Week-long Blog Friend Celebration, Spotlight, and Giveaway #3

Hey everyone! This week I will be spotlighting 1 blogger friend each day and giving away 2 favorite picks of theirs. I really wish I could highlight everyone, but I could only do 5 this time and will choose different ones the next time I do this giveaway. Be sure and come back every day to read the new interviews and see which books I'm giving away that they have chosen. Here was the Giveaway from Tuesday with a GREAT read.

Today's Celebrated Blogger is:

A bookkeeper by day and fantasy reader by night (and when can slip into books on lunch hour) with a family who shakes their heads at me, as I always have my nose buried in a book, and two German Shepard's that relax with me (most of the time).  I enjoy visiting my own version of the world, no matter how weird and distorted it may be -- there is always magic there to explore -- hence the blog name My World...in words and pages.  http://melissa-melsworld.blogspot.com/

At My World...in words and pages is a little blog I started at the end of July 2009 to document my reads, and it became much more than I ever expected.  I found many great new friends who share the same love in books and the genres I read.  Hard for me to believe I'll celebrate four years of blogging this summer.  I review Fantasy - Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, and even touch on Science Fiction and Steampunk as well.  I love sharing the books and pieces to give people different views on them.

What character from a book is your absolute favorite? Please tell us about them without being spoilery.

Oooh, you ask hard questions!

Absolute favorite...Well, I have to talk of a fantasy character.  I fell in love with the whole cast actually.  But Jimmy the Hand is one I loved.  He's a thief who is much more and really top of the thieving kids.  But he becomes much more with things that happen in his life and a royal he meets.

Then the children and their children...just a great legacy created with him.

He's a special talented man I can't seem to forget.  Well written, along with all in the cast of characters with him in Magician.

If you could have one superpower, which one would you pick?

Hmm, this is hard.  They all have their benefits and downfalls.  Today, I think I would go with time control.  I would love to have spare time to read all the books I have here!  And the ones I want!  Along with everything else in life I want to do.

What is your favorite mythological creature?

Growing up I was all about the horses - unicorns and Pegasus.  But now, I have to say Dragons.

What book did you love that everyone else hated or hate that everyone else loved?

I have to say I've been fortunate to enjoy pretty much all the books I read.  I try to keep a variety of different genre so I don't get bored with one.  I hate to touch on the negative side of things but that's what's jumping in my head.  I've started the Dresden Files and I seem to not see the strong attraction yet.  Now, I'm only three books in and everyone says the fourth is the one that it should grab me, so I'll give the fourth a try and see what happens.  Believe me, it's not a bad world or story.  Very good.  I just don't see the strong attraction yet.  It could be me being the oddball, but...*shrug shoulders*

What are some of your quirks?

I have to have a schedule, and I don't like getting mixed up.  Like in the evening, I come home, eat, maybe read or talk with kiddo, (or on workout nights - rush in change, rush out) then by a specific time I'm on the computer respond to comments on my blog and visit others.  I get off the computer at a designated time too.  This is now my down time, to read and relax - readying for bed.

I, um... I use colored sticky notes in my books.  I'm a note-taker.  I love noting everything so I can go back later.  People laugh at my books as they have a rainbow sticking out.

What is your favorite website to visit?

Hmmm, that is REALLY! hard.  I have several I visit, and all for different reasons.  I'll go with my favorite and the one that got me into the online book community, Barnes & Nobles forums. They have chat forums for Urban Fantasy/Paranormal and Science Fiction/Fantasy.  Of course for many other genre as well, but those are the genres I read.  The people are amazingly kind, and so many new books I found talking with them.

What tips or tricks would you pass on to fellow bloggers?

Hmm, tips and tricks...well, I would say talk, or comment.  Talking is part of why I started, and many others, blogging.  We want to interact with others who enjoy reading and share books with each other.  We all find something different and want to show others.

As for blogging, do what *you* want.  Share what you want, not always what others want.  It will keep you enjoying what you do.  Also, take breaks from blogging.  It's needed.  Really.  You start to think you aren't reading enough, take a week and just read.  Or go on vacation with your family, don't blog!  You need that time away.  Blogging can start to feel like a job after a while, that's when many get burned out from it and quit.  Don't let it become all you do.  You do want to read and watch tv and have fun with friends and family.

And keep a variety in your reading stack.  You don't have to try something way out there, but after a while you get bored with the same idea books and can see what's coming.  Try to mix up your reads some, but don't go way out of your favorite genre either.  Like me I can't read straight fiction, I like my fantasy blended in.

What 2 favorite books do you choose for me to give away?

Two books... Hmm, All the books from Ilona Andrews are amazing, starting with Magic Burns.  I'd say Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews is my favorite.  Then I loved meeting Zara, a rough snarky vampire in Bloodlines by Skyla Dawn Cameron.  I think many who enjoy Jaye Wells Sabina Kane series and Sabina will enjoy Zara in Bloodlines.

OK, your choice of what I list from The Book Depository (please make sure they deliver to your country first) or an e-book from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. 

Magic Strikes - e-book from Amazon/Barnes & Noble, paperback from The Book Depository

Bloodlines - e-book from Amazon/Barnes & Noble, paperback from The Book Depository

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I would really like to thank you, Melissa, for taking your time out and answering my questions! I enjoy chatting with you about our shared book interests on our blogs and following your passion for books on Twitter :)