ARMCHAIR BEA 2015 | INTRO, SOCIAL MEDIA, FAVE CHARACTERS AND ADAPTATIONS

I’m a bit behind on my questions for Armchair BEA this year, but better late than never, right? Here’s the first few posts in one. Enjoy!

Introductions
I get to answer any five of the introduction questions included in the first Armchair BEA post of 2015 (which you can find here, if you haven’t done your own yet!). These are the ones I picked:

1. Why do you loving reading and blogging? I love seeing the world from a different viewpoint than my own. I love losing myself in someone else’s imagination or story. But what makes it even better is sharing that reading experience with someone else – hearing what they connected with, which parts they enjoyed the most, what they learned from it. Reading is so rich with the opportunity to share with both the author and other readers, and that makes it an excellent way to connect with others.
2. What is your theme song? Well that depends on the day. Some days it’s “Happy” by Pharrell, other days “Pretender” by The Foo Fighters, still others “Drive” by Incubus or even something mellow and relaxing. I like all kinds of music.
3. What does diversity mean to you? Diversity is about making an effort to stretch your comfort zone, and giving new things a chance before dismissing them. When it comes to literature, it’s not just about reading books by and about people from different geographical and ethnic backgrounds (though the cultural diversity there is rich and worth pursuing), but reading about people with all kinds of different life experiences. Not only that, but reading books from different genres – even those you feel like you’re not going to like. It’s all worth trying.
4. What is your favorite genre and why? Hmmm. I guess literary fiction, if that’s not too broad? Though I do enjoy young adult books, as well as the occasional mystery, sci-fi, light fantasy, experimental, memoir, travel memoir or non-fiction book about current or historical events I find interesting. So you could say I don’t really have one. I do tend towards fiction because there’s so much variety there, and I prefer realistic settings to fantastical realms (with some notable exceptions) because I find learning about other people’s lives, fictional or no, fascinating. I like seeing the world from different viewpoints and learning about the inner workings of others’ minds – whether they be fictional or real.
5. What book are you reading right now? I’m reading a whole bunch, but today I’m focusing on The Shore by Sara Taylor and A God In Ruins by Kate Atkinson. I’m having a bit of a hard time with both, so I’ve been reading a lot more slowly than usual. They’re good, but just not really what I feel like reading at the moment. I think I’m a bit burned out on family sagas, which unfortunately both of these happen to be. But I’m determined to finish them before moving on!

Social Media
How do you use social media to expand your blogging/writing horizons?  Social Media is all about networking and connections, and utilizing today’s technology to the fullest.  Make sure you mention your own social media pages. Do you have another blog, maybe a Tumblr? Have a Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook? Or maybe there’s an underrated social media program that you like. (Find the original post here.)

I love social media when it comes to the bookish community. Blogging is great – it’s somewhere to share my thoughts at length, and exchange comments. But it takes time to write a blog post, and sometimes I need to share my thoughts or ask questions right now. For this, Twitter is excellent. I rarely share my posts via Twitter, but I do meet fabulous new bloggers and get to hear about all the wonderful books you guys are raving about right away. It’s a wonderful way to let authors know how much you love their work, too!

Instagram is also great. I particularly love it when I’m on vacation, because a vacation always includes visiting some great bookstores and picking up some new volumes to add to my collection, and I love sharing so you guys can accompany me and add some bookstores to your list for the next time you’re wherever I’ve been.

As for dedicated book sites, I couldn’t live without Goodreads because I know so many people who use it. But I also absolutely adore Riffle, which is constantly evolving and improving. I don’t think I’ll ever completely switch over, but I do hope that more of my people create accounts so I can use both platforms.

If you want to come hang out with me, all of my social media buttons are at the top of the page, so click on over and say hi to me wherever you prefer to hang out online!

Character Chatter
It’s time to give your favorite characters some love! Characters are essential to a story, and they can make or break a book for some readers. Now’s your chance to shine the spotlight on your favorite characters, or maybe your least favorite. Who’s your favorite couple? What are the components of a well written character? What are you favorite or least favorite cliches associated with characters? (Find the original post here.)

Good characters are real to me. I feel like some of them have become old friends through re-reading over the years. But of course, among the greats, there are a few who stand out – Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables), Hermione Granger and the Weasley twins (the Harry Potter series), Matilda Wormwood (Matilda), Cassandra Mortmain (I Capture the Castle), Augustus Waters (The Fault In Our Stars). They don’t have that much in common on the surface, but with a bit of thought, I can see some common threads.

They all inspired me to look at the world with a bit more optimism. Despite adverse circumstances, all of them managed to keep a positive outlook – even, in most cases, a pretty killer sense of humour. But none of them are perfect. They have quirks or foibles or really unfortunate luck. Which makes each relatable and charismatic. I want a character with depth and layers, it makes it much more interesting to get to know them.

Book to Movie Adaptions
What books do you want to be made into a movie or television show? What are some of your favorites? We’ll explore more about this topic, especially what works and what doesn’t.  Are there any upcoming shows or movies that you’re excited for? What are your recommendations? (Find the original post here.)

Obviously my favourite book to movie adaptation is the Harry Potter series. It’s magical, and not just because it’s about, you know, magic. It sticks to the books pretty closely, is very well cast, and the production value and direction are excellent.

I also love the Bridget Jones movies, as well as Fight Club and, of course, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. More recently This Is Where I Leave You, The Fault In Our Stars, The Imitation Game and Gone Girl impressed me. But overall I think the various iterations of Sherlock Holmes win the battle of the box for me. I love both Sherlock, the infuriatingly short-seasoned British show featuring none other than Benedict Cumberbatch and its US counterpart, Elementary. Both are excellent and put a few spins on the classic sleuth.

Okay, so that about catches me up on Armchair BEA 2015 so far! Are you participating? If so, link me in the comments so I can come by and check out your posts!