Real Name: Katy Alice
Favorite Books: Moby-Dick,American Gods and The Night Circus
Explain the Blog’s Name: Well, as I mentioned in my first post I took the ‘Garret’ idea from Jo March’s attic hideaway in Little Women. As for why I chose the ‘Girl’ part when I am more of the age to be called a “woman”… well it’s because it’s alliterative and rolls off the tongue better. Also, I have no problem with the word girl. I know that makes me controversial in some of the feminist circles I run in, but you see, I don’t see anything inherently pejorative or wrong with being a girl and therefor I don’t see anything wrong with calling myself a girl regardless of my age.
While I’m not exactly a fresh hand at the old book blogging game, this is my first real attempt at running one on my own. So, I figured I’d give the tag a try. Without any further ado, let’s get to it!
Why did you start this blog?
Because my blogging home of two years closed at the end of May, and I’ve grown accustomed to having a voice in the online book community. Also, I don’t have many people in my immediately social circle with whom I can chat about books, and I like having an outlet for my ramblings. Also, I just got a job at a public library and I need to tune up my RA skills (that’s Readers’ Advisory) with a little one-sided bookchatting.
What are some fun and unique things you can bring to book blogging?
Well, I tend to bring a slightly more academic feminist read to popular fiction than the casual blogger based on my education background–it’s more of a bad style habit than anything else… I never learned to turn the student part of my brain off. And I am not shy about sharing my honest opinions of books in reviews even if they are not flattering. But if I’m being REALLY honest the only truly unique thing I bring to book blogging is me, my perspective and particular love of books and the bookish community.
What are you most excited for about this new blog?
I’m excited about just getting to be the primary voice on this blog. While I loved blogging for The Bookish Blog, I was part of a staff and that meant keeping with a certain tone. I was never told to keep my politics and beliefs to myself, I felt compelled to because the tone of the site in general was pretty light, and I didn’t want to ruffle any feathers. But THIS is my blog and I’m the only one I have to answer to… so that’s pretty exciting.
Why do you love reading?
Geez… that’s a loaded question. What’s not to love about reading? I guess I first loved
reading because I learned how to very early and was always praised for it, so it became kind of my thing. I was the bookworm of my family/neighborhood/friend group. I was Belle and Jo and Matilda and Hermione and that identity meant and means a great deal to me. I continue to love reading because I’m a touch socially awkward and overly cautious in the real world, but in my books I can be absolutely anyone, go anywhere and do anything. Reading takes me away from me, but it also teaches me about myself in surprising ways. It’s just my very favorite thing.
reading because I learned how to very early and was always praised for it, so it became kind of my thing. I was the bookworm of my family/neighborhood/friend group. I was Belle and Jo and Matilda and Hermione and that identity meant and means a great deal to me. I continue to love reading because I’m a touch socially awkward and overly cautious in the real world, but in my books I can be absolutely anyone, go anywhere and do anything. Reading takes me away from me, but it also teaches me about myself in surprising ways. It’s just my very favorite thing.
What book or series got you into reading?
My mom read Little Women with me when I was five (she read it to me when I was home sick for two weeks with scarlatina aka Scarlet Fever which isn’t a genius idea if you’re familiar with that particular novel, but that’s another story for another time), but I probably really fell in love with reading when I read Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great by Judy Blume, Matilda by Roald Dahl, and Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. I liked books about bold girls because I wasn’t and I learned how be brave from them… I sometimes think I should go back to those books and relearn some of those lessons.
What questions would you ask your favorite authors?
How do you do it? How do you focus the ideas and make them come out story shaped? Do you ever lose your voice? How do you find it again? And I guess I’d asked them how they would write me as a character.
What challenges do you think starting a blog will be the hardest to overcome?
Keeping up with it when I get busy or blocked. It’s the same thing that has plagued me every time I’ve tried to blog in the past. But in the past I’ve done kind of general lifestyle/personal blog things, so I think the specific book focus should help with that… that and I’ve got a backlog of old reviews/posts I can reshare when I’m feeling stuck.
When did you start reading?
I learned to read when I was three (little things and picture books, I didn’t get into chapter books/novels until I was five or six) and it became part of my daily routine around that time.
Where do you read?
Anywhere, everywhere. I keep a book with me at all times. But I guess my favorite reading spots are in my bed and in the corner of my couch… I prefer quiet places.
What kind of books do you like to read?
I prefer fiction of most stripes… I don’t really dig fantasy or Science Fiction. I also go through phases where all I want to read is Nonfiction. Soooooo I guess I read all kinds of books.
Well there you have it, a little bit about me! I’d love to learn about you, feel free to answer any of these questions in the comments!
The Girl in the Garret 