What's the meaning behind the name of your book blog?
The short answer is that we love books with a punk mentality: questioning, subversive, and addressing issues or writteny by authors getting ignored by the mainstream.
The long answer about where the name came from lives here: http://www.bookpunks.com/fire-in-the-books-a-book-punks-creation-story/
How long have you been blogging?
Me personally? Almost ten years.
Me, Book Punks? We celebrated our first birthday in May.
Tell us a bit about your book blog. What makes it unique?
Unique is a heavy word.
But what makes us us are the people behind the pens. I am an American permenantly transplanted in Germany and a freelance travel writer and editor. My co-editor Erika is a young adult librarian who lives in California who likes to pair books with songs. We met in college (where we both studied literature), and we both love SFF with the burning passion of a thousand red giants.
We also have a few folks from Anarcho Geek Review who do a column, as well as the occasional review from Tara, a seamtress audio book geek based in Maryland.
What genres do you write about most, and why?
We focus on speculative fiction, though if something from another genre really gets under our skin, we'll review it. It is all book love all the time, but what my co-editor Erika and I love the most is science fiction and fantasy.
Every blogger feels pressure at some point. What's something you feel pressured to do or not do on your blog? How do you deal with it?
I don't buy into blogging pressure. The moment I feel anything remotely like it I change what I am doing to fit my needs. I wish I had all the time to write all the things, but I don't. Realistic expectations can go a long way to eliminating the chance of falling into a stressed blogger trap. If I don't feel like writing about books I might try a new format--say, short reviews. Or I will write about general reading issues instead of books. Or not at all. I see blogging as something that should increase my happiness, and as soon as it stops doing that, I stop and re-assess.
What's one book you think everyone should read?
Well, at the moment I am obsessed with The Fictional Man by Al Ewing. It has everything I love: science fictional elements, questions about what it means to be human, social commentary, a page-turning plot, writers writing, and a large dose of meta.
Writing in books: Yes or hell to the no?
While I do have a few books that I would never write in--the signed copies or special collector's hardcovers--I write in books all the time. But only in pencil.
What's your favorite place to read or blog?
On my porch in the sun. In bed. In my favorite chair at the local cafe with free wifi.
Do you judge a book by its cover, or its lover?
Both. I am horribly judgemental about covers. But if someone whose taste I trust recommends something with a bad cover, I'll get over it and try it.
To DNF or not to DNF?
I went on a long rant about this recently here: http://www.bookpunks.com/making-the-painful-decision-to-give-up-on-a-book/
Basically it boils down to this: Life is too short to read mediocre books.
What's one book that intimidates you?
Ulysses by James Joyce
If you could go to any literary destination, where would you go?
Walter Moers Zamonien or China Mieville's Bas-Lag.
How about non-book related hobbies? What do you do when you don't feel like reading?
Sing. Bike. Build shit.
What are 3 favorite posts or reviews you've read by other book bloggers?
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (2004) by Susanna Clarke by From Couch to Moon
Review: The Kingdom of the Gods, N. K. Jemisin by Reading the End
Reading Fantasy in a Tiny Country by Of Dragons and Hearts
What is your reading personality? (via quiz at http://www.bookbrowse.com/quiz/)
The All-Rounder
Thank you for joining us today, Nicolette!
Remember to check out Nicolette's blog, Book Punks, and leave a comment or question for her below!
I think these posts are a great way to introduce readers to new bloggers. I had fun reading about Nicolette and her blog :)
ReplyDeletehttp://ofstacksandcups.blogspot.com/
Thanks for stopping by for an interview! I'm always fascinated by people who co-blog. How did you all meet, considering you are literally spread across the world?!?
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