Armchair BEA 2013 - Introductory Post

Design credit: Sarah of Puss Reboots

Today starts the opening of the week long Armchair Book Expo America. With many of us not making it to New York this annual online event exists for those of us who miss out on the bookish event.

The introductory questions were posted last week HERE - the request is that online participants answer just 5 of the 11 questions below.

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? 
2. Where in the world are you blogging from? Tell a random fact or something special about your current location. Feel free to share pictures. 
3. Have you previously participated in Armchair BEA? What brought you back for another year? If you have not previously participated, what drew you to the event? 
4. What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2013? 
5. Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you. 
6. Name your favorite blog(s) and explain why they are your favorite(s). 
7. Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read? 
8. If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why? 
9. What literary location would you most like to visit? Why? 
10. What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? 
11. Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years?

3. Have you previously participated in Armchair BEA? - Yes I have for the last two years I have participated somewhat randomly, but I have been here, reading and commenting!

4. What are you currently reading - My current read is The White Mughals by William Dalrymple. This is a non fiction book, set in 18th Century India and is the current read for my book group.

6. Name your favourite blogs - Well, I am not naming favourites, but I will share the blogs that I always read, even if the posts are stacked in my inbox

• ANZLitLover - hosted by Lisa who is a real ambassador for Australian and New Zealand Literature
• Historical Tapestry - I do participate in writing for Historical Tapestry. It is though a popular blog about (mainly) historical fiction
• I am a Reader not a Writer - is a mixed bag blog, in the main book related
• Adventures of an Intrepid Reader - Since reading Marg's blog my book list has grown rather substantially!

9. What Literary Location would you most like to visit? - I had always wanted to visit Jersey in the Channel Islands. We have twice, both times in 2011. As a result of those visits I had read a great deal about the island and the impact of the Second World War (it was the only part of the British Territories invaded by the German regime). So, I wanted to visit and then find that I was inspired by the history of the island and the books available.

10. What is your favourite part of the book blogging community - This is not just book blogging, but blogging in general. It has to be the people that we "meet" along the way, those that visit our blogs, read and comment. The random emails that people write, that simply says I stopped by and read X and want to comment to you privately. Events such as blog hops or BEA and the A-Z April Challenge that enables us to read other blogs that we might not have come across.