Punctuation Epiphany

Today, I found the answer to a question I've been asking myself for a while now. Everytime I'm sending one of my interviews for Book Blogging Around The World or to authors or else, I noticed that almost every person who answered it changed a little something in the interview. And it involved punctuation.

When writing a question or an exclamation, I've always put a space before the exclamation point or the interrogation point.

Example : Where do you live ? Do tell us !

When I receive the interviews with the answers, many bloggers deleted the space.

Example : Where do you live? Do tell us!

This, my friends, has been troubling me. :)

I thought that I had it all wrong and that I had always been mistaken as for the use of punctuation and spaces. Each time I saw that the person I'd interviewed had changed what I had written, I felt embarassed. But I never took the time to check what was the real rule.

Today, I decided to take a little punctuation lesson.

And guess what ? See, I did the space again

Nobody was wrong ! And yet again

Do you want an explanation ? Hum

Here it goes :

In French, a space is required both before and after all two- (or more) part punctuation marks and symbols, including : ; « » ! ? % $ #. This space is called "une espace fine insécable" and not "un espace". This rule is not the same in Great-Britain and North America, where the interrogation or exclamation points is located, without any space, right after the last letter of the sentence.

Do you know how relieved I felt when reading this ? The thing is, I've always been a top-student when it comes to spelling and all. I'm the one who corrects all my friends' letters or emails before they send it. So when I realized that I might be wrong on such an important punctuation thing, I was seriously worried.

So, this is a happy ending for everyone, we were all right and wrong at the same time ! We French people put a space, where you American or British people do not put a space. How funny is that ? I had no idea that these kind of rules could change from a country to another !

Now, the real question is : will I be able to throw my French reflexes out the window and NOT. PUT. A SPACE when I write in English? Oh, yes, I can!

Book Blogging Around The World (17) : Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

Name : La Coccinelle

Blog : The Ladybug Reads...

City / Country : Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

Welcome La Coccinelle !

Tell us a little bit about you.

I'm a 30-something book blogger who loves a good book. Aside from reading, I also enjoy playing (and creating for) The Sims 2, taking photographs, and tracing my family tree.

Tell us a little bit about your blog.

My blog is mostly a place for me to share my thoughts on different books I've read, as well as keep track of all the books that I want to read.

Have you ever lived anywhere else in the world?

Though I was born here in B.C., I grew up on the other side of the country, in Ontario. I also spent a couple of years in southern California.

What countries have you visited?

I've visited the U.S.A., and I spent a day in Tijuana, Mexico.

What countries would you like to visit?

I'd like to go anywhere outside of North America! I'd love to visit New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden, France, Chile, St. Lucia...

Blackie Spit Park

According to you, what are the positive and negative aspects of being a book blogger in Canada?
A good thing about being a Canadian book blogger (and reader) is that we have easy access to all the American and Canadian releases, plus some UK ones as well. It's the best of both worlds! On the other hand, the prices aren't quite as good, shipping charges from booksellers outside of Canada tend to be quite high, and some contests in the blogosphere aren't open to Canadians. All in all, though, we've got it pretty good here.

What Canadian authors and books would you recommend?

Well, I'd have to recommend L. M. Montgomery, of course. Everyone knows Anne of Green Gables, but my favourite Montgomery books are actually the Emily books (Emily of New Moon, Emily Climbs, Emily's Quest) and the Pat books (Pat of Silver Bush, Mistress Pat). For younger readers, I'd recommend Kit Pearson's Guests of War trilogy (The Sky is Falling, Looking at the Moon, The Lights Go On Again) or Alison Baird's books (The Hidden World, The Willowmere Chronicles). And for urban fantasy fans, I have to recommend one of the masters of the genre, Charles de Lint. Some of his best titles are Jack of Kinrowan, Trader, and Yarrow.

  

How many languages do you speak?

My first language is English. I got fairly proficient in French (after a few years of French immersion in elementary school and some classes in university), but I don't remember all that much of it now.

Do you read in other languages than English ?

I have read some books in French (mostly for school), but I've forgotten too much of the language to be able to do that now.

Where do you usually buy your books?

Recently, I've bought all my books from Chapters Indigo (both online and in the store). I've also been known to visit Kidsbooks (since most of what I read is young adult or middle grade fiction).

A view of the Semiahmoo Peninsula from Mud Bay Park

Is getting your hands on foreign books tricky or easy (not mentioning online stores)?

I don't read that many foreign books, so I'm not sure how hard it is. Getting UK titles doesn't seem to be a problem, though; I've seen quite a few of them in the store.

Every country has its clichés. What cliché about Canada do you consider disproportionate?
That our country is so small that we all know each other. No, I don't know your friend Bob in Toronto. That's sort of like asking a person who lives in Los Angeles if they know your friend in New York!

Are there many ladybugs in Canada ?!
I don't know how their number compares to elsewhere, but it's not uncommon to see them in the garden (or even in the house)!

Quick Q&A :
Favorite thing about Canada : Humour.
Least favorite thing about Canada : Government.
Favorite typically Canadian food : Maple syrup.
Favorite place in Canada : Rainforest.
Favorite bookshop: Kidsbooks
Favorite American author: Charles de Lint
Favorite American singer/band: Michael Bublé
Favorite book to read while travelling: Anything!
Plane or train: Train
Boat or bus: : Boat
Bike or feet: Either
The Vancouver Olympics were boisterous.
I avoid snow.

Thank you La Coccinelle ! It was a pleasure having you up on the hill !

Next week we'll be traveling to China !

 
If you'd like to be featured, this post is for you.

I. Want. To. Go. There.

 Why. Do. I. Live. In. France ? 

French Friday (26)

Welcome to this week's French Friday !

This is the second part of a special series of interviews with my friend Laure. To read my introduction post, the first interview and to discover Laure's blogs, hop off to last week's French Friday !

The interview will be divided in three French Fridays :

1. On Being a Reader

2. On Being a Translator

3. On Being an Interpreter

Today you will learn more about being a translator ! Enjoy !

Welcome again Laure !

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a performing artist whose love of books have always been stronger than her love of the stage. I started reading when I was 5 and never stopped, right up to the point when I finally got paid for it. I’ve been working as a reader for Hachette Jeunesse (French side of Little Brown YA) for 6 years now, and just started as a translator for them last year. I still dance on the side, but it is more out of passion than need for income, which suits me just fine.
As a child, I grew up in a castle, could control my dreams in my sleep and knew how to fly when the wind was just right. As an adult, I love words, am obsessed with truth, and make a mean chocolate cake.

On Being a Translator

What do you do as a translator?

Hum… I try to magically transform a book to make it totally similar to the original despite being in a totally different language.

What do you like the most?

The challenge! And the responsibility… I like finding an idea for an untranslatable word or concept. It is very stimulating and forces me to work on my French (reading only English for 6 years has wreaked havoc with my French writing). I like the idea that I’m starting a new career, something I can get really good at in time. And of course, I like the fact that I am totally free to organize my time as I see fit (even if it sometimes means 14h straight in front of the computer or 3h sleep in the night!).

What is the biggest difficulty?

Staying faithful to the text while disassociating from it at the same time. You’ve got to maintain the perfect balance between wanting to translate everything word for word and straying far, far away from the original. For this, some days are better than others, and I couldn’t tell you why. Also, what’s difficult is that after a while you get stuck on the English and French words elude you. You (I!) have to take breaks regularly, otherwise my translation gets too literal. Also, I personally need at least 2 weeks between the moment where I translate a chapter and the moment where I go back to it and edit it… and that can make staying on deadline difficult!

How is your first novel’s translation going?

Not too bad so far… A little slow maybe, which probably means that August will be hectic… But it is a relief to be working on one big project instead of lots of different small ones. Less distracting. And of course it is delightful to be translating literature instead of just facts, as it adds a notion of creativity into the process. It is very much like re-writing the book.

Thank you Laure for answering my questions!
Next week she'll be talking about her experience as an interpreter... Stay tuned!

The 150 Contest !

What did I just see ? What is that three digits number in my left sidebar ? Is reading too much starting to obscure my vision ? Wait a minute... No ! It’s real ! I’m being followed by more than 150 people !

Where should I hide ?

What should I do ?

Oh, I know, hold a CONTEST !

Ok, the mad part is done, let’s get to the other part : THANK YOU ! My blog isn’t even a year old and I would never have imagined that so many readers would click on the magical “follow” button. Thank you to each one of you for reading my blog and commenting on my blog posts. Blogging is an incredible adventure. I’m enjoying every nanosecond of it.

To thank you all, here is a little treat : a contest !

Since this is a contest made to celebrate the 150 followers mark, I decided to organize a 150 contest. Which means that the books you’ll have the possibility to win all have something to do with the number 150. I know.

The winner whose name gets out of the hat first will get this book :

Other People's Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to See

Edited by Bill Shapiro

The winner whose name gets out of the hat in second place will choose one book amongst these :

Chocolate, Coffee, Caramel : A Cook’s Book of Decadence

Why ? E150 is the caramel color.

Flight (Volume 1) by Kazu Kibuishi

Why ? The Cessna 150 is an airplane that was designed for flight training, touring and personal use.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Why ? In mathematics, 150 is an abundant number.

Cricket Man by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Why ? In cricket 150 runs is a milestone for a batsman.

Each winner will also get little surprises (I love surprises !).

To enter, you have to fill in this registration form.

Comments are not counted as entries.

No extra entries required.

The contest is international.

Ends on July 5th (midnight GMT+1)

There will be 2 winners.

You can check out my contest policy.

Good luck to all !

Vampire Hunter D Volume 1 (by Hideyuki Kikuchi)

VAMPIRE HUNTER D (Volume 1)

by Hideyuki Kikushi

Release date : May 2005

12,090 A.D. It is a dark time for the world. Humanity is just crawling out from under three hundred years of domination by the race of vampires known as the Nobility. The war against the vampires has taken its toll; cities lie in ruin, the countryside is fragmented into small villages and fiefdoms that still struggle against nightly raids by the fallen vampires-and the remnants of their genetically manufactured demons and werewolves. Every village wants a Hunter-one of the warriors who have pledged their laser guns and their swords to the eradication of the Nobility. But some Hunters are better than others, and some bring their own kind of danger with them... (taken from Dark Horse)The series is comprised of 13 novels. Written in 1983, this is the first English language edition ever published.

MY THOUGHTS : While this book will probably appeal to fans of the manga, I found it complex and difficult to follow. I thought there were many tedious passages, primarly due to the fact that every time a new character, creature or weapon was introduced, it took three pages to describe them, which slowed the action. The characters (who I liked but lacked development for my taste) and their goals mix, mingle, and all of that becomes an amalgam of so many events and intentions that I lost the plot's thread.
 
Written (translated) in an Old English mixed with modern passages, I struggled to stick with the writing, may it be its grammatical or lexical structure. Of course we can feel the manga side of the book, with its bloody and violent fight scenes, its sexual hints and its repetitive swearwords : to all fans of the genre, it's all there ! But it's definitely not a book for young readers.
 
The action scenes are exciting and thrilling, that is if you take the time to monitor everything, understand what's going on and hold on without getting lost in the descriptions and explanations that punctuate the action.
 
I came out of this book rather perplexed. I think D is a fascinating and complex character, but reading the book required a lot of concentration and patience for me to get out of it with a positive vibe.
 
All in all, Vampire Hunter D was not a book for me. But I recommend it to any manga addict, particularly fans of the manga series (who probably already read it anyway !).

Book Blogging Around The World (16) : New York, USA

Name : Eleni

Blog : La Femme Readers 

City / Country : Brooklyn, New York / USA

Welcome Eleni !

Tell us a little bit about you.

My name is Eleni and I'm 24 years old from New York. I graduated with a degree in English and I'm currently continuing my education for teaching. I also want to possibly look into publishing since I am intrigued by the whole industry. Some random facts about me: I'm obsessed with reading and buying books, I love movies, hanging out with friends and fiancé and enjoy blogging!

 Tell us a little bit about your blog.

La Femme Readers is a book review blog that mainly focuses on Young Adult Fiction. I also have author interviews, fun giveaways and try my best to keep my followers updated on all the amazing up and coming YA book releases. I love to meet new bloggers and look forward to building great friendships with them :)

Have you ever lived anywhere else in the world?

Nope, I've been in New York my whole life.

What countries have you visited?

I've only visited Greece a few times.

What countries would you like to visit?
A lot! Britain, France, Japan or any Asian country, Australia, Any tropical country..etc.

According to you, what are the positive and negative aspects of being a book blogger in America?
I haven't really experienced anything negative. I think it's an overall positive experience being a US blogger, I love the fact that living in New York there is a lot of opportunities of author signings and great bookstores. I'm also super excited and lucky that the BEA this year will be in New York so no complaints over here!

What American authors and books would you recommend?

I have quite a few in mind...Simone Elkeles, Cassandra Clare, Stephenie Meyer, L.J. Smith, Jennifer Brown, and so many more!

How many languages do you speak?

English, Greek and a bit of Spanish (all those classes in school I guess paid off.)

Where do you usually buy your books?

I usually go to Manhattan to a bookstore called Strand, they have a huge selection and the prices are affordable. However, if I am lazy to travel I usually buy them online.

Is getting your hands on foreign books tricky or easy (not mentionning online stores)?

Foreign books are somewhat difficult. My mom is forever asking me to look for Greek books but there isn't a store that sells any, well unless I go to the library. Also, for Young Adult books that are only released in Europe I usually just go online to the Book Depository.

Every city has its clichés. What cliché about New York do you consider disproportionate?
Um, definitely with New Yorkers people usually think we have attitudes and are stuck up. Well, for the most part they are correct lol, but we're not all like that. In the state of New York you can't just randomly say hello to someone without them looking at you weird. But, I'm sure in other countries or states in the US people are a bit friendlier, eh I guess that's what makes us New Yorkers, right? I believe I'm nice though, just with a New York flair :)

Eleni's neighborhood under the snow

If you could live on any street and in any district in New York, where would that be and why ?
I like the area of Brooklyn where I'm residing in, but it sucks sometimes because I don't live near a train station so travelling can be a pain. I'd love to live in Queens one day, I just prefer that borough, but to go and have fun I'll definitely visit the city of Manhattan. I wouldn't live there though it's just too damn expensive.

Quick Q&A :
Favorite thing about living in the USA: Diversity, I love having friends who have different nationalities and of course the New York pride that comes with being raised there.
Least favorite thing about living in the USA: It's expensive, taxes are high, it can be really noisy and packed with people in Manhattan and um the subway sucks lol.
Favorite typically American food: Cheeseburger!
Favorite place in New York: Soho, a great area in the city to chill and shop.
Favorite bookshop: Strand bookstore, I practically live there now.
Favorite American author: Simone Elkeles
Favorite American singer/band: My fave singer hm, don't laugh but...Britney Spears? haha, I've been a fan since 13 years old, so she just stuck with me even through her crazy phase. As for a band, probably Fall Out Boy. However, I also love Craig David from Britain and Korean pop music such as Big Bang, I know this defeats the purpose of American music lol.
Favorite book to read while travelling: Twilight, Edward can keep me busy..
Plane or train: None, I really gotta learn to drive. I'm scared of planes and the train is blah.
Boat or bus: : I guess, bus?
Bike or feet: Feet, walking is good for ya :)
Central Park is a beautiful area for relaxation, exercising, picnicking, etc.
Musicals are super fun!

Thank you Eleni ! It was a pleasure having you up on the hill !

Next week we'll be traveling to Canada !

 
If you'd like to be featured, this post is for you.

French Friday (25)

Welcome to this week's French Friday !
As you probably already all know, I have been a reader for Hachette Jeunesse for almost 3 years now. I absolutely love this job. How did I become a reader ? I was recommended by a friend, Laure, who I had met while I was a student at a school of performing arts. We both share a passion for the stage (we're both performing artists) and a love of books. When I heard that she was a 'professional' reader, I was intrigued... I didn't even know that it existed ! And when she recommended me to our boss and I was hired, I was over the moon ! I will always be hugely grateful towards Laure for this amazing opportunity. Now, Laure is not only a reader, but also recently became a translator and interpreter. I think everything she does in the book world is fascinating, and I thought it would be very interesting to put her under the spotlight on the hill for you to learn a bit about what goes on behind the scenes...

The interview will be divided in three French Fridays :
1. On Being a Reader
2. On Being a Translator
3. On Being an Interpreter

Today is the first one : you will learn more about what we do as readers ! Enjoy !

Welcome Laure!

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a performing artist whose love of books have always been stronger than her love of the stage. I started reading when I was 5 and never stopped, right up to the point when I finally got paid for it. I’ve been working as a reader for Hachette Jeunesse (French side of Little Brown YA) for 6 years now, and just started as a translator for them last year. I still dance on the side, but it is more out of passion than need for income, which suits me just fine.
As a child, I grew up in a castle, could control my dreams in my sleep and knew how to fly when the wind was just right. As an adult, I love words, am obsessed with truth, and make a mean chocolate cake.

On Being a Reader

What do you do as a reader?
I read books which are (or will be) published in the US/UK/Australia. I then write a summary of the book, with a review on why we should or should not make an offer to buy the rights and publish it in France.

What do you like the most?
Well, being paid to read is a pretty cool deal. Not for the money in itself, but for the fact that I can actually spend my whole day in bed, reading, and not feel an ounce of guilt about it. And I love YA/Children books, always have, in some ways it keeps me anchored to who I was as a child. But the best part is definitely the lack of guilt at escaping in fantasy worlds.

What is the biggest difficulty?
To stay fresh in my appreciation of the books. Most of the time the story takes me (I’m a very easy audience) and then I can make a review from an objective point of view by calling on my knowledge of what makes a good book. It’s a bit schizophrenic really: the child in me will be taken by the book while the adult will be cataloguing qualities and flaws (inconsistency, weak characters, bad writing, etc…). But sometimes, when I’ve been reading the same story over and over for a while, I’m not sure wether I don’t like the book because it lacks something, or because I’m sick of the story. For instance, since the Twilight mania, I’ve been reading dozens of “girl meets vampire/angel/zombie/ghost, they fall in love and their love is impossible”, which is just a modern take on the Romeo and Juliet plot, and sometimes can really get old, especially when the characters are as ordinary as they usually are. I’m a sucker for defined and eccentric characters, so the whole “regular teen meets supernatural teen” business kind of bores me, probably because despite the appearances, I’m not a teen anymore! :) So yeah, on this kind of books, it is hard to stay objective and put myself in the reader’s shoes.

Of all the books that you’ve read for work, which ones make your top-list?
Oh my God!!! I’ve read nearly 500 books for work since I started! But I’ll try and fish some from my poor memory for you…

The Taste of Sorrow, by Jude Morgan
This one I read pretty recently, but it really made an impression on me. It is a novelization of the Brontë sisters’ lives, exploring their psyche in an amazing way. I was totally taken by this book, and not just because I love the Brontës… The writing is absolutely beautiful.

Black Pearl: A Fairy Strand, by Louise Hawes
All classic fairytale revisited from a realistic (and bleak!) point of view. The writing is to die for, and the psychological subtleties of the characters make for a fantastic read. The book will haunt you.

Savvy and Scumble, by Ingrid Law

I read Savvy a few years ago and loved it, and Scumble comes out in August and is just as good as the first. Those are more for middle-graders (9 to 13 y.o.), but they are so much fun, and unusual, and eccentric, and deep, and adventurous, and… perfect! Do try them!

Undone, by Brooke Taylor
This book is, in its form, a typical teenage book. But it is deep and insightful, and it stayed with me for a long time after I finished it, which is something that doesn’t happen often.

13 Little Blue Envelopes, by Maureen Jonhson
I read this a few years ago and found it so clever I still remember it. It’s an initiation journey through Europe, like a treasure hunt for adulthood…

Stay With Me, by Garret Freymann-Weyr
This is a gorgeous book about mourning… Very, very beautiful and unusual, the main character is a severely dyslexic girl whose sister had just committed suicide. Full of hope and love.

Plain Kate, by Erin Bow
An absolutely gorgeous book about a plain girl who discovers that there is more than one way to be beautiful. Set in a medieval world full of magic, the writing and characters are amazing.

The Darkangel and sequels, by Meredith Ann Pierce
A classic of YA/children, but so beautifully written and unusual. This love story speaks to me much more than Twilight.

The Merrybegot, by Julie Hearn
Beautiful, well written and surprising, a book about the struggle of a young girl accused of witchcraft… The real world and fantasy world are woven together in such a way that you never know what you’re reading… Haunting!

Child 44, by Tom Rob Smith
If you’ve ever been interested in USSR history or if you like mystery novels, this one is for you. It will plunge you into Staline’s repressive era and keep you on the edge of your seat as you follow the main characters, who goes from KGB officer to outlaw, all to track down a children serial killer.

To Kill a Mocking Bird, by Harper Lee
This one I don’t need to pitch, but I did read it for work and loved it absolutely.

Well, this should keep you occupied for a while!

Laure's Blogs

La Baleine à Plumes (in English) : My regular ramblings/crafts/ photography blog. I’m afraid I’m not very prolific in my blogging (spend more time in front of the computer is the last thing I want to do when I’m done working) but I do update it sometimes. Originally, it was dedicated to crafts, but it is evolving into a multi-subjects platform. I do recommend outstanding books on it from time to time, too.

Escape Monotony : An “all images” blog, where I post my art finds from all over the internet.

Le Poisson Volant (in French) : My “travel” blog. I created it to document my backpacking trip across the US last year (from New York to San Francisco over 2 months). They’re also articles about Istanbul and London. You can probably get a decent translation via Babel fish, or just watch the pictures.

Linda et Laure au Liban (in French) : The blog documenting several months long contracts in Lebanon where I worked as a dancer for Lebanese TV. You’ll see lots of funny pictures and videos of the costumes and behind the scene fooling around, if you’re interested in the making of a TV show! :)

Laure on Twitter


Thank you Laure for answering my questions !
Next week she'll be talking about her experience as a translator... Stay tuned !

Mozart's Ghost (by Julia Cameron)

MOZART'S GHOST
by Julia Cameron
Release date : January 2008

Anna Chester is a New York transplant from the Midwest trying to overcome loneliness and support herself by substitute teaching while pursuing a sideline career as a medium. When Edward Appleton, a talented pianist who is practicing for a competition, moves in downstairs, Anna is frustrated that the piano music interrupts her communication with the other world. Her anger is amplified even more by frequent visits from the ghost of Mozart, who adores Edward's playing and encourages Anna to pursue a romantic relationship with the musician. The romance blossoms in fits and starts, and Anna is reluctant to tell Edward about her speaking-with-the-dead abilities out of fear he will no longer want a relationship... (taken from Julia Cameron's website)

MY THOUGHTS : Funny and subtle, this novel depicts a bohemian and romantic New York. The characters, and especially their relationships with each other (like Anna's family that we discover through phone-calls) are well-crafted and richly analyzed. The narrative is fluid and I was easily caught in this particular and eary atmosphere. I LOVED the idea of the ghost and I LOVED the ghost !
BUT...
The construction and the story are completely predictable. It's THE romantic comedy : they meet, they hate each other, they fall in love, an obstacle prevents their love story to bloom, they overcome the difficulties, and they end up together for real. I don't usually post anything about the endings and all, but in this one I don't see it as a spoiler. That put aside, the whole background and story are pretty original. Let's say I loved the idea of the story and its atmosphere, and hated the love story. :) All in all, this is an easy but interesting read, led by a neat and pleasant writing, despite a predictable sequence of events.
I recommend this book to any NY lover, and readers who enjoy romantic stories with a funny ghost twist !

Book Blogging Around The World (15) : France AND Japan !

This is a special BBATW : When Audrey answered my interview, she was living in Paris. Since then, she moved to Japan ! She's litteraly book blogging around the world ! So I asked her to complete the existing interview about Paris with answers concerning Japan too. Enjoy !

Name : Audrey aka brizmus

Blog : Brizmus Blogs Books

Country : Paris, France / Okazaki, Japan

Welcome Audrey !

Tell us a little bit about you.

Well, I’m a 27 year old girl from Louisiana. I’ve been a vegan for about 12 years now, and before that I was a vegetarian. I hate cigarettes. I ADORE reading more than anything in the world, though when I was 5 I had a tutor because I had trouble learning how to read. I have an unhealthy obsession with puzzles and Japan. I love to cry. I love languages. I practice a Vietnamese Martial Art called Viet Vo Dao, and I adore it. I love punk rock and boy bands.

Tell us a little bit about your blog.

I started Brizmus Blogs Books because I found myself too often writing about books in my personal blog. So I started Brizmus Blogs Books. I basically review everything I read, and I like to think I read a fairly eccentric, eclectic variety of books. I’ll let you be the judge of that, though. I also love to host contests, when I’m not broke! 

Have you ever lived anywhere else in the world ?
I grew up in small town Louisiana, then I went to boarding school in even smaller town Louisiana. I went to university in New York City, I did grad school in Montreal, Quebec, and for a few months along the way, I lived in extraordinarily small Acadian town in Nova Scotia.

What countries have you visited ?
Oh man, after the US, Canada, and France, there’s: Australia, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Greece, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Norway, the Czech Republic, Poland, Switzerland, Mexico, Argentina, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands (does this count as a country?), South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and I THINK that might be it. Although I really feel like I forgot something.

Audrey in France

What countries would you like to visit ?
JAPAN!!!! After Japan, some places I’ve been dying to go are: Romania, the Ukraine, Turkey, Egypt, Ethiopia, New Zealand, Brazil, Iceland, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Belize, and Ecuador. And everywhere else in the world that I haven’t already been.

According to you, what are the positive and negative aspects of being a book blogger in France?
+ I feel like it gives me a different perspective on things. I think it would be easy to get caught up in reading all of the same books that all of the other bloggers are reading, but because it’s harder/more expensive to get my hands on these books, I don’t, and so it’s easy not to follow the crowd. Which is a good thing. :)

- I see all these people being sent these awesome books by publishers, and sometimes I want them. I’ve found quite a few publishers that are willing to ship to France, so it’s not that big of a deal, and in some ways it’s even a good thing (see +). More than that, though, there are SO MANY contests that I can’t enter!

And in Japan ?
As for Japan, well, so far it's been great. Publishers, oddly enough, seem THRILLED by the prospect of sending a book to Japan. Everyone loves Japan, I guess. There are a couple of other bloggers here, and I'm actually planning on meeting up with one of them sometime soon, so that should be cool. I guess the positive is that being a Japanese blogger makes me feel unique and special, even if there are other bloggers here. As for downers, I'm in a smallish town, and there are no English bookstores. Which means I have to order, and that takes a LONG time. So waiting for books is the biggest downer, I guess. Thank goodness for Net Galley and my kindle!

What French authors and books would you recommend ?

Bernard Werber (seriously Les Fourmis or Empire of the Ants, in English, is AMAZING), René Barjavel, Voltaire, Jules Verne, Xavier Maumejean - really, I say go for books by any of these authors!

What Japanese authors and books would you recommend ?

HARUKI MURAKAMI! If you haven't heard of him or read him, you SHOULD! My favorite book of his is the Wind Up Bird Chronicle, though really they're all amazing. Also, Natsuo Kirino is wonderful for horror type stuff. LOVE! There's also Ryu Murakami and Shoko Tendo and Miyuki Miyabe and Koushun Takami (Battle Royale !) I adore Japanese authors, which is one of the main things that got me turned onto Japan and Japanese culture!

How many languages do you speak ?

Just French and English, although I am learning Spanish and Japanese. I think I’m a little further along with Japanese than with Spanish. And once (if) I get those two down, I’ll move on to Russian and Vietnamese.

Do you read in French ? And in Japanese ?
I definitely don't read in Japanese, though I've got a few very basic manga that I picked up that I'm going to try to start reading. Problem is, I've always been more of a US comic fan than a manga fan, so hopefully I'll be able to get into them. I do read a lot in French. If it was written originally in French, I read it in French. If it's sci fi, I tend to wait for my boyfriend to buy it, and since he buys books in French, I end up reading most sci-fi in French.

Where do you usually buy your books ?

In France, W.H. Smith, Amazon, Shakespeare & Co, and the Book Depository. Now that I'm in Japan, from Amazon for my kindle. Although I have ordered a few books from the Book Depository as well.

In France and in Japan, is getting your hands on foreign books tricky or easy (not mentioning online stores) ?
In France, I’d say it’s quite easy, actually. If I’m willing to pay a lot of money, I just hop into one of the English book stores around here. Otherwise, I just order from the Book Depository.
In Japan, in big cities like Tokyo, it's absolutely easy. Where I am, not so much. I'm about half an hour from Nagoya, though, and I have hopes that with a little exploration, I will find an English bookstore there. I've been using my kindle a LOT since arriving here. I'm very grateful for it!

What cliché about France do you consider disproportionate?
Honestly, I find that MOST of the clichés I have heard about France and French people tend to be true, to some extent. I guess the biggest thing is – before I came here, I had heard that most French girls were “easy,” so to speak. So not true at all. If anything, the opposite. Oh, and also that French girls don’t shave. French girls are some of the most put together girls I have ever seen. They shave. No underarm hair here.

What cliché about Japan do you consider disproportionate?
All Japanese people are SHORT. So not true. It's true that it's hard to find pants that are long enough to fit me here, and it's true that there is no way I will be buying shoes here, as they just don't have my size, but some of the people here are TALL! And, it turns out, they just wear short pants. I saw a man the other day who had to be at least 6 foot 2, and his pants were at least 4 inches above his ankles.

Audrey in Japan

Did you often sit and read in Parisian cafés and parks, "A la Parisienne" ?
There’s a little park right by where I live, and in the spring and summer, there are lavender bushes surrounding the benches. I love to sit and read and smell the lavender. I very rarely sit in cafes, though.

How are things going in your new life in Japan ?
I LOVE IT HERE!!!! Seriously, it is beautiful, and I am happy to have real rain again. Last night, I had trouble getting to sleep because of the loudness of the wind and the force of the rain pounding against my window. It was WONDERFUL! It reminded me of home! And then it is always just SO beautiful here, and the people are so excruciatingly nice, and while I haven't really had an opportunity to explore the rest of Japan, I am super excited about it. Japan is just amazing!

Quick Q&A about France
Favorite thing about France : lavender
Least favorite thing about France : CIGARETTES!
Favorite typically French food : baguettes!
Favorite place in Paris : Parc St-Emilion
Favorite bookshop : Shakespeare & Co.
Favorite French author : Bernard Werber
Favorite French singer/band : Gerald De Palmas, Les Enfants Terribles
The Louvres is extraordinarily overwhelming and a place I will never see all of.
French boulangeries are a bagazillion times better than American ones.

Quick Q&A about Japan
Favorite thing about Japan: Nice, considerate people
Least favorite thing about Japan : You can still smoke inside in a lot of places
Favorite typically Japanese food : Daifuku (or vegan okonomiyaki)
Favorite place in Okazaki : The beautiful lake right by my apartment
Favorite bookshop : Book Off - no English books, but it's AMAZING just to be in there!
Favorite Japanese author : Haruki Murakami
Favorite Japanese singer/band : The High Lows
Chopsticks are ridiculously IMPOSSIBLE to use!
I love but could never live in Tokyo.

General Q&A
Favorite book to read while travelling : whateveriamreadingatthetime
Plane or train : plane
Boat or bus : BUS!!!!
Bike or feet : bike (but feet in Paris)

Thank you Audrey ! It was a pleasure having you up on the hill.

Next week we'll be traveling to New York, USA !


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