week's question is:

 

Do you tend to read more in the winter or in the summer months?

 

My answer is:

January is always my biggest reading month.

I can get 10 or so books read in January and no other month compares to that. 

So I guess that means winter.  But I always read a lot in the summer too. 

Book Blogger Hop

 

Book Blogger Hop is hosted each week by

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

 

This week's question is:

 

Are you able to read in the car?   

 

My answer is:

Yes.

 

But you didn't think I would leave it at that, did you?

Car trips are my FAVORITE, for that very reason.  Forced reading time!!

We live in rural Nevada--every where we go is a road trip.  And most of our road trips are very 8-12 hours long, so when we get ready to go on a trip, my book bag is almost as big as my suitcase.

Actually book reading is not my only road trip  talent. 

Everyone has a talent, some people paint, some sing, some sew....  I write letters in the car!   Woooooo!!!

 

Seriously tho--I do have one of  those little lap desks and when we travel, I take 2-3 fiction books, a non-fiction I've been meaning to read,  a cookbook or two to get ideas from and a bag of stationary/address book and letters that need to be answered.

 

Yes, I can read in the car.

 

Sometimes I do visit with the Handyman.