Monday, June 4, 2012

Armchair BEA Day 1 - Introductions!


Hi kids! It's Armchair BEA time - and I promise that I'm not naked today! (No promises for the rest of the week.) Hey, I'm at home, and I do what I want. Okay, down to business. If you're not clicking as hard as you can to get away from here, I'm betting you want to know a little bit about me. So have yourself a seat in that wee little chair up there and learn a thing or two about Kayla.

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 Kayla, and I am a bibliophile. I have an excessive collection of books, but I'm trying to rein in a little. I often tell people that I'm only one book binge away from Hoarders, but it hit me that it was pretty true. Embarrassingly true. I'm cleaning out my bookshelves of books that aren't really for me and/or are in bad condition. Sorry, John Grisham, all but The Broker is going to find new homes.

I got into book blogging because I was already talking so much about books in my library, Goodreads, and Twitter. I have a humor blog, so I thought I would give book blogging a spin. I've loved every minute of it, and my humor blog is very jealous and neglected.

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

I am currently reading Worldsoul by Liz Williams, which is dragging a little right now. Maybe it's because I have been reading so much YA lately. We shall see.

I don't really have a distinct favorite that I've read this year. You can check out my list of favorites (and possibly win one!) over on My Favorite Reads Giveaway.

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

I'm dieting right now, and it's horrible. I've lost about thirty pounds since the beginning of the year, but I've been cheating lately. I've gained five pounds back, and it's not because of cake. It's all potato chips. They are like crack.

I'm so ashamed.

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

I really enjoy doing author interviews! I don't care if they're indie, Big Six, whatever - they are all fantastic, and I'm so humbled that they take the time to talk to me. I am a sometimes writer (I'm not ready to go all the way yet), and I love to read about their processes and paths to publication. This is part of why blogging is the best hobby that I've ever had.

If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?

I'd love to get my hands on Atticus O'Sullivan from Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid Chronicles. I dated an Irish guy once upon a time, and he was one of my favorite people. If he was that awesome, just imagine how great Atticus would be... *drools* Oh! He also has a really great sense of humor, which I suspect is Kevin's fault.

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So there you have it! This is me, and I hope you enjoy Armchair BEA as much as I plan to!

28 comments:

  1. I'm so glad to hear that someone else has a potato chip addiction. If you put a bowl of M&M's or Hershey's Kisses on my desk, it might be empty in a year. If you put a bowl of potato chips...gone in an hour or two. (Unless they're Pringles. Can't stand those- they're like hard, mashed potato wafers. Yuck!)

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    1. I don't like Pringles either! Unfortunately, I lack your resolve - I would eat the chocolate, too. ;-)

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  2. I so feel you on the potato chips. I've always been more of a salty than sweet kind of gal! But still...25 pounds is a huge accomplishment, and you should be proud of yourself for that!

    I just recently became a fan of the Iron Druid Chronicles! I've only read the first book, but I loved it! I actually listened to it on audiobook, and Luke Daniels was such a fantastic narrator!

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    1. Oh, it's been a hard 25 pounds to lose! It's taken me 6 years to finally do it, but I'm proud of myself for making it this far. *wipes frosting off mouth*

      I'm telling you right now, the audiobook for Hammered is probably one of my all-time favorites. :-)

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  3. How many books is excessive? I am down to about 1800 after dumping 500 recently.

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    1. Let's just say that my household would be ecstatic if I trimmed it down to 1800. :-)

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  4. I'm not a huge UF fan but I really do want to read The Iron Druid chronicles. Hope you enjoy your week.

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    1. You should, it's fantastic! I hope you enjoy your week as well, Ryan.

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  5. Yep -- I share your book hoarding habit. Unfortunately, I started in college when I was convinced I wouldn't have any money to buy books ever again - and then got a job in a bookstore. I have managed to clean off the shelves quite a bit and am planning a purge in the coming months.

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    1. I made the mistake of working in a bookstore for a few years... *shudders* My bookshelves are still moaning about the weight.

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  6. Hi Kayla!! Enjoy BEA week!!!


    http://lovesbooksreviews.blogspot.com/2012/06/armchair-bea-about-me.html

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  7. Hi Kayla! I agree about potato chips, once you pop 'em you can't stop. or something like that! there's even potato chips in ice cream a la Ben & Jerry's Late Night Snack! some days I wish I was like my friend who absolutely abhors potatoes and all forms of it, haha.

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    1. Uh oh, I think I'm glad that I've never seen that type of B&J. I. Would. Binge.

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  8. Nice to meet you!!!!

    Potato chips are definitely crack, and I feel your pain on the whole Hoarders thing - I've had a tower of "I bought these because I really want to read them but never did but want to keep them in sight" books that keeps growing instead of shrinking... *sigh* Someday!

    Hope you have a great Armchair week!

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    1. Bahaha! The TTT I did on Krazy Book Lady this week was about the books that I had to buy but haven't read. I chose the ten that were sitting closest to me. :-/

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  9. Oh my gosh, don't even get me started on potato chips. Especially bbq ones. I can eat an entire bag in less than a half an hour... it's bad.

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  10. Hi Kayla! I love that you have an excessive collection of books! I also love collecting books! I'm not really an eBook girl - I *need* to have physical copies! I just love them and I love having an overflowing bookshelf!

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    1. Yeah, I'm still iffy about the whole eBook thing, too. I think I can point to 1984 as the origin of that issue. :-)

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  11. Dude 'potato chips are like crack' is SO true. I'd live on them if I could.....

    I actually bring my new books home and HIDE them in boxes so my boyfriend doesn't know my collection is breeding....and then there's the ebooks (yeah, I managed to FILL UP one e-reader!).

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    1. I won't tell you how many ebooks I have. It's embarrassing to the nth degree. And I do the same thing as you with the book sneaking. I live at my grandmother's house, and she will KILL me if she sees me bringing more books in. I have wall-to-ceiling bookshelves all through the house, and they are packed. There really isn't room for any more. :-)

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  12. Hi There!

    Potato chips are the work of the Devil, I'm sure! :D

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  13. I always say that I am so close to being on Hoarders because of my obsession with books. haha.
    It's so great to meet you!!
    Hope you have a great Armchair BEA week!
    Here's my post: http://little-red-reads.blogspot.com/2012/06/armchair-bea-introductions.html

    xo Stephanie

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  14. As funny as it may sound, I wish I was a book hoarder...but I'm as poor as a church mouse. Although I'm proud of my collection so far, I have a long way to go!

    Seeing so many bloggers participate in Armchair BEA, I've decided to join in as well! http://pearlsofgreatworth.blogspot.com/

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  15. Chips are always my downfall, too, which is why I try to keep them out of the house!

    While I am not a hoarder, I do have quite a collection of books and my husband wants to build more bookshelves, which just means I get to buy more books, right?

    Here's my Armchair BEA Intro Post.

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  16. Candy is my downfall! Ugh - who am I kidding, I'm a huge junk food fan...but candy is my nemesis! Nice to meet you!

    - Maria @ http://miscmarialovesbooks.blogspot.com/

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  17. Hey Kayla! I was watching Hoarders the other night and looked at book cases, boxes of books and then went through them and purged a handful. LOL I was worried I was becoming a book hoarder. So it's too funny to stumble upon your ABEA post today where it mentions Hoarders.

    I am sure you did great in picking out a bunch of books to purge. It's such a hard thing to do... letting go of books. Good luck!

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You are going to put words in my box?! *squeezes you* Now I shall stalk YOUR blog!