Today on Befriend a Book Blogger we have Michelle from The Book Magnet. I love reading these posts as they come in and love finding new blogs to read and follow. I hope you do too.
Michelle comes from a family of book lovers and has had a love of books for as long as she can remember (don’t ever break a spine or fold a page in front of her). She considers herself a bit like Rory Gilmore (of The Gilmore Girls series) as she won’t go anywhere without a book to hand, which is a lot easier in this digital age. Michelle calls herself The Book Magnet as she always seems to have a sixth sense to find a source of books, be it a library, a book shop or hunting out hidden treasures at church fair book stalls.
Welcome to the blog, thanks for stepping away from yours for a few minutes to answer some questions about book blogging.
We’ll start with the easy questions and then see where we go from there!
How long have you been book blogging and what prompted you to start?
I have been book blogging for just over 2 years after being encouraged by my young cousin, Georgia, over on Teen Book Hoots. I’ve always said I’m a reader not a writer so I felt it was a bit of challenge to write about the books I have read, and I was definitely out of my comfort zone at first.
Tell us a little bit about your blog, what will blog readers find there?
My blog is called The Book Magnet as I feel the pull of books wherever I go and I always end up in book shops, libraries or at book stalls. I read a variety of different books from autobiography to chicklit, with thrillers, historical and psychological being my favourite genres.
What’s your favourite part about book blogging?
Being introduced to new authors and reading books that I wouldn’t normally have chosen is definitely my favourite thing about book blogging. I have found some hidden gems and some books that I will read again and again but I don’t think I would have found them among the massive choice available in the book shop.
What has been your highlight since you’ve started?
Getting quoted in a published book is a dream come true. I’ve seen a few of my quotes in ebooks but my first paperback quote was published inside the front cover of Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Howard. I’ve also recently learned that I am to be quoted on the new front cover of The Brief by Simon Michael.
If you could carry on blogging but could stop doing one thing (that’s maybe a necessary part of the process now) what would it be?
Tinkering with computer code. Sometimes things don’t appear the way that you want them to and sometimes I spend more time on formatting rather than writing.
What advice would you give to anyone who is considering starting a book blog?
Be prepared for the amount of time it takes and don’t expect to run before you can walk as building up followers takes time. Also join TBC and Book Connectors on Facebook as you can get help and advice from fellow book bloggers.
How much time does it take up?
A lot! I call it my second job. Sometimes a review flows out of my brain into my fingers but other times I can sit looking at a blank screen wondering where to start. I always carry a note book so I can jot down thoughts that come into my head whilst reading or even a few hours or days after I have read a book.
What are your reading habits like?
I always read in bed for a couple of hours before going to sleep and read a few hours in bed on a morning at the weekend. I alternate between an e-book and a paperback/hardback so I’m always reading at least 2 books.
What state is your TBR (To Be Read) pile in?
My TBR pile is competing to be the tallest tower in the world. It is actually several piles around the house of around 150 hard copies and a virtual pile of around 60 ebooks.
What do you drink while reading?
A nice cup of tea, although sometimes it gets cold as I forget about it when I am immersed in a good book.
Where’s your favourite place to read?
In bed – it is absolutely the most comfortable place as I have a Tempur mattress and I love it.
What book would you recommend, that gets little attention, that you haven’t really seen talked about? And why, what is it about this book that you love?
The Brief by Simon Michael. It is such an unusual crime thriller as it contains actual court documents and witness statements so it really brings the book to life. I actually felt like I was in court when I was reading it and honestly couldn’t put it down. Everyone I have recommended it to has read it within 2 days and they agreed that it is unputdownable.
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these. It’s been a pleasure having you.
You can find Michelle on her Blog | Twitter | Instagram
You can find all previous book blogger posts, HERE.
If you’re a book blogger and want to take part then do let me know.
This is such an interesting feature, and a great interview. Thanks, both! I know just what you mean about exploring ‘new-to-me’ authors, too. That’s one thing I like very much, too. Blogging really does broaden the reading horizons.