Book Blogging Around The World (33) : Vaughan, Canada

Name : Diana Dang

Blog : Stop, Drop and Read!

City / Country : Vaughan, Canada

Welcome Diana!

Tell us a little bit about you.

My name is Diana and right now while typing this, I’m 17. I’m entering university to go into business and I likely won’t change my mind about that because I cannot do science or math. I enjoy reading a lot and it likely will be like that forever. I am a Korean entertainment addict, especially when it comes to Kpop music! However, I also enjoy house and trance music that has that downtown feel to it.

Tell us a little bit about your blog.

Stop, Drop, and Read! basically focuses on young adult titles and Japanese manga. They are the two top things I enjoy right now so it’s natural I will review them. I also review some of the movies I have watched, to give the blog a bit more variety.

Have you ever lived anywhere else in the world?

No sadly. I hope to one day travel if I get into international business.

What countries have you visited?

Mexico (for a day) and USA. Pretty sad, I know. I was supposed to go to like Cuba during the summer of 2010 but that flopped.

What countries would you like to visit?

Japan and South Korea for sure! I need to visit both of those countries before I die or I will haunt someone! I would also love to travel around Europe, their cultures are so rich.

According to you, what are the positive and negative aspects of being a book blogger in Canada?

Not entirely sure. I guess it’s good the fact that some major book companies have part of their industry in Ontario which allows me to review some of their novels much easier compared to me living somewhere like India.

What Canadian authors and books would you recommend?

Norah McClintock is a favourite of mine when I was younger. She writes fantastic mystery thrillers for teens! I also recommend C.K. Kelly Martin, she is amazing at contemporary realism for teens.

How many languages do you speak?

Two, English and Vietnamese.

Do you read more in English or in Viatnamese?

I can only read in English. I can attempt Vietnamese if there are visuals.

Where do you usually buy your books?

At Chapters or Indigo.

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

I don’t get foreign books because to be honest, I never tried. USA has so many and most of them stream into Canada so I just stick with those titles to be honest.

Every country has its clichés. What cliché about Canada do you consider disproportionate?

Us living in igloos. Maybe the far north but most Canadians I’m sure do not live in igloos.

Not often, but I did maybe three or four times when I was younger with the family. Nothing lately though, the last I cross I believe was six years ago?

Vaughan is quite close to the US border. Do you often cross it ?

Quick Q&A:

Favourite thing about living in Canada: The diversity, especially in downtown Toronto. The culture is so rich there! Festivities constantly!
Least favourite thing about living in Canada: The long winters for sure.
Favourite typically Canadian food: : Tim Horton’s donuts
Favourite place in Vaughan: : I don’t think I have one.
Favourite bookshop: Chapters

Favourite Canadian author: Top favourite? I will say C.K. Kelly Martin for now. :)
Favourite Canadian singer/band: Hm, I guess Nelly Furtado?

Favourite kind of book to read while travelling: Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood!!
Plane or train: Plane, never went on a train before.

Boat or bus: : I think bus. 
Bike or feet: Depends on my mood.

Canada’s Wonderland (theme park) is overrated but fun.
I don’t care much for soccer.

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

 
If you'd like to be featured, this post is for you.
This week's BBATW post is the last one I had scheduled. So I'm definitely looking for new bloggers that might be interested in being featured!

French Friday (38) - Guest Post by Caroline

Well, ladies and gents, this is the first French Friday Guest Post and I am THRILLED to welcome Caroline from Portrait of a Woman for this week's French post!

Thank you so much, Caroline, for participating! And I have to agree with you, these French covers are really really pretty...

Hello everyone !

Today I will be sharing with you the beautiful French covers of the wonderful Sarah Dessen books! Now everyone loves Sarah Dessen (and if you don’t know her, hop over to the closest bookshop and get started!), she is incredibly talented and always writes very deep and character-driven stories.

I never liked the US covers as much as I liked the UK covers because the US ones usually look just like any other YA books whereas the very special UK covers exist only for Sarah Dessen’s books and make them as special on the outside as they are on the inside.

BUT that was before I came across the insanely cute French covers of some of her books! Not all of Sarah Dessen’s books are translated in French and some editions actually take the US cover, but for the four following books, a very special type of cover has been designed!

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

French title: Toi qui a la clé (You have the key)

US / UK / French

I am really loving the simplicity and cuteness of the French cover, the font is amazing and I like the mix of covers and the use of a tree. The US cover looks very peaceful and summery though.

~~~

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

French title: Ecoute-là (Listen to it)

US / UK / French

I really don’t like the US cover, it’s just too plain. I used to love the UK cover but it looks very full and bright in comparison to the French one. I like the simplicity of it and the colours. I don’t think there can be three more different covers for the same book!

~~~

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

French title: Pour toujours… jusqu’à demain (Forever… until tomorrow)

US / UK / French

Again, I don’t like the US cover at all, but the font of the title (had it been bigger) is really nice. I like the French cover but the grass thing looks a bit off. I think I’ll prefer the UK cover on that one, it’s gorgeous and I love the hand!

~~~

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

French title: Cette chanson-là… (This song…)

US / UK / French

This is my personal favourite! The US cover is very pale and not very clear. The UK cover is a beauty, there’s colour but not too much and the cover isn’t as crowded as Just Listen. But isn’t the French cover one of the cutest one you’ve ever seen? I know I have some sort of predisposition to think that all things pink are cute, but still… I *love* this cover!!!

If you want to know more about Sarah Dessen, head over to Sophie’s blog So Many Books, So Little Time, she wrote a post on her love for the amazing writer and was the one to tell me I should definitely read her books!

Which covers did you like the best?

Happy Friday people and thanks to Charlotte for inviting me on her French Friday feature!

BBAW 2010 - Day 4 : Forgotten Treasure

Today is the fourth day of the Book Blogger Appreciation Week!

Every day there is a blogging topic we can write about on our blog.

Today's topic is Forgotten Treasure
Sure we’ve all read about Freedom and Mockingjay but we likely have a book we wish would get more attention by book bloggers, whether it’s a forgotten classic or under marketed contemporary fiction. This is your chance to tell the community why they should consider reading this book! (BBAW)

 The book I've decided to put under the spotlight today is:

The Solitaire Mystery

by Jostein Gaarder

When twelve-year-old Hans Thomas and his father set out by car from Norway to search for Hans Thomas's mother in Greece, he is unaware that his life will be changed forever. The bewildering disappearance of his mother many years earlier to "find herself" is just the first of many mysteries he will encounter.

Punctuated by frequent cigarette stops that allow Hans Thomas's father both to smoke and to philosophize about the universe, the journey also features some unusual occurrences: a midget presents Hans Thomas with a magnifying glass and gives them directions that take them miles out of their way to a village named Dorf; the baker in Dorf gives Hans Thomas a bag of sticky-buns, the largest containing a miniature book that is the memoir of a sailor shipwrecked in 1842; and a strange man reappears inexplicably several times along the way. Hans Thomas begins to read the tiny book with the magnifying glass and discovers an amazing connection between himself and the sailor, who describes finding himself on an island where a deck of cards has come to life. Gradually Hans Thomas unravels the mystery of the cards, and the knowledge he gains of the distant past sheds a surprising light on his own life. (summary taken from Penguin)

I've read this book several times during my teenage years, and re-read it not that long ago. I'd loved Sophie's World, which is the most famous book written by Jostein Gaarder. But, somehow, I loved The Solitaire Mystery even more. The main difference between the two is that in Sophie's World, it is obvious that you're reading about philosophy. In The Solitaire Mystery, philosophers or theories are not directly quoted, and it brings the reader to read about philosophy without being completely crushed by informations, thoughts and quotes.

I think the book was written for young adults, but honestly it's great to read it as a younger child or as an adult. There are some things that didn't touch me when I was 15, but that now absolutely ring a bell...!

The atmosphere is one my favorite thing about the book. It has an Alice in Wonderland feel, but in a modern and less mad world (even though there are some mad things happening!). I remember how, when I read it the first time, I could feel everything that was written: the colours, the smells, the textures,... The whole imaginary is extremely well depicted.

I absolutely adore the philosophical content of The Solitaire Mystery. Everything comes naturally, and we get to think and read about the meaning of our existence and of destiny throughout actual discussions between the father and his son, but also powerful yet subtil metaphors.

Every time I play cards, I can't help thinking about this book. I'll never see a set of playing cards the same way now!

I'll end this post with a extract from a review I've read on Amazon, that completely fits with my feelings towards the book : "I recommend this novel. It's fun and fantastic, but leaves you feeling pleasantly full of ideas and reactions, as well as appreciative of the life we get to live."

BBAW 2010 - Day 3 : Unexpected Treasure

Happy Third Day, Book Blogger Appreciation Week!

Every day there is a blogging topic we can write about on our blog.

Today's topic is Unexpected Treasure

We invite you to share with us a book or genre you tried due to the influence of another blogger. What made you cave in to try something new and what was the experience like? (BBAW)

Today's topic makes me nervous, for the simple reason that I have not yet read a book or started to read a new genre because of a blog or a blogger's recommendation. Which sounds terrible. The thing is, I have so many books to read for my job (explanation here) that I hardly have time to read books for myself. And I'm not even exaggerating here. I could count on one hand the books that I've read for myself in the last two years. I try to join challenges to force myself to find the time to read outside of my job, but I actually can't manage.

Since I've started blogging, I've been wanting to read many many books from which I've read enthusiastic reviews on other blogs. Every time a blogger friend recommended me a book to read, I've kept it in my head. I've even bought a lot of books because of these reviews or recommendations. But I've never found the time to read them! Which is a shame, and I often wish that I could dive into a book that I want to read, and not that I have to read. :)

What I can say, though, is that as much as becoming a YA professional reader broadened my horizon as a reader (I actually wasn't used to read a lot of YA books before getting the job, at least definitely not as much!), reading book reviews on book blogs broadened my horizon when it comes to YA. It made me want to learn more about the genres I'm not used to reading, and dig into the ones that I'm not fond of. Book bloggers are so passionate! And it sure made my wishlist grow bigger and bigger each month!

A lot of books are waiting for me to take them out of their shelves and read them. I'll get there someday!

BBAW 2010 - Day 2 : New Treasure - Interview Swap

Here we are, on the second day of the Book Blogger Appreciation Week!

Every day there is a blogging topic we can write about on our blog.

Today's topic is New Treasure-Interview Swap

Post the interview you did with your BBAW Interview Partner. (BBAW)

For this exciting Interview-Swap, I was paired with Bella from A Girl Reads a Book.

I didn't know Bella's blog, so I was quite happy to discover it! And Bella happens to be the girl who designed this year's BBAW themed button (see above)!

You can check out her interview of me on her blog.

Nice to meet you, Bella!

Describe yourself in five words.
Bookworm, Australian, Introvert, Hockey-fan, Chocaholic.

Describe your blog in five words.
Fun, mysteries, romance, fantasy, giveaways.

How, why and when did you start blogging about books?
I’ve been blogging on and off for quite a few years. I remember starting out with a livejournal blog back in 2006. This year I decided to get series and started A Girl Reads a Book in March, 2010. I wanted a place just to write my thoughts about books, but this soon turned into book reviews, and then I began taking part in the wonderful book bloggers community.

A Girl Reads a Book is run by you, and also by your friend Annabelle. How do you work as a duo?
Annabelle and I have known each other for years. One day I was talking to her about how I’d love to have a “retro reviewer”. We both love re-reading books that we loved as kids, and she thought it was a great idea. From there, I introduced her as my guest reviewer. Annabelle and I are still ironing out a schedule, but at the moment it’s pretty flexible. She reads mostly children’s books from the 80’s and 90’s and will submit a review to me once a week or once every two weeks. We are hoping down the track we will have a more regular schedule, and make her retro reviews once a week.

Out of all the reviews that you wrote, which one do you affectionate the most? And why?
Undercover by Beth Kephart. This was one book that I loved, that totally got under my skin and made me realize (yet again) how many wonderful, beautiful books are out there. While it’s not one of my more popular reviews, it’s the one that I always feel I expressed my emotions about this book the best.

What genres do you like best?
Mysteries are probably my most favorite genre. I adore murder mysteries so much, and love reading them every chance I get.

What are the best books you’ve read so far this year?
Oh you are asking the hard questions! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling. I put off reading the final book in this series, and this year I decided to re-read books 1 to 6, and then read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning to finish it, and there were tears, laughter and so much joy. It was definitely the best book I’ve read this year.

If you could spend a day with an author, who would it be and why?
Terry Pratchett. I absolutely idolize Terry Pratchett, and would love to talk to him about his inspiration for writing Discworld. He has the most zaniest characters in the whole world, and would love to hear more about them.

If you could travel in a book, which one would it be and why?
Pride and Prejudice, without question. I’ve adored this book since I first discovered it in 1995, and it is by far my favorite book in the whole world. I would love to travel through Pride and Prejudice and fall in love with Mr Darcy myself!

What is the most exciting thing that happened to you since you started blogging?
I have loved every aspect of blogging, but still the most exciting thing is the joy of an author commenting on my reviews. I love when they do this, it makes me so happy to know they read our books and love what we write.

Could you tell us what is Book Buying Ban, which you are hosting this September?
I have a lot of unread books. In fact I have just over 2,700 unread books. When Carin at A Little Bookish found out this startling fact she suggested that we go on a book buying ban. Carin doesn’t have 2,700 unread books, only about 200. However, she felt she need a book buying ban too. It turned out there were a lot of people that needed a book buying ban, and now there are 27 of us pledging not to buy books in September. So far, none of us have caved and we are hoping to make it through the whole month. I’m not sure about others, but I intend on going on a healthy book buying splurge in October!

When you were a child, did you have a special book that you liked to read and re-read?
Oh yes, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. It was my favorite book and I re-read it like crazy.

If you could interview yourself, what question would you ask? And what would be your answer?
What is your favorite book? My answer would be Dune by Frank Herbert. Most people don’t think I am a big science fiction fan, but I am. Dune is the book that forever changed my opinion of the science fiction genre, and I love it dearly.

It was awesome having you on the Hill, Bella!

If you don't already know Bella's blog, be sure to check it out!

BBAW 2010 - Day 1 : First Treasure

Yay! Today is the first day of the Book Blogger Appreciation Week!

Every day there is a blogging topic we can write about on our blog.

Today's topic is First Treasure.

We invite you to share with us about a great new book blog you’ve discovered since BBAW last year! If you are new to BBAW or book blogging, share with us the very first book blog you discovered. Tell us why this blog rocks your socks off and why you keep going back for more. (BBAW)

Since I started book blogging just a few days after last year's BBAW, I shall talk about the first book blog I discovered and which led me to start my own.

I discovered the existence of book blogs quite simply: I was looking for an online review of a particular book (I can't remember which one though!). And my google search led me to a place called Presenting Lenore...

My first thought was: "oh, what a nice header for a blog!". And then I started browsing through the posts, and just couldn't stop! I had no idea that book blogs existed. In fact, I had never thought about it, not being a big blog-reader.

I loved reading Lenore's reviews: to the point, honest and well-written. Who could ask for more?! Plus, I fell in love with the pictures that Lenore posted of her cats! 

Then I saw that long list on the right, full of names linking to other book blogs. My passion for book blogging was then born. :)

I still visit Presenting Lenore regularly. I love her reviews, her author interviews. I love every single post actually! She's an awesome person and blogger.

Lenore was also king enough to participate in my Book Blogging Around The World feature. You can check out her interview here.

So, many of you probably already know Lenore and her blog, but if you don't I advise you to visit her! I am thrilled to say that Presenting Lenore made the shortlist in this year's BBAW award categories for Best YA Book Blog and Best Author Interviews. Good luck Lenore, you totally deserve it!

BBAW 2010 : In The Starting-Blocks!

BBAW is about to start! Yay!
This year's theme is A Treasure Chest of Infinite Books and Infinite Blogs.

Here is the year's BBAW schedule, where I will link all my BBAW posts.

Monday—First Treasure

We invite you to share with us about a great new book blog you’ve discovered since BBAW last year! If you are new to BBAW or book blogging, share with us the very first book blog you discovered. Tell us why this blog rocks your socks off and why you keep going back for more.

-> I will talk about the first book blog I discovered, which led me to start my own...

Tuesday—New Treasure-Interview Swap
Post the interview you did with your BBAW Interview Partner. If you didn’t sign up in time, please email bookbloggerappreciationweekATgmailDOTcom because there is a waiting list.
-> I will post my interview with Bella from A Girl Reads a Book!

Wednesday—Unexpected Treasure
We invite you to share with us a book or genre you tried due to the influence of another blogger. What made you cave in to try something new and what was the experience like?
-> This is where I'll embarass myself, you'll see why...

Thursday—Forgotten Treasure
Sure we’ve all read about Freedom and Mockingjay but we likely have a book we wish would get more attention by book bloggers, whether it’s a forgotten classic or under marketed contemporary fiction. This is your chance to tell the community why they should consider reading this book!
-> I will talk about a book that I love, but you'll have to wait for thursday to discover which one!

Friday—Future Treasures
We’ve been visiting each other and getting to know each other better…now is your chance to share what you enjoyed about BBAW and also what your blogging goals are for the next year!
-> The description says it all. :)

I simply cannot wait to read what everyone has in store!
Are YOU excited?!

Book Blogging Around The World (32) : New Delhi, India

Name : Misha

Blog : My Love Affair With Books

City / Country : New Delhi, India

Welcome Misha!

Tell us a little bit about you.

I am Misha, 20 years old from New Delhi. I am currently doing my post-graduation in Psychology. My career interest is in Human Resource Management (HRM). Reading is like oxygen to me. I have been reading since I was less than 10 years old.

Tell us a little bit about your blog.

My blog  is very new. I started on July 29th this year. Being an eclectic reader, I review a variety of books. Eventually I will have author interviews too. My first giveaway is going on. My blog is my platform to ramble endlessly about books.

Have you ever lived anywhere else in the world?

Nope. I don't think I could either. I have severe adjustment issues. lol

What countries have you visited?

None! I know it’s unbelievable. My parents have been to other countries. But I prefer going to places which are few hours from home.

What countries would you like to visit?
Easy! Italy, France and USA.

According to you, what are the positive and negative aspects of being a book blogger in India?
Positive aspect is that there are so many book lovers all around. Moreover, there are so many bookstores in Delhi that I don't think I will ever be able to visit all of them. The negative aspect is that it seems all bloggers are in the US. Publishers are not willing to send books and new books are released much later. As a consequence, I feel disappointed when I see other bloggers getting excited for a new release.

What Indian authors and books would you recommend?

There are so many! Interpreter of Maladies and The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, books by Salman Rushdie, Anita Desai, Amitav Ghosh, Vikram Seth and Kiran Desai.

How many languages do you speak?

3, two of which are Indian. Third is obviously English.

Where do you usually buy your books?

I buy most of my books online through a fantastic online book shopping site called Flipkart.com where I can even order the new books , yet unreleased in India because it imports them. Some bookstores in Delhi that I love are Landmark, Oxford and Odyssey.

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

It’s actually very easy. All bookstores have foreign books. The tricky part is getting the newest releases which release much later.

Every country has its clichés. What cliché about India do you consider disproportionate?
There are so many, some very funny ones too. But the one which makes me want to laugh like a crazy woman is that - "In India you will find tigers , elephants and snakes on the streets." This has to be the funniest one. People from abroad are even surprised that I actually know English.

The emblem for India is the lion. What would be your personal emblem and why?
Woah! I really need to think about this. Hmm.. a rabbit maybe, haha, because I am introverted and very anti-social.

New Delhi

Quick Q&A:

Favourite thing about living in India: The culture, the festivals, the diversity and the history
Least favourite thing about living in India: Inter-religion biases and political power-play
Favourite typically Indian food: : All south Indian food especially Idli and Dosa
Favourite place in New Delhi: : All historical places. I love all of them!
Favourite bookshop: Landmark bookstore ! It’s gigantic and you can spend hours there.

Favourite Indian author: Jhumpa Lahiri
Favourite Indian singer/band: Shreya Ghoshal, AR Rahman

Favourite kind of book to read while travelling: Something light, maybe fantasy.
Plane or train: Train. I am terrified of flying!!! (Another reason why I have never traveled abroad lol)

Boat or bus: : Bus.
Bike or feet: Bike.

New Delhi is an exciting place to live in.
I think dogs are funny.

Thank you Misha! 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.
Next week's BBATW post is the last one I've got scheduled. So I'm definitely looking for new bloggers that might be interested in being featured!

French Friday (37)

Bonjour tout le monde !

Now, here's another round of... French covers!
I'm pretty excited about these ones, since I'm a huge fan of Cate Tiernan's books,
and that I actually read these books for work, and they are going to be published in France. So yay!

Sweep by Cate Tiernan

French Title: Wicca (Wicca)

My thoughts: I really like the orginal covers of this series (with the hole in the cover and everything).
I know I'm repeating myself, but I don't really like covers with huge faces on them, so I have to say the original cover wins as far as I'm concerned.

Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

French Title: Immortels (Immortals)

My thoughts: Hum, this is a tough one. I LOVED this book. And, well, I'm unfortunately not a fan of either cover. I think the original cover would fit more for the Sweep series than for this one. And the French one has a "pop" feel that I think doesn't quite match the story.

Becky at The Bookette recently reviewed Immortal Beloved, and I completely share her point of view, so if you're interested you can go and read her review over there. :)

So, what do you guys think about these covers?!

Happy Friday everyone!

Book Blogging Around The World (31) : Sydney, Australia

Name : Saskia
Blog : Tea Mouse

City / Country : Sydney, Australia

Welcome Saskia!

Tell us a little bit about you.

I’m Saskia, I’m 17 and in my final year of high school (ahh, scary!). I’ve loved books since I can remember – reading them, writing them, buying them, it’s all good! I really love blogging about the awesome (and sometimes not so) books that I find and am always in need of more money to buy books! I’d love to get into the writing industry someday – whether that be in journalism, editing and publishing or even being an author! That is, if I ever get away from my books and finish school!

Tell us a little bit about your blog.

Tea Mouse was started in October 2009, and I run it with one of my best friends (we go to school together) Roz. We had been blogging quite a bit before that, and Tea Mouse wasn’t a book blog originally, but then we got the idea that we wanted to release all the bookish energy and a blog was the perfect place to do just that! We mainly review young adult, paranormal, fantasy; but occasionally there is a bit of adult and children’s lit in there.

Have you ever lived anywhere else in the world?

Nope! I’ve never even moved houses!

Sydney City

What countries have you visited?
I’ve been to New Zealand and New Caledonia, but I’m going to Canada and the US at the end of this year.

What countries would you like to visit?
Oh, everywhere! But I’d love to go to Europe and trapse around to all the historical places. I’m a bit of a history buff. I guess I’d love to see Egypt as well, and maybe throw in Japan because it’s something different.

A tiny beach in Sydney (it was a rainy day)

According to you, what are the positive and negative aspects of being a book blogger in Australia?
I guess one of the fantastic things about blogging, and the internet in general, is that it’s virtually universal. There aren’t as many barriers, so even though I live so far away from people who are blogging in say, England, I can still connect with them! There are so many amazing people out there that I’ve met through blogging, and they really make it worthwhile.
But there’s a bad side too. So many aspects of the book blogging world are geared towards readers in the USA. Giveaways are often for members of the US only (and I’m not blaming bloggers for this – shipping is expensive! Heck, I can’t even host giveaways at the moment) and release dates are so different for Australians. That can be frustrating.

What Australian authors and books would you recommend?

If you haven’t read John Marsden’s ‘Tomorrow’ series, I’d suggest you run out and buy the first book (Tomorrow, When The War Began) now! They’re fantastic because they’re set in Australia, but they’re so action packed and well written that it’s easy to lose yourself in the descriptions and the action no matter where you are.
Melina Marchetta  is also a great Aussie author, and though I’ve only read two of her books, if you haven’t tried On The Jellicoe Road then you really have to! It’s so beautiful and amazing – and this is coming from someone who really doesn’t read contemporary literature!

How many languages do you speak?

Well, I speak English (clearly) and as through school I do beginner’s French. So I only speak a little, for now!

Where do you usually buy your books?

Usually our local bookshops, Angus & Robertson, Borders, Dymocks. Sometimes I visit the occasional indie bookshop, but we don’t have that many where I live. I’ve used Amazon once or twice, but that requires Mum’s credit card so it’s easier to just go to a bookshop.I’ve actually found that books are cheapest at our department stores (like Big W; I used to work there). So they’re always a haunt of mine.

an image of Angus and Robertson bookstore (not my picture)

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

We don’t really stock non-english books in the main bookstores, unless you go to a specialty one like Kinokuniya (in Sydney CBD). If we’re English talking books from other countries, like the US, it can be really frustrating. Sometimes books are released here at the same time as the US, but other times we have to wait ages to get them. It can be really frustrating, and there are some books that I have heard about (and am dying for) that have been out in the US for years, and there is no sign of them here. So that can be pretty tricky without using online stores.

Every country has its clichés. What cliché about Australia do you consider disproportionate?
We don’t ride Kangaroos. Ever. If you tried to ride a Kangaroo, it would rip you to shreds. Trust me, I have been attacked by one and they are way stronger than you think they are.
Oh, and once I was asked by someone if ‘because I was in an earlier time zone, could I tell the future?’ Um...no.

Cronulla Beach (on another rainy day)

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas?
Well, actually I’ll be over in Las Vegas for Christmas this year! So while it won’t be white (I don’t think...) it will be colder than I’m used to. In Australia, we get upwards of 40°C (that’s 104°F) over our Christmas. Then again, I hate the cold, so no dreaming for me!

Quick Q&A:

Favourite thing about living in Australia: Beaches, the HEAT, the smell of bushfires (even though they are bad).
Least favourite thing about living in Australia: It’s so far away from everything else! And books are so expensive!
Favourite typically Australian food: Do we even have typical food? It’s really multicultural here...so I guess I’ll have to go with ‘snags’ (sausages...no one I know actually calls them snags btw.)
Favourite place in Sydney: The city/The Rocks. It’s so historical, and beautiful (and sometimes gross) at the same time. There is great shopping, and you find something new every time. The atmosphere is just fantastic.
Favourite bookshop: Borders, even though it’s insanely expensive, it’s the biggest we’ve got and I just can’t go past being surrounded by that many books.

Favourite Australian author: Definitely John Marsden.
Favourite Australian singer/band: Oh, um... Paul Kelly! Strange, but cool. :)

Favourite kind of book to read while travelling: There are too many! Whatever I have in my bag at the time, I guess. I don’t really re-read books, so there isn’t just one pick!
Plane or train: Plane! I hate trains. They have that particular smell and they’re always late.

Boat or bus: : Bus. My favourite form of transport.

Bike or feet: Feet, all the way.
I would never say G’day in Sydney. (My Dad does it sometimes, but I think it’s weird.)
If I were a kangaroo, I would probably rip you to shreds if you try and hug me or box with me.

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

Next week we'll be traveling to India!

 
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