Interview Swap with Michelle from The True Book Addict

I'm really pleased to have Michelle from The True Book Addict at One Book At A Time.  I'm so glad we were paired for the interview swap.  I love her blog and look forward to discovering more historical fiction through her reviews!

Tell us a little about yourself? 

I'm a stay-at-home mom of two boys.  Until recently, I was a part-time student majoring in history and English, but I capped out on student loans so I was unable to go back this semester.  I've turned this bad news into good by deciding to focus full time on writing my novel.  Now...if I can just stop procrastinating! Five things I love: my boys, books, cats, history and Christmas!

When did you start blogging and why?

I actually started dabbling with blogging about books on MySpace two years ago.  Then, last summer I met some book bloggers on Twitter (namely, Ryan at Wordsmithonia) and was introduced to the book blogging world.  I had no idea that the community was like this and I was so enamored of it.  I launched my blog early in August of 2009.  And the why?  I live, breathe, and eat (just kidding) books! I just love talking about books, whether anyone is listening or not.  It's cathartic and it helps me to enjoy books all the more.

I see you have 7 different book blogs?  Do you update each regularly?

The True Book Addict is my main blog, my book blog, and I update it many times per week.  Historical Fiction Connection is a historical fiction hub for authors and bloggers that I co-produce/edit with Marie from The Burton Review...updated whenever we receive content from authors/contributors.  Challenges of the True Book Addict is where I keep track of the reading challenges I'm participating in...updated as I finish and review books (ideally).  The Christmas Spirit is my year round Christmas blog (Christmas fanatic here!)...updated every 25th of the month, throughout July, and from Thanksgiving week through 12th night (or Epiphany).  101 Fantasy Reading Challenge and The Michener Challenge are dedicated blogs for two perpetual challenges I host...updated as needed for the challenges.  Finally, The Story Inside Me is my writing blog that I am planning to use for writing updates, inspiration, and accountability.  Sorry you asked?

How much time do you spend on your main blog?  How about the others?

I spend a lot of time on my main blog.  It's hard to gauge in time, but I am constantly posting and changing things there.  When I update my challenge blog, I usually spend a large block of time because I made the mistake of joining too many challenges and it takes me forever to update.  Believe me, I've learned my lesson! As for the other blogs, pretty much what I said in question 3.


What’s your favorite thing about blogging?

I love the book blogging community.  I have made some great friends on the blogs.  It's amazing that there are this many people who are of the same mind as me, at least when it comes to the love of books!

When is your favorite time to read?

My best time for reading is night time because I'm such a night owl.  I tend to drowse while reading during the day, unless I'm reading away from home.

Do you have any family members that enjoy reading as well?

My mom, my sister, and my dad.  My mom and I are the ones with HUGE home libraries, although mine is more huge than hers! My sister and I probably have the most in common in our reading tastes.  My sons also love books, although sometimes laziness rears its ugly head.  But I think my love of reading has rubbed off on them enough so that when they are really comfortable with reading, they will love it for life. *fingers crossed*


I counted 32 current challenges and 1 complete!  How do you keep up with them all?

It's very difficult and I do not recommend it.  Last year was the start of my first year blogging and when I found out about reading challenges and saw all the new ones coming out in the new year, I was like a kid in a candy store.  I just recently updated my challenge blog and I have conceded to failure on several.  So, again, lesson learned.  I will be much more selective next year.


Do you read anything that wouldn’t fit into a challenge (besides the page count and 100+ challenge)?

Not really.  I can usually manage to even fit review books into challenges since most of them don't require you to list your books ahead of time.


What’s been your favorite challenge so far?

My favorite challenge is the R.I.P. Challenge hosted every September/October by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings.  Second would be any historical fiction challenge.


Do you have a favorite genre?  I would say historical fiction based on your blog and some of your challenges, but I could be wrong?

Yes, historical fiction is my favorite.  Followed by horror and fantasy.  I'm a pretty eclectic reader, but I'm drawn to historical fiction.

Is there a genre that you’ve recently discovered?

Dystopian, which I have read and Steampunk, which I have learned about, but have not had the pleasure of reading yet.

Do you have a favorite book of all time?

This is such a hard question because I have so many favorites.  But the book I have read the most times is the one I feel is my favorite and that is Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice.  I have read it four times!

How about favorite of this year?

This is going to sound funny, but I can usually judge how much I loved a book on whether it made me cry or not.  While I will read a sad book, I'm not fond of sad endings so it seems kind of a contradiction, but tears do not always mean sadness for me.  Tears are often a release or a sign that I've felt something deeply.  Two books have had this effect on me so far this year....The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold and Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show by Frank Delaney.


What book that is on your to-read list are you looking forward to most?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling.  No, I have not read it yet! Shocking, huh?  I read the books each time within six months before the movie was released.  The first part of the last movie comes out November 19th so I'm looking forward to getting the book read before I see it.

Thanks Michelle for answering my questions!   And if your interested I answered some question for Michelle which are posted on her site!

Rhode from Infinite Days be Rebecca Maizel

For those of you who have read Infinite Days by Rebecaa Maizel, you know that we don't get to know Rhode very well.  I  thought he was a fascinating character.  So, I decided to ask Rebecca about Rhode so maybe we could learn a little bit more about him!

Can you remember much about your human life?  Such as when you were born, were did you live, etc?

I was born in England outside what is now contemporary London. The date of my birth is not something I share though I will tell you I was a knight under Edward the III when I was only a young man. The black death was ravaging England and Europe. I'd never seen such death, such unforgiving death. 

When were you made into a vampire and who created you?

I became a vampire in the early 1400s - this is a story I cannot tell.  Though I will tell you that I feared the Black Plague. I did not fear battle, I was an excellent swordsman. I feared death - and the Black Plague took many that were dear to me. 

What has been your favorite time period?

The early 1700s. When it was just Lenah and me. 

What has been the hardest thing for you as a vampire?

Leaving Lenah to find the ritual - watching her mind decay and knowing the only way to save her was to find the ritual. 

What attracted you to Lenah and made you decide to turn her?

Her essence. The way she looked at her world. I loved the way she touched things with her finger tips and admired the many objects in her life. I took touch away from her when I made her a vampire but I needed her with me. I wanted to show her just how much I loved her - I wanted her to appraise my world. 

What led you to sacrifice yourself for Lenah to become human again?

Love. Simple but true.

What did you do for the 100 years while Lenah slept?

I travelled and researched the nuances of the ritual. There were no texts I could access easily in England so I went to remote parts of the world to find the truth. And I hoped that we would succeed. 

Do you agree with Lenah’s choices in the end?

Her choice to be human? Absolutely. She would have become something else, something dark, she would have not been the Lenah I loved had she remained a vampire for much longer. There are darker, worse creatures than vampires and Lenah would have become one of those, I'm sure of it.

Infinite Days - A Vampire Queen Novel

“Throughout all my histories, I found no one I loved more than you…no one.”
Those were some of Rhode’s last words to me. The last time he would pronounce his love. The last time I would see his face. It was the first time in 592 years I could take a breath. Lay in the sun. Taste. Rhode sacrificed himself so I, Lenah Beaudonte, could be human again. So I could stop the blood lust. I never expected to fall in love with someone else that wasn’t Rhode.  But Justin was…daring. Exciting. More beautiful than I could dream.




Rebecca Maizel graduated from Boston University and the Rhode Island College master’s program. She teaches community college in Rhode Island and is studying to receive her MFA from Vermont College.