Thursday, August 28, 2014

The Big 10



Okay, I saw this on a literary agent’s Facebook status: name 10 books that have stayed with you. Well, here are my 10. Please, share yours with me. Ooh, by the way, I have a tumblr account now: http://veronicaleighbooks.tumblr.com. Follow me and I’ll follow you.

Now, here are my 10.



1. "I Capture the Castle," by Dodie Smith




2. "The Diary of a Young Girl," by Anne Frank




3. "Pride and Prejudice," by Jane Austen



4. "Sense and Sensibility," by Jane Austen




5. "To Kill A Mockingbird," by Harper Lee



6. "The Help," by Kathryn Stockett



7. "My Brilliant Career," by Miles Franklin



8. "The Hiding Place," by Corrie ten Boom



9. "In My Hands," by Irena Gut Opdyke




10. "Anne of Green Gables," by L.M. Montgomery

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Reading Habits Q&A

I stole this from another blog, so feel free to steal this from me.




Do you snack while you read? If so, what is your favorite reading snack?
You bet I do! Chocolate, brownies, ice cream, chips… love my junk food. This answer is also applicable to what I eat while I write.

What is your favorite drink while reading?
Water, root beer, peach mango tea and in the cold weather hot chocolate.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?
If I see an error, I have to correct it. It’s rude, I know, but seriously, if someone as simple as I am can find mistakes, then they deserve to be pointed out.



How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?
Bookmarks and/or laying the book flat open. What kind of sadist dog-ears a book? That is like literary blasphemy.

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?
Well, if it’s good and realistic fiction, I like it. But melodrama stuff with one-dimensional characters grates on my nerves. So, I guess I do prefer non-fiction.

Are you the kind of person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?
Unless I am on the edge of my seat (which rarely happens anymore), I can stop anywhere and pick it up some other time.  



Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?
I don’t like throwing period, so no throwing books. But I have thrown away a couple books when I discovered something disturbing about a certain author.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?
Yes, or I ask some else if they know what it means. Sometimes by the way a sentence is arranged you can figure out what the word means.

What are you currently reading?
Ruth Maier’s diary. She was a contemporary of Anne Frank and Mary Berg. She originally lived in Austria and had to flee to Norway when the Nazis’ persecution grew too harsh. Unfortunately, like Anne Frank, the Nazis invaded the new country she lived in and was sent to Auschwitz where she met her fate.



What is the last book you bought?
“The Lizzie Bennet Diaries,” by Bernie Su. Oh. My. Gosh. Anyone who loved the video diary series or likes a good contemporary adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice,” will love it. It’s hilarious and possibly the only modern version that captures the essence of the original classic.

Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time, or can you read more than one?
I juggle two or three at a time. Usually a couple non-fictions and a novel.

Do you have a favorite time/place to read?
I can usually be found on the living room couch, the front porch or in my bed reading. Basically, any place I can see where I can sit and stick my nose in the book.



Do you prefer series books or stand-alones?
Generally I prefer stand-alone novels that leave a long-lasting impression. Too often sequels depreciate their superior predecessor. Better a stand-alone, life-changing book than a string of mediocre sequels.

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?
“I Capture the Castle,” “Pride and Prejudice,” “Sense and Sensibility,” “The Diary of Anne Frank,” “My Brilliant Career,” “The Help,” and “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

How do you organize your books? (by genre, title, author's last name, etc.)

Organize? Uh, that’s not an option. If it fits on the shelf, I’m glad. 

Friday, August 1, 2014

New Issue of Femnista



The latest issue of Femnista is out, featuring stories from the Colonial period. Learn about Marie Antoinette, The Patriot, The Scarlet Pimpernel and so much more! Yours truly wrote about one of the Founding Mothers of America, Abigail Adams. Hopefully the article does her justice.

Anyway, check it out by clicking here.