12 Smart & Savvy Days of Christmas - Day 11 - My Favorite Bloggers Part 2

Hi there! Welcome to Day 11. Today I welcome three more of my favorite bloggers to the blog that I have met on this blogging journey who have become great friends! Kaitlan from Between Order and Randomness, Christine from I *Heart* Big Books and Ethan from One Guy's Guide To Good Reads. 

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How long have you been blogging?

I've had my blog for a couple of years.  It started out as a personal blog. Then about a year ago I started book blogging.

How/why did you get started?

I started book blogging because of Cora Carmack. I started reading her books. Became a part of her All Lined Up Street Team. And everything took off from there. I was introduced to so many wonderful people of the book world. I was just sucked right in and I've never been happier.

What is your favorite thing about blogging?

All the wonderful relationships that have come out of it. Helping to promote some truly amazing and talented people. It brings me so much joy.

In the spirit of the holiday season:

What is your funniest holiday memory?

Hmm...ohh! I will never forget the one year. This is kind of embarrassing but I'll tell anyway. My mother one year through it would be funny to wrap my bras in with all my other presents. So when I opened the box in front of everyone. I was mordified. Looking back I can laugh at it, but at the time my face was as red as a tomato. Haha.

Favorite Christmas/Holiday:

Song? 

Suzy Snowflake and I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.

Food? 

The mini cheesecakes that my mom makes every year. They are the best!

Movie/TV special? 

Favorite movie is Muppets Christmas Carol and Favorite TV special is A Charlie Brown Christmas. 

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How long have you been blogging? 

I'm just coming up on my two year (TWO YEARS!) blog anniversary in a couple of weeks! I can't believe time has passed so quickly, but if it's one thing I've learned....this book community is amazing, fun, and completely welcoming. I have big giveaway plans in store as a thank you to my readers!

How/why did you get started?

I actually had another short-lived blog incarnation before i*Heart*BigBooks was born. But what got me started was reading Hopeless by Colleen Hoover. That book just wrecked me and I had no one to talk to about all of my *FEELS*. I then turned to the internet and though I was already aware of the online book community, I had the undeniable urge to become a more active participant within it.

What is your favorite thing about blogging?

This year was a bit rough on me with life and my day job, so I've been a bad blogger. I have big plans to get back on track next year, but through it all I've loved designing graphics within the book world. I'm not always the most eloquent person with my words, but I love the art of visual expression! Also, I love to share in my love of reading. When a blog reader tells me that they loved a book I recommended or when they ask me for personalize recommendations? That's one of the best feelings ever. And lastly, a most importantly....My FAVORITE thing about blogging is meeting and getting to know the most amazing, creative, passionate people. I've made some amazing friends in this community that just "GET" me. We don't always agree, but we respect and care for one another, all without ever meeting in person (though I hope to remedy this!) They are my people and I'm never ever giving them back! 

In the spirit of the holiday season:

What is your funniest holiday memory?

Oh....probably the time I was little and was travelling to the east coast. I saw a squirrel for the first time. Unfortunately, this meeting took place as it was climbing my leg. I can laugh about it now that I didn't get infected with rabies. Wow. Didn't think my interview would mention rabies, now did you?

Favorite Christmas/Holiday:

Song? 

All I Want for Christmas is You always makes me happy. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas just gives me the warm fuzzies. hahah

Food? 

Desserts. All of them.

Movie/TV special? 

Elf and It's a Wonderful Life. My Christmas is incomplete without the laughter and then the tears of those two movies. I also try to make time for White Christmas as well. But the first two are my essentials!

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How long have you been blogging?

I began my blogging journey in March of 2014. I haven't been at this for very long, but I feel like I've been doing it my entire life!

  

How/why did you get started?

This is a fantastic question that I get asked often. I love reading. I love all things literature, in fact. I was growing increasingly aggravated at how the literary world was dominated by women. Not that that is a bad thing, but authors were getting no insight from male readers. Do you realize that almost exactly half of the world's population is comprised of males? And guess what, we like reading too! I just wanted to make that known to authors. I loved being a male blogger in a female dominated community, because I get to express my views and talk about the differences I see in novels not only because of my gender, but because of my background, location, etc as well. I actually got started through being selected as a member of NYT Bestselling Author Cora Carmack's Street Team. As a member of her Street Team, I was surrounded by lots of amazing bloggers who inspired me to finally begin a blog of my own! This is, of course where I met the incredible awesome and talented Steph! :D

What is your favorite thing about blogging?

My favorite thing about blogging is the incredible feeling I get from helping an indie or debut author. I am a big fan of connecting, in some way, with each author I work with. Be it an email or even a RT on Twitter, I love knowing that authors can see my words. It's such a great feeling to get acknowledgment from authors and readers for the work we put into our blogs. It isn't east, but it is definitely more rewarding than words can say. I also have come to love all of the friendships I have made in this community. The friends I am making through blogging have become some of the best I have ever had!

In the spirit of the holiday season:

What is your funniest holiday memory?

Funniest? Geez... Well, I'm not sure about funniest, but I have one that definitely sticks out as an "only Ethan" moment. Back in High School, I was editor of the Yearbook. Each year we hosted a formal Christmastime dance, and as editor, I played a big role in making it happen. The dance went off without a hitch, and that night we got our first taste of winter weather. Definitely an exciting thing where I'm from because we didn't always get snow. Well anyway, early the next morning I woke up and got ready to go to the school to begin the de-construction process of the dance. In my excitement to see snow, I ran out the front door and immediately slipped on the ice that had accumulated on our front porch. After falling off said porch, it should come without shock that I didn't have to help take down the dance... In fact, I had to spend the next 6 weeks in a cast after I broke my ankle! Some way to spend your holiday, right?! Definitely wasn't funny at the time, but now I can laugh on it!

Favorite Christmas/Holiday:

Song? 

Oh man... 'Where are you Christmas?' by Faith Hill is my all time favorite, but 'Mary's Boy Child' comes in at a close second. More traditionally? 'Silent Night' or 'O Holy Night', for sure.

Food? 

White chocolate covered pretzels probably. This is a hard question! OH, no. Those Crunch Bar medallions that you can only get around Christmastime? THOSE are my favorite!

Movie/TV special? 

I am a stickler for The Grinch, the live action one with Jim Carrey. BUT My favorite holiday classics are the Rankin/Bass productions of the 60s and 70s. Those films are a national treasure. I watch them year round! Also, the Santa Clause movies with Elizabeth Mitchell, because YES. Love. That. Woman. Haha! 

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Thank you, Ethan, Christine and Kaitlan for hanging out with me! For today's giveaway you have a chance to win one of their favorite reads of 2014 - A Reaper Made by Liz Long (Kaitlan's pick), Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover (Christine's pick) and The Collector's Society by Heather Lyons (Ethan's pick). Comment below and tell me what author tops your "must read" list. 

Note: All winners will be announced on January 6th.