Hello, and today's blogger trying to find a home on your horizon is Anne.
Hi everyone! I’m Anne Williams, and I live in the lovely West Yorkshire market town of Wetherby. I’m not originally from Yorkshire though, I was born and brought up in North Wales, in a village near Bangor.
A lovely neck of the woods, Anne, and can you tell us how long you've been blogging and what is the name of your blog?
My blog’s called Being Anne (www.beingannereading.blogspot.co.uk) and I’ve been blogging for almost three years now.
How do you fit all this reading into your life? (marriage/kids/job)
I was lucky enough to get early retirement from my Civil Service job a couple of years ago, so I’m one of those really lucky people who can read as much as I like, whenever I like. I live on my own, no husband or kids, so no big distractions - and no need to smuggle my many book purchases into the house as I know some others do!
Freedom. Wow, guilt-free reading. I can only imagine. ;-)
What keeps you blogging?
I’ve written book reviews for as long as I can remember, and can’t imagine not doing so. Before the internet (yes, really!) I used to keep notebooks with my opinions on books I’d read. The blog started as a way to publish my reviews in one place and keep them together, but over the last year or so it’s become something rather more. Authors often comment that my reviews are thoughtful and considered, and I’m rather proud of that, and I really enjoy putting together the interviews and features I run. But the thing I love most is when someone says that they read my review, bought the book, and enjoyed it as much as I did – that’s why I blog. The other great thing is the community I’m part of - so lovely, generous and supportive. In life, friends come and go – the friends I’ve made through blogging have endured, and are by far the most precious to me.
It does seem to be appreciated by so many of us, doesn't it?
What is your favourite genre?
Aargh - that genre question! I’d say “chick lit” (so long as it’s well written), but that’s not really entirely true - I’m no longer a chick, so maybe “women’s literature” sums it up rather better. I do like some literary fiction too, some historical fiction (especially dual time or time slip), and also enjoy a good psychological thriller. What I enjoy more than anything else is discovering authors I haven’t read before and - if I enjoy them - helping to bring them to people’s attention.
Finding new talent - great fun. I love it when I get excited about a new author's book too. I always try to contact them and tell them how much I enjoyed it.
Are you an e-reader or a paperback girl?
Mostly kindle these days - but I’m always happy to go back to paperbacks for an exciting ARC…
Who would you cast as the male lead for a romantic movie of your life? (artistic license expected!)
That’s a really difficult question! I think I need to take full advantage of that artistic license and say I’d really like it to have been Sean Connery - but these days I think Bill Nighy might be more my kind of guy…
Oh, I LOVE Bill Nighy. You have to watch About Time. It's brilliant!
Hi everyone! I’m Anne Williams, and I live in the lovely West Yorkshire market town of Wetherby. I’m not originally from Yorkshire though, I was born and brought up in North Wales, in a village near Bangor.
A lovely neck of the woods, Anne, and can you tell us how long you've been blogging and what is the name of your blog?
My blog’s called Being Anne (www.beingannereading.blogspot.co.uk) and I’ve been blogging for almost three years now.
How do you fit all this reading into your life? (marriage/kids/job)
I was lucky enough to get early retirement from my Civil Service job a couple of years ago, so I’m one of those really lucky people who can read as much as I like, whenever I like. I live on my own, no husband or kids, so no big distractions - and no need to smuggle my many book purchases into the house as I know some others do!
Freedom. Wow, guilt-free reading. I can only imagine. ;-)
What keeps you blogging?
I’ve written book reviews for as long as I can remember, and can’t imagine not doing so. Before the internet (yes, really!) I used to keep notebooks with my opinions on books I’d read. The blog started as a way to publish my reviews in one place and keep them together, but over the last year or so it’s become something rather more. Authors often comment that my reviews are thoughtful and considered, and I’m rather proud of that, and I really enjoy putting together the interviews and features I run. But the thing I love most is when someone says that they read my review, bought the book, and enjoyed it as much as I did – that’s why I blog. The other great thing is the community I’m part of - so lovely, generous and supportive. In life, friends come and go – the friends I’ve made through blogging have endured, and are by far the most precious to me.
It does seem to be appreciated by so many of us, doesn't it?
What is your favourite genre?
Aargh - that genre question! I’d say “chick lit” (so long as it’s well written), but that’s not really entirely true - I’m no longer a chick, so maybe “women’s literature” sums it up rather better. I do like some literary fiction too, some historical fiction (especially dual time or time slip), and also enjoy a good psychological thriller. What I enjoy more than anything else is discovering authors I haven’t read before and - if I enjoy them - helping to bring them to people’s attention.
Finding new talent - great fun. I love it when I get excited about a new author's book too. I always try to contact them and tell them how much I enjoyed it.
Are you an e-reader or a paperback girl?
Mostly kindle these days - but I’m always happy to go back to paperbacks for an exciting ARC…
Who would you cast as the male lead for a romantic movie of your life? (artistic license expected!)
That’s a really difficult question! I think I need to take full advantage of that artistic license and say I’d really like it to have been Sean Connery - but these days I think Bill Nighy might be more my kind of guy…
Oh, I LOVE Bill Nighy. You have to watch About Time. It's brilliant!
Do you have a favourite classic?
It’s so long since I read a classic - I have a degree in English Literature, and that really killed off any enjoyment I felt when reading them. Maybe Wuthering Heights, perhaps Tess of the d’Urbervilles, possibly The Mill On The Floss?
I got my hubby to read Tess. He loved it. But you're right, HAVING to do stuff really takes the pleasure out of it, doesn't it?
What are you reading at the moment?
I’ve just finished reading Redemption Song by Laura Wilkinson, which is undoubtedly going to be one of my books of the year. That question about favourite genre? That book really sums it what I enjoy so well. I’m starting You And Me, Always by Jill Mansell later - I was lucky enough to be at her launch party this week, and I have a lovely hardback copy that she signed for me, perfect for curling up with on a wet afternoon.
Oh, that's a keeper! Well, thanks, Anne, for coming on and letting us into your life for a while. And if you want to hear more from Anne, just pop on over to her website, or you can find her on Facebook or Twitter. x
Blog: www.beingannereading.blogspot.co.uk
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/beingannereading/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Williams13Anne
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