Armchair BEA Day 1: Introductions First

 Wecome to Armchair BEA Day #1.  This is introduction day for all of us who are staying at home while this wonderful book convention is going on in New York City.  One year I plan on going, but this isn't the year.  So I plan on participating in Armchair BEA all week and I'm even helping host a Twitter party on Thursday night starting at 8pm, so stay tuned for that.  But until then enjoy the daily postings.

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?  My name is Crystal, I'm a Mom, a Wife, and an avid reader and therefore a blogger.  I also work in Marine Sciences and really enjoy my job.  I have been blogging for a little over 3 years now and I got started with the simple plan to help keep up with the books I read and how I felt out about each book I read.  In it's simplest form, it was suppposed to be reviews of my library books and books on my TBR piles.  It has quickly morphed from books I owned or checked out to books from publicists/authors and others in the buisiness.  I also have expanded past just book reviews, though I am lagging a bit at the moment.  I am hoping Armchair BEA will give me the spark I need back.
2. What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?  I'm currently reading Guilty Wives by James Patterson adn David Ellis.  James Patterson is still one of my guilty pleasures.  I know a lot of people don't necessarily like him and I don't enjoy all of his new books, but this one has been good and different so far.
3. What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)?  I am really starting to enjoy author interviews.  I am getting better at questions to ask and feel like I am coming into my own with these.  Plus I love the chance to interact  with authors and learn something personal and professional about them at the same time.
4. If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?  I think I would choose Stephen King because he is honestly the one who bridged my love of reading from childhood to adult reading when I was a teenager (not so much YA back then).  I read It and was in love so I would love a chance to talk to him and just sit and listen to him for an hour.
5. Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?  Yes they have in a way. I'm coming full-circle at the moment.  I came in reading suspense and romance, then the blogging world introduced me to the world of young adult and the many variations out there in this genre/age group of literature.  But now I'm kind of coming back to the adult books I read to begin with.  I am falling in love with romance again and suspense again and really enjoying it.  I still read YA too, but not to the full exclusion of books I use to read.  I am also tackling my tbr pile that has been neglected as well.  I am looking at it less like a job and more like an enjoyment again.