BBAW Interview Swap: Wordsmithonia

This second day of BBAW, and this is the day when we do the interview swap. This year, I feel very privileged to interview RyanG from Wordsmithonia! Why? Because I've been lurking around Wordsmithonia for almost a year now, but now I get the chance to do an interview! So, here's your chance to get to know RyanG better. Actually, if you want to get to know him a lot better, I suggest you head on over to his blog. You won't be sorry.:)

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself outside of your blogging life.

 

Currently my life revolves around work and my son.  I'm an assistant manager for a shoe retailer in the mall, which I've been doing for about 5 years.  It's long hours which doesn't allow me a lot of free time but I love it anyway.  It's new and different everyday and I get to learn so much while I'm there.  My son, who is now 7, is actually my nephew who I've had custody of since he was about 1 1/2.  Taking him has been the best thing I've ever done with my life and I'm thankful everyday for him.  I get my reading and blogging squeezed in between those two focuses.

 

2) How long have you been blogging and what got you started?

 

I started in July 2009 and I've been having a blast since then.  If I would have known about this community I would have been around years earlier.  I got started blogging by seeing how much fun a friend of mine from the Barnes & Noble book club boards, Deb of Bookmagic,  was having so I decided to jump in and join the fun.

 

3) What do you like most about book blogging?

 

Other than addimg to my already existing TBR pile I think I've enjoyed and been surprised by the warmth and kindness of my fellow bloggers.  They have been willing to answer my bazillion questions and give me the support that I needed, especially when I firt got started.  It has been a pleasure to be part of this community, which I plan on being with for years to come.

 

4) Have you experienced anything negative when it comes to book blogging? (e.g. got into an argument, got negative comments in one of your reviews, etc.) If so, how'd you handle it?

 

I haven't had an absolutely horrid experience yet but I have had a few negative reviews get some unflattering reactions from authors and one publisher.  I understand wanting to defend your book and I'm always a little leery about writing a negative review because I don't want to hurt the feelings of someone who toiled away for untold hours working on their book.  So I always try to be fair in my negative review.  I try to explain why I didn't like it instead of just saying so. 

 

What I've had a problem with is an author's chiding other commenters on post  or having an overly long explanation left in the comments detailing why my review was wrong.  To tell you the truth I wasn't sure how to deal with either situation so I sent them both emails letting them know how much I appreciated the opportunity to review the book and that I was sorry that the book didn't work for me.  Both emails were ignored so I chalked it up to a learning experience and left it alone.

 

5) Who are your favorite authors? 

 

There are a lot of them, but a few are Agatha Christie, Mercedes Lackey, Shirley Jackson, Daryl Gregory, Katherine Neville, and a ton of others.  I could go on and on but I don't want to bore you to death with an unending list.

 

6) Favorite book? Genre?

 

Mystery and Fantasy are by far my favorite two genres to read though horror would be a close third.  Some of my favorite books in those genres are And Then There Were None  and quite a few others by Agatha Christie, the Last Herald Mage trilogy by Mercedes Lackey, The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, Pandemonium by Daryl Gregory......there are too many to mention in this answer but these are some I couldn't live without.

 

7) Do you have a process when you write your reviews? If so, what is it?

 

I wish I did since it may make it easier for me.  I'm one of those strange fellows who can't really prewrite or take a ton of notes.  Every time I've tried those methods I end up with a big giant mess.  I actually do better when I set down at the computer to write my post and let it just come out.  I normally do a little editing that way but rarely ever have to start over and do it again.

 

8) What kind of book blogs do you like best?

 

I think if you were to look at my Blog Roll I'm not sure you would see a big trend in what I read.  I tend to gravitate toweards blogs that share some of the same tastes I do and the same sense of humor (dry, very dry).  I guess the biggest thing I look for is writing that I can relate to.

 

9) Any tips for fledgling book bloggers out there?

 

My biggest tip is to stay true to yourself.  You are going to see a lot of opinions out there about how you should write your posts, what kind of memes to do, what you should have on your sidebars, so on and so on.  I will say ignore what everyone else says and do what you are comfortable with.  I think you should write your blog to please yourself first and formost because if you don't like it nobody else will.      

--end of interview--

Thanks for the interview, RyanG! I honestly enjoyed reading your answers a lot, and I hope others enjoy reading them to. Don't forget, head on over to Wordsmithonia, and check out the other BBAW Interview Swaps, as well.