How do you carve out time for blogging, reading, family, and life?I probably represent the minority in the book blogging world because I don't have much juggling to do. I am the only child of an only child, so there's not much family around to begin with. All my immediate blood family is dead-- and I moved a couple thousand miles away from where I was born and raised anyway. My husband is English, and all his family live in the UK. Denis and I married when I was 47, and we have no children of our own, so as you can see, we're not exactly tripping over family members.
I've also been "downsized" (would that it were physically true!) from my work of over 26 years, so there's the job part of the juggling equation out the window. I concentrate on Denis, reading, life and blogging. When he's at home, I tend to focus on him because I truly enjoy his company and don't want to waste time I could be spending with him. I'm a nightowl and Denis works nights, so I do a lot of my reading while Denis sleeps during the day, and my blogging in the wee hours while he's at work.
I know just how fortunate I am that I don't have so much juggling to do because it's not that long ago that I did!
It sounds as though you have a pretty incredible husband and marriage! I love that you "truly enjoy his company." And it sounds like y'all have worked out a system that suits both of your needs.
If your house caught on fire and you could only grab three books on your way out the door, which books would you save?
My house actually did catch fire in 1981 while my grandparents were here for a winter visit. By the time the fire was discovered, it was a large blaze growing larger by the second. I was dressed in my purple robe and fuzzy slippers, and I picked up my little dog so he wouldn't get underfoot. I had to go over to the neighbors' house to use the phone because the fire had burnt through the phone line to the house. (No cell phones in those days!) After I made the call, I went back to the house, grabbed (1) my other pair of glasses, (2) my wallet that contained all my money, ID and credit cards, and (3) my set of keys. I made sure everyone was out of the house and well out of harm's way. Two minutes after I'd made the call, the fire department was there. So... that's what I really did when my house caught fire!
Playing along with the question, instead of my original grab list of three, the books I would snatch and run with would be..... *cue Jeopardy theme music while I think* ... (1) the book I was currently reading, (2) the personally-signed-to-me copy of As the Crow Flies by Craig Johnson, and (3) The White Gallows by Rob Kitchin, which just happens to have a blurb by yours truly on the back (my first).
OMG Cathy! Was everyone and everything ok? Did the fire get put out before it took everything?I tell my children that there used to be a time when cell phones were not standard tools of issue and they never believe me. Same with computers!
About grabbing the book you were currently reading....that's pretty smart! I never would have thought of that - until all had calmed down and I wanted to know what had happened in my book! I'm so sorry your house caught on fire but what a true testament to fire fighters everywhere that they got there so quickly!
Describe your favorite place to read and why you love it so much.
I thought I'd send along a photo so you could all see it for yourselves. My favorite reading spot that I use many months of the year, is the seat down at the deep end of our swimming pool. My husband shortened the pole of an old patio umbrella so it provides the perfect shade. I'm a few feet away from the waterfall, and I can stay cool and read to my heart's content. No, I do not get my books wet. I don't even toss a book in the pool when a wasp starts crawling up my neck and into my hair! Why do I love this reading spot so much? It's outside, I love the water, I can keep an eye on all the wildlife that shows up all day long to take advantage of the many fountains, the birdbaths, the oranges, and the thistle seeds. For me, it's the perfect way to relax! (By the way, the photo is a bit old, that bed of rosemary is huge now, and stray cats came in and broke the pretty blue solar fountain, so it had to be replaced by another.)
Cathy your favorite place to read is phenomenal! And what a trooper you are to hang onto the book even though a wasp was crawling up your neck!
If your life could be summed up in a book or a movie, what would the title be? (ex: Mission Impossible, Great Expectations)
This is a tough question. My life's taken a few twists and turns over the years, and it's difficult to sum it all up in one phrase. Hmmm.... Right at this moment, I'd have to say I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. For many years, I felt caged by circumstances it would take too long to relate. For the past ten years, I've escaped the cage and discovered that all the things I sang about while held captive are indeed "out there" and more than worth the agony I experienced while fighting for them. It's impossible to be positive and upbeat all the time, but never, ever let yourself give up. Never.
That's so interesting you should choose I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings ~ I chose that book to give away for World Book Night. And "never give up" has been my life's motto too. You are a true inspiration dear!
If you could speed date any author, who would it be? What questions would you ask?
The only things I've ever wanted to do with great speed are things I hate to do. You ask some tough questions, Stacy! There are so many candidates, so I'll just have to pull names out of my hat. Hmmm.... It would be a toss-up between (1) Steve Hockensmith (http://www.stevehockensmith.com/), the creator of the Holmes on the Range mystery series about the Amlingmeyer brothers in the Wild West of the 1890s. The older-- unschooled-- brother's hero is Sherlock Holmes, and he drags his younger brother from one situation to the next in an effort to prove that he can "detectify" as good as his hero. And (2) Chris Grabenstein (http://www.chrisgrabenstein.com/), the creator of an equally wonderful pair of crime solvers, John Ceepak and Danny Boyle, who keep their section of the Jersey Shore safe from modern day villains. I'd ask how these characters came to mind and came to life and about the importance of the time and the place the characters inhabit.
Cathy you have given me a couple of authors to definitely check out! I'm a mystery fiend and the idea of Sherlock Holmes having a brother sounds like too much fun to pass up!
Stop in and say hi to Cathy over at Kittling: Books. As you can see, she is both funny and inspirational ~ one really cool chick-a-dee! Thank you Cathy for spending time here at A Novel Source and sharing your gorgeous reading spot! Can I come hang out with you?!?
Happy Sunday!
