Armchair BEA: Networking

Design credit goes to Nina of Nina Reads

Today is the day that we discuss networking. For Day 3, we want you to share your positive experiences of using your blog to get involved in your community. This can involve partnerships with the local literary scene, attending author events and signings, or getting together with bloggers in your area. We want to hear it all!

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I'm sort of an introvert, definitely shy, when it comes to meeting and making friends with people. I started my blog because I wanted to get to know those  people that already followed me on Goodreads and Facebook. Since my blog started growing, I've been more in contact with our local library system about purchasing newer books that they might not otherwise purchase on a given day. As of today, I've given them a list of new releases through July. Need to work on August and September sometime soon. I've read several responses about contacting independent booksellers and partnering up with them. That's such a great idea!


For the record, I also donate lots, and lots of books to the library. Usually they go towards the monthly library warehouse book sales where you can get bags filled with books for a really cheap price. You can even get a tax credit, write-off, if you itemize your taxes. Just something to think about.

As for going to Book Conventions, well, that's not going to happen unless I'm graced with a new job or my family continues to offer their support in regards to my obsession with reading. I definitely want to go to DragonCon over the labor day holiday and have informed the parental unit of my intentions. I've heard it's so much fun and it's only 4 hours away from where I live! Had I remained in New York, I would most likely be taking in the sights and sounds of BEA.

Pertaining to author signings, believe it or not I've never been! Seriously I live such a sheltered life it's a wonder I can get out of bed in the morning without some serious help from others. On that note, I'm "planning" on driving from Jacksonville to Fort Lauderdale on June 14th to meet Richelle Mead. Hopefully my camera and phone won't go all freaky Friday on me and quit working. Yes, that has happened to me as well.

We also have Jennifer Armentrout's Onyx tour coming to Jacksonville on June 10th. I seriously want to go if only to receive a free signed copy of Onyx. Hoping that other authors will find themselves in and around the Jacksonville area. It's kind of depressing that we live in one of the biggest cities in the south, and yet they avoid us like the plague.

So, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. My only advice to others in my situation is to keep your head held high and know that there are others in the same situation.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

*Shelley*

Armchair BEA Post #2 – Top 5 Favorites Of 2012

(Banner by NinaReads)

Day 2 of ArmchairBEA explores what we believe were the top 5 books we've read so far this year.

For me, this is really hard since I've already read over 100 books!

SO, I'm going to pick some 4-5 star rated books and share them with you.

Chosen One's by Tiffany Truitt

Rhiannon Frater's The Last Bastion of the Living

Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

The Janus Affair by Pip Ballantine/Tee Morris

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Like I said above, I've read a bunch of books this year and there have been a whole

lot of excellent choices that I've picked out from Edelweiss, and Netgalley.

Love to hear your thoughts!

Armchair BEA - The Introductions

Designed by Nina @ Nina Reads

I’m participating in Armchair BEA this year, a virtual conference for book bloggers who can’t attend Book Expo America in New York this week. So all week long, you’ll see me posting according to the daily themes for Armchair BEA.

Today’s theme is “Introductions First!” Participants were given a list of 10 questions and asked to answer 5 of them, so that we can all get to know each other a little better. So here’s a little bit about me!

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? 

a. My name is Shelley and I run Gizmo's Reviews. I have lived in Florida for the past 12 years. I’m originally from New York State not the city. For the past 2 years I've been one of the top reviewers on Goodreads and have nearly 600 friends & followers. I've been blogging for less than a year but my blog was created June 2011. Since I started doing it full time, it has grown to the point where I have nearly 500 followers (linky, GFC, and email). I totally got into it when a friend suggested I use it more often to express my opinions and reviews. Needless to say my blog also got a newer sleeker look since then as well.

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

a. I'm currently reading Tarnished by Karina Cooper. It's a steampunk, action, adventure novel that I've been holding onto since receiving it from Edelweiss in April. I have too many books to list as favorites, but the last book I actually loved was the Janus Affair by Pip Ballantine, and Tee Morris. 

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

a. I would have to say that my favorite feature is the Feature & Follow Friday that is run by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It gives my blog exposure to new followers and allows me to have fun with coming up with new answers to the question or activity of the week.

4. Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?

a. The answer is no. I still enjoy the same books and the same genre's and authors that I did before my blogging started en masse. I would say however, that my desire to read more books has actually increased over last year when I read nearly 500 books!

5. What literary location would you most like to visit? Why?

a. Without any hesitation whatsoever, I would have to say Italy. I'm Italian and part of my family was originally from there. I would love to go back and take in the sights. The last time I was there was in the 1980's while I was in the military (Navy).

That's a little bit about me! I welcome all visitors and comments!