Day 1: Introductions and Literature

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be part of this year's Armchair BEA. My name is Jillian, from Northern California, and I have been running this little blog for four years now, since January of 2010. If I can describe my blog in a sentence, it would be that it chronicles my life as an avid reader, an aspiring writer, and a lover of everything related to literature.

If I could only bring 3 books with me to a deserted island, I would bring Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The Book Thief, and a tie between Jane Eyre and The Thirteenth Tale. 

As far as how I feel about literature, literature to me is something that is constant in my life. It is something I am very passionate about. It's been such a huge part of my life for years, ever since I was a child. I have always loved reading and writing, and adore words in general. I think that literature is something that is crucial to have in one's life. 

As far as genre goes, I've always liked fiction the best, and read anything in that genre. Mostly though, I love general, contemporary, and literary fiction, mostly geared towards adults, but I do enjoy a good Young Adult book as well. I do have a special place in my heart for historical fiction set in WWII. I think that's an important time in our history, and it's really the people's stories that are truly captivating.

Lately I've been getting into a lot more non fiction, specifically, memoirs and travelogues. My dream is to travel everywhere, but in the meantime, I try to live vicariously through these authors' stories.

Follow me on all kinds of spaces in the interwebs:
Instagram - I will be participating in the photo challenges for sure!
Youtube

31 comments:

  1. Have you read Chelsea Handler's latest release, Uganda Be Kidding Me? If you like her, you'll love that travel memoir! It's my favorite of hers so far. Traveling is a big deal for me, so I live vicariously through other people's adventures whenever I can't go out on my own.

    Kristen @ Pretty Little Pages

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  2. I've been bumping into a lot of WWII books lately - one's up for giveaway at FHC at the moment!
    and really enjoying discovering the era and the depth of the people living through it...
    enjoy your BEA week !

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  3. I skipped over the question about 3 books on an island because I couldn't choose. However, it seems a lot of people are choosing Deathly Hallows. It really was a very good book. Reminds me, I really ought to do a Harry Potter reread one of these days.

    Hope Armchair BEA is as much fun for you as it is for me! Happy reading.

    Lisa @Just Another Rabid Reader

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  4. So many people would take Deathly Hallows to a desert island with them. Can you believe i haven't read it? Craziness.
    I love the look of your blog - very simple and tasteful. Enjoy ABEA!

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  5. I will read anything within fiction too. Have a wonderful time with Armchair BEA.

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  6. I see you want to move to Washington State -- I'm curious as to why. I moved from Northern California to Washington as a kid, coincidentally. Living vicariously through reading is what I love too! Welcome to ABEA.

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  7. Harry Potter and The book thief are also on my list for a trip to a deserted island!

    Mel@thedailyprophecy

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  8. Hi Jillian. I'm coming to you via the ArmchairBEA event. This is my first year participating. I have the same dream as you: to travel the world. I'm a historical romance writer with big dreams.

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  9. I don't read a lot of non fiction but think living vicariously through the books is a great way to go.

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  10. Hi Jillian. I didn't answer the desert island question because I couldn't choose. There's no way I could just take one book in a series - I'd want all of the Harry Potter books, not just one.

    AH@badassbookreviews.com

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  11. I don't have any idea what Armchair BEA is - but I'm going to check it out. I have yet to read The Book Thief, but I know I have to someday after hearing how much it's loved. :)

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  12. Oooh yes, The Book Thief! That's certainly worth taking with you! Great to meet a fellow blogger on the ABEA this year :)

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  13. I like that you just picked fiction as your genre as I would have struggled to define it further than that too!

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  14. I love the simplicity of your blog, so pretty! I love all of the books you named for your desert island picks - especially The Thirteenth Tale! I've been meaning to reread or listen to it, it was one of my first audiobooks and I fell in love with the story. Enjoy this week of Armchair BEA!

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  15. I love adult fiction and mysteries, but occasionally I dig into memoirs. Nice to meet another Californian...I live in Central California, but once upon a happy time ago, I lived in Northern California...and also the Bay Area. Enjoy your week, and here's MY ARMCHAIR BEA POST

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  16. Great intro! All of the books you mentioned that you would bring to a deserted island are all excellent and all sorts of wonderful :) Happy Armchair BEA! Also, love your layout here, it's very elegant :)

    Day 1 @ on my blog

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  17. Hi Jillian, I found you via the BEA link ups. Can I put my vote in for Jane Eyre as one of your desert island choices? I've loved that book ever since reading it as a child but never realised until it was one of he set texts on a lit course i did a few years ago that it's been been interpreted as a feminist novel.

    Hope you enjoy your BEA experience

    Karen (Booker Talk)
    Armchair BEA 2014 cheerleader

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  18. I haven't read much of WWII books but I do watch a lot of the PBS Masterpiece drama and shows which has that as their backstory of sorts. But me because my an Historical romance reader, I might be biased about history. LOL

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  19. I TOTALLY agree with your bringing HP & Deathly Hallows book to the deserted island. That's always my standard answer for any question that asks "what's the one book..." The Book Thief is lovely, but I'd definitely spend a lot of time ugly crying on that island if I had it with me, haha.

    It's nice to meet you via Armchair!

    Here’s my Armchair BEA intro post.

    Jess @ Such a Novel Idea

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  20. I love travel books, too, and enjoy reading nonfiction as well as fiction. Nice to get to know you through your post.

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  21. I would definitely take Deathly Hallows with me too, to the deserted island. Looks like we started blogging at around the same time! Happy four years-plus to us!

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  22. Oh yes! One reason to read is to live vicariously through authors.

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  23. I couldn't agree more... WWII historical fiction is the BEST!

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  24. I love reading about WWII because there is so much information!

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  25. Visiting your blog via ABEA; my YA mystery / thriller, FERAL, will release in August with HarperTeen.

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  26. I have always loved a good memoir. :-)
    Great to meet you. I'm a new follower.

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  27. I skipped over the 3 books on an island question as well because I couldn't narrow it down. I do enjoy it when others answer though, it gives me new titles to add to my tbr list!

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  28. I really enjoy reading about WWII as well! Loved your interview! Happy Armchair BEA! :)

    -Becca @Pivot Book Reviews

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  29. Jane Eyre ... my favorite. Also loved The Book Thief. Nice to meet you, Jillian.

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  30. For some reason, I just refused to read the Harry Potter series until towards the end of last year. Currently I am on the 4th book...love it so far.

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