Merry Christmas Everyone! Today I have a very special guest on my blog, Mickey from I’m a Book Shark. This is one of the many very helpful bloggers I consider experienced.She has helped me with my blog, answered questions and given me advice. We haveeven talked about books. This is a blogger you should get to know if you haven’tyet. She is friendly, funny and helpful.
I go to her blog a lot as an example for how to make my blog better. Toother new bloggers out there it is ok to ask for advice and use other blogs toset yours up but do not plagiarize or mimic the blog you are looking at. Thatis not ok and I have heard a lot of stories of new bloggers doing this. I knowfrom personal experience these bloggers work hard and put in a lot of time andeffort. Stealing their hard work is not ok and will only make you look bad.Without further wait, please welcome this amazing blogger and find out more about herin this interview.
Christie: Welcome Mickey, thank you for taking the timeto do my first blogger interview with me. Tell me a little about yourself.
Mickey: Hello! Thanks for having me! My name isMichelle, but you can call me Mickey. I live in Arizona, and I have a housefull of animals! I love to bake and I wish I could sing Nicki Minaj songs likethat little girl on YouTube. :o)
Christie: You do have a lot of animals. I saw that inyour photos; I’m very afraid of that huge spider eeek!
Christie: How long have you been blogging and whatmade you start?Mickey: I have been blogging since March/April, and Istarted my blog when I came across other awesome book blogs. I was actuallylooking into writing reviews for magazines or newspapers when I found bookblogs. I thought it would at least be a good place to start. I've never lookedback!
Christie: I love the name of your blog. How didyou come up with the name I’m a Book Shark?Mickey: I really wish I had a betterstory, but I honestly don't. This is how it happened: I decided to make a newTwitter account a while back, and I wanted it to be about my favorite hobby:reading! I also wanted it to demonstrate that I read a LOT. Since we're animalpeople in this house (see About Me for all my pets), I thought I'd include one ofthose. For whatever reason, sharks came to mind. Perhaps it's because they havelarge mouths and can eat a lot at one time. Who knows. Also, Ithought of card sharks, but they aren't the same as booksharks. Anyway, abookshark was born! Christie: excitingstory or not it is a great name and I find it very creative.
Christie: As an experienced blogger do you have anyadvice for a new blogger like me?Mickey: First of all, I am flattered by theexperienced blogger status ;o) Either way, I do have some advice: I wouldsuggest taking part in the weekly memes, such as Top TenTuesday, Waiting on Wednesday,and TGIF. These gainfollowers and provide you with links to other blogs as well. I've come acrosssome fantastic people and blogs this way! I also suggest trying to dogiveaways. They at least get people to check out your blog and see what you'reabout. When you do giveaways, I don't suggest mandatory entries. Those turnpeople off. Lastly, participate in the whole social media thing. Get a Facebookpage, Twitter account, Google+ page, etc, for your blog!
Christie:Thank you for the advice! I have all the social accounts and am hosting agiveaway but I didn’t know that the mandatory entries were a turn off. Most ofthe giveaways I have seen have had them. Thank you. I will also have to checkout TGIF!
Christie: What are your all time favorite 5 booksand why?Mickey: Wow. This is really tough. These may notreally be in order, but here they are: #1 - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.Why? It's a classic! It's a great romance with humor and class. Love it. #2 -Summer Sisters by Judy Blume. Why? This book takes me back to high school. Iloved the story then, and I want to reread it to relive the feel of this novel.Check it out. #3 - Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult. Why? This one deals with aheated but favorite topic: same-sex marriage. Great story. #4 - Succubus seriesby Richelle Mead. Why? It's amazing. It's full of so much emotion. Georginaseriously became one of my girls. Fabulous series. #5 - PS I Love You byCecelia Ahern. Why? Um, I cried throughout the whole freaking thing. This girlwas in her very early 20s when she wrote this, and she certainly knows whatdeep love is. So moving. To throw a YA novel in the mix here, we'll say perhapsThe DUFF or Catching Jordan. Great YA reading! I'd like to include in thislist: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, Something series by Emily Giffin, TheHelp by Kathryn Stockett, and Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. Super awesomenovels, you guys! Wow that was long.. lol.Christie: I have not read any of those :O. I will haveto get on that.Christie: Is there a book that stands out in your mindthat you absolutely hated? Were you able to finish it?Mickey: Yes. Unfortunately it's Wicked Lovely. Iknow a lot of people like this series, but I really didn't like the first oneat all. Funny anecdote about this: I finished this book the day before theSmart Chicks tour hit Scottsdale. I met Melissa Marr during the meet andgreet/signing, and she signed my nook cover with, "There are alwayschoices." I should have chose to stop reading it ;o) Christie:haha that made me laugh.
Christie: What is your favorite Feature/Meme that youparticipate in?Mickey: I participate in the three I mentioned above(Top Ten Tuesday, WoW, and TGIF). I love participating in all three ofthem!
Christie: What authors have you met and what onedid you like meeting the most?Mickey: Here's the list: Alyson Noel, Aprilynne Pike,Brendan Reichs, Kathy Reichs, Diana Gabaldon, Ellen Schreiber, Holly Black, JAJance, Josephine Angelini, Kelley Armstrong, Kimberly Derting, Melissa Marr,Sarah Rees Brennan, Sharon Kay Penman, and Veronica Roth. I'm lucky here inPhoenix in that a lot of authors come for signings to our local bookstores!Which one did I like meeting the most? It's hard to say. I've read a LOT ofKathy Reichs novels, but Diana Gabaldon is a super funny lady. Not sure! Iloved meeting them all, that's certainly true.Christie: wow I’m so jealous! I have met EllenSchreibner also, she was so adorable. I love the TV show Bones based off ofKathy Reichs’ novels. I haven’t read any yet but I need to. Great author list,I’m sure you will have many more to add to that list in the future.
Christie: What book are you highly anticipating to bereleased?Mickey: I'm very much anticipating the release ofFever, the sequel to Wither! I loved Wither and can't wait to see what happensnext!!
Christie: You have a lot of followers on your blog, howdid you reach so many people?Mickey: Participating in Follow Friday (hosted byParajunkee) helped a lot. I got a lot of followers when I was the feature oneFriday. Other than that, I've had a lot of unique content (like giveaways andauthor interviews) that draws followers.Christie: Thank you, that is very helpful to know. Ihope to someday be in your realm of the blogging world.
Christie: I recently changed my blog a lot, whatdo you think of the change?Mickey: I think it looks fabulous!! I love the dark theme to it :o)Christie: Thank you. I wanted it to have a sense ofadventure. I love getting lost in the fantasy world.Christie: Do you have any advice for my blog?Anything I should work on or change?Mickey: I see that you're participating in WoW now, so that's great! Theonly thing I would change would be to add a search function for your blog. Ialways like that on a blog when I'm trying to find something specific.Christie: Thank you, I have now added that feature. Iappreciate the feedback.Christie: Thank you so much for taking the time to talkwith me. Is there anything else you would like to add?Mickey: Thanks so much for having me on the blogtoday!! It's been a pleasure. I'd just like to say that my virtual door isalways open. I'm ready and willing to help with any blogger with whatever theyneed :o) I hope I can help!! Christie:Thank you Mickey! I greatly appreciate that and I’m sure other bloggers doalso.
Bio:Mickey isthe blogger behind I’m A Book Shark. She really wishes there was abetter explanation for why she’s a book shark. A new twitter name was needed,and it had to be about her favorite hobby: reading! For whatever reason, sharksalso came to mind and a book shark was born. Besides reading, Mickey is anatural reddish-headed, mid-twenties, tattooed entertainment-of-all-kindslover, girlfriend of boyfriend, mother of reptiles (and a cat and two puppies,all spoiled), and addict of dessert. Anything chocolate is a welcomed gift inher life. Oh yeah, and she likes to blog. 
