Blogger Interview: Jenny from Wondrous Reads

Welcome Jenny! I’ve know Jenny for a long time as we started blogging around the same time and it’s lovely that we’re both still going strong!

THE BASICS

Tell us a little about you and your blog

I’m really not very good at these things where I have to talk about myself, but here goes. I’m 26, I live near Manchester in the UK and I work at WH Smith selling books. I love all things media related, with my favourites being TV, film and books. My blog is called Wondrous Reads, and I review a wide variety of books including children’s, YA, New Adult and the odd adult title as well.

What inspired you to start up Wondrous Reads?

I was working at Borders at the time, during late 2007, and I started posting my book reviews on Amazon. I was reading a lot more because of working in a bookshop, and I really wanted to talk about them. So fast forward to early 2009, one night I came home from work and decided I wanted all my reviews to be in one place, logged onto Blogger and here we are!

How long have you been blogging?

Since January 17^th, 2009. So almost 5 years, and a week before you I think, Sophie. It does not feel like that long! [Sophie: Yep! I started on the 22^nd.]

BEING A BLOGGER

Do you remember what the first book you reviewed was?

Oh yes, I remember writing it very clearly. The first review I ever posted on my blog was one for The Book Thief by Markus Zusak which, incidentally, is still my all-time favourite novel.

What’s been the highlight of your blogging career so far?

I really don’t know if one moment towers above the rest; I love it all. A few highlights spring to mind: Interviewing Markus Zusak over email, meeting John Green and him saying “Are you Jenny the famous blogger?” (haha!), interviewing Christopher Paolini and going to an Inheritance launch dinner with him and his UK publishers, and going to a publishing dinner with Scott Westerfeld and Sarah Rees Brennan. I’ve also enjoyed meeting bloggers, publicists and authors who I would now call good friends!

Your biggest book-related starstruck moment?

Probably my first ever publishing event. It was at the Penguin/Puffin offices in London in November 2009 and I was so nervous. I’d never been to a publishing house before and it was pretty overwhelming walking in there and seeing the amazing views from 80 Strand. Aside that, I’d say meeting my favourite authors always leaves me a bit starstruck!

EVERYTHING ELSE

You’ve been blogging for nearly five years now. What keeps you going with it?

A love of books is the simplest answer I can give you. I love reading them and I love talking about them.

I know you’re a bit of a collector. What’s your biggest collection?

Haha, yep, I’m a collector. A lot of a collector. My biggest collection is my Buffy/Angel one, which has its own room. I’ve attached a pic from SFX magazine where you can see some of it. I’ve been collecting Whedon related stuff since February 1998 when I was 10, so quite a while.

I also collect some Lord of the Rings/Hobbit items, Titanic stuff, film books and magazines, Coheed and Cambria CDs and merch, Blu-rays, dragons and numerous other random things. I inherited the collecting gene from my dad, so my mum says…

Favourite book of 2013?

Shadows by Paula Weston, published by Indigo, which is about fallen angels. It’s amazing and you should all read it ASAP!

Now you know a bit more about the ‘famous blogger’! J You’re probably all already familiar with Wondrous Reads, but if not, make sure you go and check it out. Jenny reviews across all genres and has some fabulous authors pop by.

Sophie