At the beginning of 2020 I sent a couple of bookish questions to some bloggers and bookstagrammers who have been crazy enough to fill them out. In this series you’ll get to read their answers, admire their favourite reads and share their favourite stories. If you want to join the series just drop a comment below!
Name
Elfie
What sort of things do you like to read? Any favourite books?
I usually read fantasy, but I’ve recently tried to read more contemporary as there are a lot of important topics being introduced to YA at the moment. My favourite books are The Hobbit, Sky in the Deep and Turtles All The Way Down (At the moment)
Would you like to share any happy/funny reading related memories or stories?
So. I had a huge crush on Richard Hammond (yes, the Top Gear presenter) when I was at high school. I used to check his autobiographies out of the school library and tell the librarian it was for a project because I was embarrassed!
If you could write yourself into any story, which one would it be? Would you change anything about yourself or have any magical powers?
I would say I’d write myself into A Song of Ice and Fire as a whole series. Maybe I would be a wildling. I always liked the wildlings.
What got you interested in books? Any particular books or people?
I always loved Jacqueline Wilson as a child, and I remember I had a book by her full of writing tips. I think she definitely influenced my obsession with reading!!
Do you enjoy writing as well as reading? What sort of things do you write? Do the novels you read inspire you?
Yes! I write mainly Middle Grade and YA fantasy! My debut novel The Forest of Fallen Stars was released June [2019]!
Was there ever a point where you found yourself reading less? Why? Do you have any tips for getting out of a reading slump?
Only really when I’m overly busy or stressed in my life generally. I try to reread past favourites or pick up shorter books to get out of a reading slump!
What made you decide to engage with other bookworms on the internet? Are your internet bookworm friends different to your real life bookworm friends?
I don’t really have any real life bookish friends, so I think that’s the main reason I joined the online book community!
Do you have any reading routines? What about blogging or bookstagramming routines?
I try to stick to themes on my blog and Instagram. The colour theme is usually inspired by the season but I like to change it up every now and then!
Has interacting with bookworms online changed your reading at all? Do you think it’s for the better?
I think it’s definitely taught me a lot about different things. I like to ask for recommendations based on people’s life experiences. For example, if I’m looking for a book that has a transgender main character, I will ask the bookish community for books with good and realistic representation. I think asking for recommendations from lots of different people is always a good thing.
If you blog or bookstagram what do you find most challenging? Any 2020 reading/blogging/bookstagramming goals?
Probably the pressure of numbers. Instagram taking away the number of likes on a post has been really helpful, but it still bothers me a little. I’d like to write more reviews next year, and post more frequently. Maybe I will even create some sort of regular schedule, haha!
Would you want to work in the wonderful world of books? Why/why not? Do you have a dream job in the book world?
Yes! I would love to work for a publisher alongside writing my own novels. I’m currently drafting my second book, but I’m also really interested in going into publishing or becoming an agent!
What advice would you give your younger self? Do you have any advice for budding bookworms out there?
Don’t feel pressured to read something, just because everyone else is! Don’t feel bad for liking something others have a problem with, and don’t let anyone judge you for being a dyslexia book nerd!
Thanks Elfie for filling out the questions and joining my blog! Are you a fan of fantasy too? Which character would you be from Game of Thrones?
Another bookworm will be featuring on my blog so stay tuned for that, otherwise we have the usual Top Ten Tuesday coming up next week. You can check out all the other lovely bookworms I’ve met here. If you fancy joining the series let me know in the comments and I’d love to feature you!
So mine is a fantasy novel. Many of you who know me well will think that I am about to say Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, but that is only because my favorite fantasy author is a bit obscure. His name is David Eddings. The first series I read from him is called The Elenium and I desperately wanted to be part of that world (Yes I am now singing Part of your world stop laughing at me.) But I loved the characters and the variety in the landscapes, religions and such. Theto have the misunderstood part of that world come to life in The Tamuli series was like Christmas for me. It was sooooooo awesome!!!!!!
It depends. I prefer to concentrate on just the one book, but I will sometimes have multiple books on the go at once. Usually when I’m reading more than one they will be very different though. E.g. one novel, one non fiction, one audiobook… I then hop between them depending on my mood.
Books, Life and Other Oddities 