Singapore and Meeting Blogger Friends

In late May I had the amazing opportunity to go to Singapore for a few days to participate in the Asian Festival of Children's Content. I was excited to get to add yet another country to the list of countries I've been able to visit. At my previous job I knew bright students who studied in Singapore, so I've wanted to go and see what makes this country have such a good international reputation.

Singapore is a manageable city with an easy-to-navigate public transportation system. I hadn't heard of any "unmissable" sights in Singapore, so I just sort of chose metro stops at random and explored the areas there. (This is a great way to get to know whatever city you're in, and you never know what delights you'll find.)

Raffles Hotel, one of the oldest and most prestigious buildings in Singapore (not where I stayed):

Chinatown:

Boat Quay and Clarke Quay (pronounced "kee") along the Singapore River:

The Singapore skyline. It's not as instantly recognizable as other cities' skylines but once you've seen it it's pretty unforgettable:

Probably the most famous "Singapore sight"--Marina Bay Sands, seen here through a mini-thicket of "supertrees" in Gardens by the Bay:

The Singapore Flyer:

So yes, my camera really liked everything it saw and was able to capture in Singapore, but probably my favorite thing about my time there was that I got to meet, for the first time, some bloggers that I have been talking to for years! Bloggers like Liyana of LiyanaLand and Tarie of Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind encouraged me and inspired my blogging back in my early days, reminding me with their mere presence to keep the importance of diversity in mind as I blogged about YA lit. And what would a Singapore blogger meet-up be without mentioning Chachic, with whom I've exchanged countless postcards and whose unabashed enthusiasm for her obsessions is infectious?

Chachic, Tarie, and I (we're sorry you couldn't make it, Liyana!) met up in a giant mall on Orchard Rd. for a blogger girls night out, where we got plastered and danced with hunky men in themed clubs until dawn. No, actually, we just ate cupcakes. But they were VERY GOOD CUPCAKES. Thanks, Chachic, for introducing us to them!

[left to right] Tarie, me, and Chachic <3 p="">

Chachic showing off the cupcakes!

It was great fun hanging out with these incredible ladies, and I would love to do it again. My tastes of Southeast Asia so far (Singapore, Malaysia, hearing about Manila from Tarie) have only made me want to explore it more. Next year la!

BBAW 2012 Interview Swap with Vy's Blog!

For Book Blogger Appreciation Week 2012's interview swap, I was paired with Vy of Vy's Blog. Read on to learn more about this young YA blogger!

1. Tell us about yourself in a few short sentences. For example: name, location, occupation, hobbies, pets... and so on!

My name is Vy and it's pronounced just like the letter "V". I’m currently a high school sophomore and I live in the lovely state of Oregon. Besides reading and blogging, I enjoy playing ping pong and going on long runs.

2. Tell us about your blog. When did you start it and why? What interesting things can visitors expect?

Vy’s Blog is mainly a young adult book blog. I started my blog around the beginning of my 8th grade year in 2010 after I started reading YA books. Readers can expect to find a young adult’s view on many topics and reviews on my blog.

3. What are some of your favorite books you discovered through blogging?

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein is a book I would have never thought of to pick up if it weren’t for fellow bloggers. It is one of my favorite books of the year. I also discovered high fantasy through blogging and I've been in love with the genre ever since.

4. One thing I discuss every once in a while on my blog is my understanding of my Asian identity and how Asians/Asian Americans are represented in YA lit. What is your relationship with your Asian identity? When you've traveled to Asia in recent years, where did you go and what were your impressions?

I’m from a Vietnamese family that is very close to our culture. I was fortunate enough to have been to Viet Nam a total of four times and I enjoyed every visit. My most recent trip to Viet Nam, I went to Nha Trang, Cần Thơ, Saigon, and Phú Quốc. It was great to experience the difference in the way the people interacted and the amazing foods from each location.

5. What are your favorite snacks to have while reading?

I love eating fruit and gold fish while reading.

6. Tell us something you wish people "in real life" knew about you, or, alternatively, something people IRL know about you that you want to share with bloggers.

I guess I wish that people “in real life” knew about my “blogging life”, but I also enjoy keeping it private.

7. What are some things besides books that you just LOVE to receive for presents? :)

Getting posters, and fun fandom or bookish related accessories are my favorite to receive.

8. What do you hope to get out of BBAW 2012?

I met a lot of other bloggers through last year's BBAW and I hope to meet more bloggers through this year's.

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Thanks, Vy! Be sure to check out Vy's Blog, and also the interview she did with me over there, in which I talk about my life in Shanghai and my ideal YA character roommates. I greatly enjoyed answering her interview questions, so would appreciate it if you'd give it some love. :)

Friday Featured Blogger (31): Capillya from That Cover Girl!

Friday Featured Blogger is an occasional feature on my blog in which I interview a blogger whom I like, respect, and admire. Today's featured blogger is Capillya, of the indispensable blog That Cover Girl, which does what part of us must all secretly wish we could do, and that is to blog about YA book covers all... day... long. Capillya, however, talks about book covers in an intelligent, eye-opening, and thought-provoking way. I am delighted to get the chance to interview her. Welcome, Capillya, to Steph Su Reads!

1. Tell us about yourself in a few short sentences. For example: name, location, occupation, hobbies, pets... and so on!

Hi! My name's Capillya. (+1 gazillion points if anyone out there can get anywhere near pronouncing that correctly.) I'm currently living in the big city of Little Rock, and I've lived here for the past decade. By day, I'm a producer for a small independent production company. By night, well, sometimes I work long days. I kid (not really). My hobbies include reading (of course!), watching movies (duh!), cooking (well, baking counts right?), and basically hanging out with friends and being a nerdtastic goofball.

2. Tell us about your blog. When did you start it and why? Where did the name come from? What interesting things can visitors expect?

I started That Cover Girl waaaaaay back...in fall of 2010. The idea developed out of a few conversations with Adele of Persnickety Snark over Skype and then again over email. I showed her the cover to Carolee Dean's Take Me There and said something along the lines of, "Good grief! What were these cover designers thinking? Two teens rolling around in the middle of the road?! Someone needs to make a blog about YA book covers, stat!" And POOF, (a few months later), TCG was born. That Cover Girl isn't the most interesting of blog names, I'll admit. But after spending a ridiculous amount of time in a thesaurus and not coming up with diddly squat, That Cover Girl's name sorta floated to the surface, and just stuck.

If you're remotely interested in cover design, you'll find it all over the blog. You'll also quickly discover that I tend to italicize things a lot. Visitors can expect a bunch of oohing and ahhing and general fawning over covers, and every now and then I'll cyberstalk an author/designer and ask them to stop by the blog for an interview. Interviews are my absolute favorite thing to do on the blog. Also, for those who are looking for a little more snark, I've got a What Were YA Thinkin? feature that basically chastises a cover's pure existence. The feature title is self-explanatory. ;)

3. Your blog is about YA book covers, and so I must ask: what are some characteristics that your favorite covers will have?

One of the biggest factors that attracts my eyeballs to striking YA cover design is simplicity. I like covers that don't look like they're trying too hard. The turnoffs are the ones that are clichéd to the point where you forget what the title is because it Novel B has the exact same color scheme and swirly font just like Novel A. I love covers that seem to reveal a bit of the essence of the book, that pull you in emotionally or cause you to stop and stare for several seconds because you're trying to figure out exactly why you're so attracted to it in the first place. A "pick-me-up-and-hold-me" cover has the ability to make itself grab-worthy through an effortless melding of tone, type treatment, color palette, title, and texture.

4. Name 3 favorite books and why you think everyone should read them.

1) Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock. My husband's grandparents are dairy farmers, and this book resonated with me because I've visited their farm so often, I could smell it (and the cow poo) throughout the entire book. D.J. Schwenk is one of those characters that I identified with. Her story of her struggles of living up to family expectations and her general down-to-earth but stubborn and scared attitude was told in such a refreshing voice I hadn't read up until that point.

2) Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers. I didn't think a book had the ability to reach into your chest cavity and rip out your heart like this one did. (How's that for a gruesome visual?) Summers' debut novel blew me away -- it was my very first novel I had ever reviewed: "For a laugh-out-loud, witty girl, Summers can serve up funny on a platter and you can feed on it for days. After reading Cracked Up to Be, I discovered that not only can she serve up funny, but she can throw brutal honesty, razor-sharp pain, transparency, confusion, manipulation, and humility all on that same plate. You'd ask her for seconds."

3) The Kid in the Red Jacket by Barbara Park. This is my favorite book of all time. As an elementary school kid, I constantly had my nose stuck in a book. Howard Jeeter resonated with me at the time I read The Kid because I had just made the trans-Pacific flight from my comfy outdoor and laid-back life in Hawaii to my suburban and alienating Illinois neighborhood. Howard's approach to moving cross-country is sarcastically wrapped up in his adolescent sense of humor -- he's easy to relate to and laugh-out-loud funny, but his struggles to fit in and deal with his annoying next-door-neighbor at times were heartbreaking. Plus, I still quote the book to this day.

5. You work in the video production business. Who are some actors and actresses that you most admire?

I love funny actors! I absolutely adore Allison Janney, especially when she plays that quirky, nonsensical type of character. And I just recently started watching The West Wing, where she plays a very non-funny character, but I still love her regardless. I also love Anjelah Johnson and will watch anything she's in. I'm also a big John Cusack fan, as well as an admirer of Sharlto Copley.

6. What are your favorite desserts?

Girl. You just hit one of my favorite subjects, ever. I will eat ANYTHING that is dessert-related. It's got sugar in it? I'M THERE. I'm a big sucker for scones, cupcakes, ice cream and frozen yogurt. My favorite ice cream is Yarnell's Vanilla Frozen Yogurt (it sounds blah but it's DELISH) and my favorite cupcake flavor is pineapple banana (it sounds gross but IT'S GOOD).

7. If you were going on a one-way space journey to be the first humans to colonize a new planet, which 5 non-essential items would you take with you?

1) A videocamera. What better time to shoot a documentary?!
2) A tank. You know, just in case some neighboring aliens get a little peeved that we're moving in on their turf. They could be hostile.
3) Does my husband count? Is he a non-essential? I think he might get upset that I'm actually asking this question.
4) I might actually have to purchase an eReader and stock up on a gazillion books. Gotta travel light. THIS will be the moment that I have to come to grips with the fact that I may or may not be able to ogle physical books (and their respective covers) for awhile.
5) My laptop -- loaded up with music, pictures, and any other memories I can translate into bits and bytes.

8. Which blogs (book or non-book) that you read would you recommend to others?

Books:
1) Forever Young Adult -- these girls are by far the funniest (and this is saying A LOT) book bloggers I've come to know and love.
2) Persnickety Snark -- although Adele is currently posting more over at Inside A Dog's blog, PS is where I exclusively read all of my YA reviews for the longest time before I became a blogger.

Non-Book:
1) Tastespotting -- I can't deny my love of food porn. Prepare to fall into a giant black hole of time-suck.
2) Outblush (and its testosterone-driven cousin, Uncrate) -- I'm not really a girly girl, but when I do look for ideas when it comes to clothing, furniture, makeup and the like, I love how Outblush is a one-stop shop and handpicks a lot of great stuff. It takes the work out of shopping, and is great for lazies like me!

9. What are some things besides books that you just LOVE to receive for presents? :)

I'm really a simple gal. You could buy me a pack of Pez and I'd be happy. But one thing I can never seem to get enough of receiving as a gift? Socks! Tall stripey ones, those ridiculously cutesy ones you get from Target during Valentine's, even the ones that look like they're being marketed to 4-year-olds but mysteriously fit my gargantuan-sized feet. As long as they're not white, I'm happy.

10. And finally, tell us two interesting things about yourself that can spark conversation.

1) When it comes to flying in an airplane, I still find the need to distract myself when it comes to takeoff and landing. I have to focus on something, sing to myself (in my head, of course!), or try to become engrossed in conversation. Yes, even though I've flown over Pacific a dozen times in my life and have lived in 3 different countries and 3 states (I've actually lost count of how many times I've been on a plane), I'm not quite sure I'll ever outgrow this part of flying and thus remain a giant chicken for life.

2) I used to be freaked out about bats (you know, the flying rat things?) until I had to deal with them for work. Most of my producerly responsibilities are pretty non-life-threatening, but this particular job was one of the most exciting (and gross) projects I'd ever been a part of. A few summers ago I was running camera for a pilot we were working on that involved following around a group of wildlife animal control specialists. On one particular afternoon where it was above 100 degrees, I found myself in the sweltering attic of a church, a precarious 15-20 feet above the ground and balancing along the perimeter which was made of two-by-fours, as not to fall through. The insulation was 6 inches deep in guano. I was also covered in the stuff, holding an infrared camera and trying not to fall to my death. I did end up getting the shot I wanted (a teeny little straggler bat that was escaping through a crevice), but I had to stand there and try to not die for a good 15 minutes.

I can also smell bat poop from 30 bajillion miles away. It's like having a superhero sense that you don't really care to have and almost never comes in handy.

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Oh, how much fun I had getting to know you better, Capillya. Thanks! Seriously, you should check out her blog, That Cover Girl, and join her in thinking about YA book covers!

Need Teen Help for My Thesis!

Hey all, so you may have heard that I'm currently writing a thesis that has to do with--what else?--young adult literature. (Yay!) Essentially I am trying to answer the question, "What makes a good YA text?" Knowing that different people have different opinions of what makes a good YA book, I am gathering data and readings regarding four different populations that interact with YA lit, one of them being teens themselves.

The thing is, there's not much out there in academia that has successfully captured the teen opinion on YA lit, so I was wondering if you would help me out! I know there's a bunch of teen bloggers out there, and I'm sure that all of you know teens who read YA lit. I have an open-ended questionnaire that I'd like for teens to answer. It's a pretty extensive questionnaire: it might take you 30-45 minutes to complete. I'm looking for teens between the ages of 11-19. You can live anywhere in the world. If you are interested in helping me out with my thesis by answering some questions about YA lit, or if you know teens who would be interested in participating in this questionnaire, please fill out this form here. I will then send you a link to the questionnaire within the next few days.

All data, of course, will be confidential and used only for my thesis; if I refer to your answers specifically within my thesis, I will use pseudonyms.

Thank you so much! Long live YA lit (which scholars back in the 90s didn't think was going to survive, let alone flourish the way it has. Huzzah!)!

Bookish Alert! Bookish Alert!

Books for Kids

So listen to what these amazing bloggers, Britney and Farrah, are doing. They know the power of books to make a difference in children's lives, and so they've put together a charity to help out the Phoenix Children Hospital and the Scottish Rite hospital in Dallas, Texas. It's INCREDIBLY easy to help out. Just watch the video, in which Farrah explains their wonderful idea, and for each "like" that the video receives (note: you must have a Youtube account to "like" the video, and you can only "like" the video on the Youtube site itself, not by watching it below), Farrah, Britney, and some wonderfully generous YA authors will donate $1 to buy new books for the children at these hospitals.



They do have a limit as to how much money they are able to donate, which is $405 (they're not made of money, after all!), and they're soooo close to reaching it, that it would be splendid if you could watch the video and "like" it. OR, it would be even more splendid if you chose to contribute to this charity and raise the number of "likes." Contact either Britney or Farrah here. Thank you so much for doing this really easy thing to get books into the hands of children!

Shelterbox in Japan

Few YA authors have as much influence as Maureen Johnson, and lately she's done it again by putting together another Shelterbox drive to raise help out the people whose lives were changed forever by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. And look at the wonderful prizes that people have donated, and that you could possibly win if you donate to Shelterbox. Donate through the link in Maureen's blog post, and be sure to follow the directions for how to donate. This is a really wonderful cause and would mean a lot if you could donate whatever amount you can spare.

Inside a Dog

Now, one of my favorite bookpeople, Adele, formerly goddess of Persnickety Snark and now superwoman at the Centre for Youth Literature at the State Library of Victoria, wanted to let y'all know about the relaunch of the site she's captain of, Inside a Dog (which takes its name from Groucho Marx's awesome quote). It's sort of like a Goodreads for YA lit, featuring multimedia book reviews, forum boards, author visits, and free stuff. Plus it has an insanely hip site design that should win prizes, IMO. Check it out, especially if, not not only if, you're in Australia. It would be wonderful if we could all help Adele get as much traffic on her new baby as possible!

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Philly Area Blogger Meetup

So the other night I met up with Jamie of The Perpetual Page-Turner and Jess Lawlor and we got to talking about how we really wanted to organize a blogger/author meetup and possible book swap for everyone in the Philly area. If you're in the vicinity of Philly and this sounds like something you'd like to participate in, let us know by reading Jamie's post and then filling out the form expressing your interest. And it would also really help if you could talk this up to bookish people you know in the Philly area who might be interested in this. Thank you so much!!

Friday Featured Blogger (30): James from Book Chic Club!

Friday Featured Blogger is an extremely sporadic feature on my blog in which I interview bloggers whom I respect and admire. Today I have a veteran blogger: James of Book Chic Club! Besides for having one of the classiest blog names I have ever come across, James has been blogging since 2007, which makes him like a great-grandma in blogger age, but definitely not as unhip, for he is utterly passionate about YA and is also a really sweet guy. Welcome, James, to Steph Su Reads!

1) Tell us about yourself in a few short sentences. For example: name, location, occupation, hobbies, pets... and so on!

Well, my name is James and I live in Lynchburg, VA. Unfortunately, I'm unemployed at the moment but this at least gives me time to work on what I call my Funny Gay Paranormal. I'm not too far into it, but I'm working on setting aside writing time every day. I'm a fairly boring person- I just read, watch TV, hang out with friends, play with my cats and go out to eat when I have money. I'm a homebody, so I'm not a big fan of the outdoors. I own a few cats, which are shown on my blog as part of Cat Friday and also in some of the vlogs I do. Oh, and I'm gay and single (not really loving it- I want a boyfriend!)

2) Tell us about your blog. When did you start it and why? Where did the name come from? What interesting things can visitors expect?

I started the blog back in June 2007 on Myspace, then moved it over to Blogspot in July 2009. My author friend Lauren Barnholdt wanted to promote her book Two-Way Street and was open to interviews. I said that I would love to interview her and as I was coming up with questions, I realized I really enjoyed doing that and wanted to continue doing it. So I decided to start a book blog; Myspace seemed the best place to have it because I could add people and network it that way. I came up with the name Book Chic after a couple weeks of trying to create a name- Book for obvious reasons, Chic (pronounced like sheik) because I wanted it to sound fancy. However, I now realize that maybe I should have picked a name people could pronounce correctly, lol.

As for what visitors can expect, I do a monthly feature where I spotlight two debut authors and it's called Fresh New Voice of YA. I interview them, read an excerpt from their book, and review the novel. Speaking of reading excerpts, I also host a meme called Fragment Friday where anyone can record themselves reading an excerpt from their current read or an all-time favorite book, though I only post the Mr. Linky once a month and it coincides with Fresh New Voice of YA. The date is mentioned underneath my blog banner each month- February is the 18th and March is the 11th. While I only do it during that week, other bloggers and readers can do it any Friday of the month and put their links in when I post the Mr. Linky. In place of doing a Fragment Friday each week, I've been doing Cat Friday, which is similar to Presenting Lenore's Cat Tuesday, wherein I show off pictures of my cats being adorable. Other than that, I post reviews, interview authors, post my thoughts regarding various bookish things, and talk about any book events I go to. It's a fun time, so swing on by and leave a comment!

3) What is one of your most memorable encounters with a YA author?

I've had so many, I don't even know!! I did really enjoy Jennifer Echols screaming my name at RWA 2009 and hugging me, Maggie Stiefvater taking a picture with me while I'm holding the speeding ticket I got on the way to the event, eating McDonald's and chatting with Diana Peterfreund (and she paid for the food too!), Lisa McMann trying to force airline peanuts on me, mistaking some other author for Stacey Kade, and so on and so forth. Every YA author encounter is memorable. I could seriously never pick just one.

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4) You are an openly gay book blogger. What advice would you give to your teenage self and others like you?

Luckily, I had a very stress-free teenage life and not much bullying going on, either to me or anyone else. I did go to a private Catholic school though so perhaps that had something to do with it. But for anyone else struggling with their sexuality and bullying, try to find a club or something that you're interested in, whether at school or outside of it, and build a strong friendship system. Seriously, even if it's just one or two really good friends, it helps get you through the tough times. If that's not something that's viable for your situation, then take comfort in two facts- 1) You will find awesome friends and acceptance in college and beyond, and 2) You will become so much more successful than those idiots who bullied you.

5) Name 3 favorite books and why you think everyone should read them.

The main criteria for this is re-readability; I need to like a book enough that I'd want to re-read it, which doesn't happen very often for me.

1) Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman- I could never get tired of this book. It's a hilarious take on the Apocalypse. Get yourself prepared in case something like Terry and Neil's version of the Apocalypse takes place.

2) Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot- Probably my favorite out of all of Meg's books (and they're all so good!). It's just such a good romantic, funny read. Everyone needs to read a Meg book at some point.

3) Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe- A funny mystery that includes footnotes? I'm so there. I'm actually re-reading this one right now! It's funny- what else do you need?!

Is it apparent that I'm a huge fan of humorous novels?

6) Re-readability--wonderful! Definitely one of my criteria too for favorite books. Now, what is your favorite place to read?

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I love reading in my bed but it usually makes me tired which is bad. I've gotten used to reading on the couch which is comfortable but not so much so that I get sleepy. Also, if a cat's next to me, that's wonderful too.

7) If you had one million dollars to renovate/redecorate your home, what would you spend the money on?

I'd like a huge library room so I could keep all my books, and I'd probably make a room for the cats where there's lots of windows to let sunlight come in and several cat towers for them to play with. Maybe a mattress too since a lot of them seem to enjoy my bed a lot, lol. A home entertainment system for me and my friends to watch TV and movies on, and lots of video games to play. A pool would be fun too- maybe invite some of my blogger and author friends over for a swim. I honestly don't know what else I'd need or want, lol. Suggestions?

8) What is one piece of advice you would like to give the world?

Just be nice, gosh darnit! Treat people well because karma will get you back somehow if you don't. It boggles my mind as to why anyone would want to be mean to someone.

9) What are some things besides books that you just LOVE to receive for presents? :)

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Stuffed animals are nice- I used to collect Beanie Babies when they were popular, and would get other various stuffed animals. I have a Snoopy that I just adore and that I've had since I was young. I am also a media whore- so CDs, DVDs, and video games are always nice as well; I mean, I have a lot of books, but I also have a ton of CDs and DVDs. Gift cards to restaurants I like, such as Red Lobster, make me happy. Chocolate is a good way to put a smile on my face too.

10) Finally, tell us 2 interesting things about yourself that can spark conversation.

1) I'm gay. It's not necessarily interesting, but it can spark a conversation no matter who I'm talking to, for better or worse.

2) I wrote a one-act play that was performed for two nights at my high school's annual One-Act Festival in my junior year. It was awesome.

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Thank you so much, James! If you haven't yet checked out James' blog, you should definitely hop on over at Book Chic Club. Leave him a comment and say hello!

Friday Featured Blogger (29): Aaron Vincent of Guy Gone Geek!

I stumbled upon Guy Gone Geek totally by accident, on one of those rare days where I actually had free time and so checked up on new blogs. I'm so glad I did, because I'm very impressed by Aaron Vincent! He writes the most thorough reviews, and it's always a pleasure to to find a male blogger. Welcome, Aaron, to Steph Su Reads!

1. Tell us about yourself in a few short sentences.

Hello, my name is Aaron Vincent. If you direct translate my full name, including my middle name, it will read as, Brother of Moses to Conquer Thorns of the Saint. Sounds like an odd news headline, right? My parents are both cool and cruel for giving a long name. Just imagine my agony during kindergarten! I am 10 years old in Mars years (go figure!) and a system developer/programmer. I'm from the Philippines where it's sunny everyday...except for the monsoons. I don't drink, I don't smoke and I don't do sadness.

2. Tell us about your blog. When did you start it and why? Where did the name come from? What interesting things can visitors expect?

Guy Gone Geek is a two-month old book blog and as the name implies, maintained by a guy geek. Guy Gone Geek is actually the second name; the original was The Boy Who Reads. There's a huge problem with that original title because if you put it in a url, it will be theboywhoreads. Misreading this url will make you think that I maintain a porn site instead of a book blog and I sure don't want that. I let the Boy grow a little so now he's a Guy and he is Geeking over YA books, and there you have it: Guy Gone Geek.

I created this blog for two main reasons. First, to celebrate my first year of being a hardcore booklover. I've been reading books since I was a child but it's only last year that I got infected by the Can't Survive A Day Without Reading virus. Second, I thought that there's not enough male voices in the YA blogosphere. That's what you expect from my blog; a male voice expressing his passion for fiction. What you can expect on my blog, to put it simple, is me fanboying over YA awesomeness.

3. Can you tell us about what the state of YA lit is like in the Philippines?

I do think that YA lit is pretty big here in the Philippines. We have this Filipino Book Bloggers community where the majority of the registered members blogs about YA novels. I think this is quite a feat considering the fact that we don’t have public libraries here that endorse this kind of book – we buy everything we read. It is a country that loves to have fun and YA fiction, in general, is fun to read so it’s not a wonder why YA is such a big hit here.

4. Do you have any role models?

I recently categorized my book blogs feeds subscription on my Google Reader into 4 categories. Let me discuss categories 1-3 first. These are the book blogs I enjoy reading but they have some drawbacks. I call the first one Brains. These are the blogs with flawless writing and perfect grammar, but sometimes the person writing it feels distant and there's almost no connection between the writer and the reader. Then there is the Hearts. These are the bloggers that are extremely passionate it makes me feel privy to their lives. They have the tendency to become self-indulgent. The third are the Mouths. You'll read them just for the sarcasm and the laugh.

And then there's the fourth category which I call - for the lack of better term - Ones. These are the bloggers that has the perfect combination of brain, heart and humor. They know how to express their love for books and you can see it on their post. I’ll mention a few of them: Darren (Bart's Bookshelf), Adele (Persnickety Snark) - and for local bloggers: Tina (One More Page), Patrick (The Bookish Pinoy), etc. These people are those who I consider as my book blogging role models.

5. Name 3 favorite books and why you think everyone should read them.

Tough one but I’m up for it:

The Hunger Games: I will never get tired of saying this: I owe my love for YA fiction to this series.

Fablehaven: This is my favorite MG novel. It delighted the 8-year old kid in me and if that kid is happy, this big guy here is also happy. Make the kid in you happy, too, and read this fantastic book.

Paper Towns: I read this novel 2 months ago and until now, it still got a hold in me. It changed the way I see people and I think if everyone will just read it, it would be easier for us to understand and accept one another despite all of our imperfections.

I’m really sorry Chaos Walking, Unwind, Ender’s Game, and Harry Potter. You guys know I love you and I think everyone should read you too, but you see, Steph is being evil and only asked for three.

6. HAH HAH. Way to sneak the rest in there. :P So you're about to spend 6 months living on a desert island with no access to the outside world. You can bring one person to hang out with, one electronic device, and a neverending supply of one type of food. Go!

Definitely John Green. His sense of humor is truly impeccable and I’m sure I will learn a lot from him. For reasons I think is pretty obvious, the gadget has to be an e-reader. It will really be nice if he and I will have discussions about his and my favorite books. And as for food, I’ll pick yogurt if it’s only me, but since I’m with a John Green might as well have his favorite food which is Pizza. Or we can compromise and have a Yogurt-Flavored Pizza instead. Yeah, Yogurt-Flavored Pizza, that will do. Yum! Now my question is: just 6 months, can’t we extend? ☺

7. What are some recent elements in YA lit that you've been enjoying? What are some elements that you'd like to see more of in YA in the future?

MPDG or Manic Pixie Dream Girl characters. The term was originally used for film characters and I don’t know if it’s the right term for book characters but it’s pretty close. They are these fun, quirky and mysterious girls that’s always the key for our lovelorn male characters to break out of their shells. Unlike their movie counterparts who are often shallow and static, MDPGs in books have depth and they are very exciting to read – for me at least. They are fascinating and really unpredictable. I’m certainly looking forward to read more books about them.

8. What does your dream house look like?

As long as my room is the size of football stadium, any house will do. Kidding. Isn’t it every booklover's dream to have a library of his/her own? No matter how grand the house is, it will not be my dream house if it doesn’t have a library. It also must have a cozy veranda facing a beautiful landscape where I can just sit and read a book the whole day.

9. What are some things you just LOVE to receive for presents? :)

BOOKS!! Well, that’s obvious. Apart from books, I also love receiving CD playlist. I really like those playlists with themes and tells a story. Take me to a journey with all the tracks you put on the playlist and you’ve got me. Basically, I love receiving gifts that is made by the giver not bought, so letters or baked goods will also do. But If you find this things too simple, an Alfa Romeo will be just fine. ☺

10. Finally, tell us 2 interesting things about yourself that can spark conversation.

I hope you find these interesting:

- I didn’t know my left and right not until that Beyonce “to the left” song came out. I always got confused with what’s left and what’s right. I don’t know the reason for this but I’m guessing that it’s some sort of brain damage or something. Thankfully, that song starts playing on the radio and a friend taught me this simple step that whenever I hear “to the” I’ll point down, and then if I hear “left”, I’ll point to the left. Until now, I still find myself singing that phrase on my head and doing that move from time to time.

- I can speak 3 languages, Filipino, English and Japanese. A lot of people tell me that it’s easy to get me mistaken for being Japanese when I’m speaking that language. I’m young, thus playful, you see, so I use this to pull prank on random strangers. Sometimes I pick a stranger in a shopping mall or wherever then ask him/her in straight Japanese where the comfort room is. I do hand signals for additional effect. When they already got what I’m asking and told me where the comfort is located, I will say thank you to them using our local language. You should see their reactions, it’s priceless!

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Thanks, Aaron! Be sure to stop by Guy Gone Geek if you're interested in reading incredibly insightful reviews.

Friday Featured Blogger (28): April of Good Books and Good Wine!

April of Good Books and Good Wine is a powerhouse of a blogger. Always insightful, passionate, and entertaining, her blog posts and reviews are ones I always look forward to reading. She was also one of the first non-POC bloggers whom I got to know who was passionate about reading books featuring people of color and spreading the word about those books. I am honored to have her on my blog today. Welcome, April, to Steph Su Reads!

1. Tell us about yourself in a few short sentences.

What up ya'll? My name is April, I am from upstate NY. I enjoy bad reality TV (think Rock of Love and Flavor of Love), playing card games in the vein of Phase 10 and Apples to Apples, and of course READING.

2. Tell us about your blog. When did you start it and why? Where did the name come from? What interesting things can visitors expect?

I started my blog in July of 2009. Prior to blogging I was hugely active on Goodreads. I had become close to several people on Goodreads. Kristen of Bookworming In The 21st Century was one of those people. She had posted a link to her blog one day. I checked it out, and was like, hey this is awesome and looks like something I could do. The rest, as they say, is history.

The name Good Books & Good Wine is fairly easy to puzzle out. I thought of the two things I love the most in the world -- books and wine, and thus the name was born. Also, I didn't want to have a name which someone else had, and so after doing some research saw that Books & Wine would be the perfect identity for me.

When visitors stop by my blog they can expect honesty. I am straight up. I'm not going to pretend to like a book because I want to get in good with publishers. They can expect humor, I try to be funny. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. I make a ton of videos (and am asking for a FlipCam for Christmas). My IMMs are usually videos, as is this feature/meme I started called Shopping My Shelves. I've also made videos for Banned Books Week.

3. Would you be able to survive without internet?

No way. I use the internet for everything. It's how I talk to my college alumni friends. It's how I get in contact with family. It's how I conduct research on the TV shows I watch (i.e. I looked up Liz Lemon on wikipedia to see if she hooked up with Jack, seriously). Without the internets I would not have Netflix or book blogs or twitter, and that, my friend, is an empty life. Judge away, I'm not going to pretend I am not addicted.

4. Name 3 favorite books and why you think everyone should read them.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Allison of The Allure of Books recommended/pushed The Name of the Wind on me, and it was love. I love this book because it combines swears, magic, and college. Plus Kvothe is so swoonworthy for a ginger. And THE WRITING. It knocks my socks off.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norman Juster. I love this book so hard. Read this book and you will appreciate the wonderful world around you. You will appreciate just how cool wordplay is. Or see that maybe math isn't quite so lame after all. You'll see that you don't always have to be bored and the next adventure is just over the horizon.

The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. I've re-read this book probably three times. It's about this kid who grows up in apartheid South Africa. He learns to stand up for himself against those who seek to keep him down. He becomes a boxer. Read this book if you want your inner-strength affirmed.

5. What is your animal kingdom alter ego? (i.e. What type of animal would you be if you were an animal?)

Straight-up a lion, as I'm fierce and refuse to let anyone mess with me.

6. What is one quote that you try to always live by?

'Do I dare disturb the universe?' - T.S. Eliot. I love love love this quote and T.S. Eliot. I mean think about it, do you want to just be a lump throughout life or will you go out there and make an impact? And you can 'disturb the universe' in simple ways, like offering kindness to someone who is down on their luck, or standing up for someone whose being bullied. Or by championing an under-hyped book. It's so simple.

7. Is there a story behind your name, April?

Yes. You see, I'm wasn't born in the month of April. I was born in July. However, my parents couldn't agree on a name for me. At first they were going to name me Linda Rose for some dead relatives or something weird like that, but then they were like, nope want her own legacy. And so, they decided they liked the name April, and there you have it.

8. If you had the chance to recommend some YA books to President Obama and Oprah, neither of whom seem to read enough YA, which ones would you tell them to check out?

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - for its imagery and voice
Looking for Alaska by John Green - for it's style and portrayal of teens
The Absolutely True Diary of A Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie - for the realistic look at impoverished Indian teenagers and because in the pain it presents there is some laughter (I know that sounds a bit awkward, but just read it)
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly -granted this is new and just came out, but the teens in this book aren't vapid happy sunshine teens. They deal with real problems, and Andi, the main character is dealing with some serious business. I think adults should read this to see that teens don't have it easy. They suffer just as much as adults, and are deserving of kindness, not judgement.

9. What are some things you just LOVE to receive for presents? :)

Cash. Books -- especially graphic novels. Electronics. Candy. Jewelry.

10. And finally, tell us two interesting things about yourself that can spark conversation.

I played the triangle when I was in marching band because I wasn't quite good enough to play any other instrument, but still really wanted to be in band.

I've seen every single episode of Rock of Love multiple times. I just can't get enough of Bret Mike.

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Thanks, April, for stopping by today! Be sure to check out her blog for loads more of her straight-up, admirable dose of honesty.

Friday Featured Blogger (27): Jen from Makeshift Bookmark!

One of the most wonderful new voices in blogging in my opinion is Jen of Makeshift Bookmark. I love reading her blog posts and chatting with her because she is just so very enthusiastic about things she's passionate about. I dare you to read her blog and not be convinced to buy a book, even if you think it's totally not your type! Welcome, Jen, to Steph Su Reads!

1. Tell us about yourself in a few short sentences.

I'm Jen. I'm a full-time nursing student and I work full-time, second shift in a call center. I basically get paid to read because from 8pm - 11pm, it's dead slow...score. I live with my husband and two cats, Bella and Bo Schembechler, in rural Kentucky. I make extreme facial expressions, talk with my hands, and shamelessly sing the soundtrack to The Phantom of the Opera when no one is listening. Or even if they are. And I'm seriously long-winded. I apologize in advance.

2. Tell us about your blog. When did you start it and why? Where did the name come from? What interesting things can visitors expect?

I started my blog in mid-September 2010. I'm not gonna lie, I was a blog stalker. I stalked your blog, too, Steph. The concept was fascinating to me, but I never thought I could ever write anything worth reading. I started reviewing on Goodreads. I decided I needed a little corner of the interwebs for myself. The most appealing aspect of blogging was the comraderie amongst bloggers. I wanted to be a part of that. Because I have like, one bookish friend who lives 300 miles away. I needed a community with which I could squee about YA books without feeling like a complete nerd.

The name Makeshift Bookmark came from my uncanny ability of misplace any and all bookmarks. I need SOMETHING, so I grab what's available, be it a fruit snack wrapper, a nail file, dental floss (unused! give me a LITTLE credit) or a Splenda packet. Readers shouldn't expect much other than a whole bunch of excitement. Perhaps a little humor here and there with an unpredictable amount of CAPS LOCK ENTHUSIASM. If I love a book, you'll know about it. Nothing deep or thought-provoking here, guys. 100% fangirlism, at your service.

3. What is your earliest memory of you reading YA lit?

The Babysitters' Club. I guess that's not YA. I did read Forever by Judy Blume in 8th grade. OH! And Fear Street. Seriously, the phrase "long, lingering kiss" was in every single book at least once. (Is it weird that I remember that?) Unfortunately, in high school, I stopped reading for a long, long time. Worst decision ever.

4. Describe to us a memorable encounter/exchange you had with another blogger or author since you started blogging.

You'll probably be familiar with this, Steph, since you were there. Jamie from The Perpetual Page Turner had mentioned on Twitter a few weeks ago that she was going to a Laurie Halse Anderson signing. Apparently this stuck in my subconscious, because I dreamt later that night that I went, too! Only...LHA was a robot. Jamie apparently found this so hilarious that she actually relayed my ridiculous dream to Laurie at the signing! Luckily, my subconscious manifestation was proved to be false when she recorded THIS. I laughed so, so hard and I could've hugged Jamie for what she did. Authors are like celebrities to readers, so I was starstruck for days. Definitely the most memorable exchange thus far. Hopefully the first of many!

5. Name 3 favorite books and why you think everyone should read them.

The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, because I've never felt such a vast array of emotions during a reading experience.

The Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray, because it makes me want to believe in magic (and Kartik) and I forgot about EVERYTHING else when I read this series.

Everybody Poops by Taro Gomi, because I think lots of people are still in denial.

6. Have you got any special collections of objects?

Hmmm...BOOKS. I guess lip balm, though that's more hoarding than collecting. Medicated Blistex. I buy them like 10 at a time, because I will lose each and every one of them prior to using all of them. I also have a pretty ridiculous collection of photos of my cats on my iPhone. I don't have children, so I excessively photograph my cats.

7. What are some upcoming YA books that you can't wait to get your hands on?

Darkest Mercy, Darkest Mercy, Darkest Mercy. I am absolutely crazy about Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series (IRIAL!!) and I get kind of dizzy when I think of the fact that this is the last book in one of my most beloved series. I throw an internal tantrum everytime I think about the fact that it's not February yet.

A close second would be Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready. I love her writing. She makes you feel the pain. I love an author who can do that. I really need to read her adult series.

Other must-haves: Wither by Lauren DeStefano, A Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves, and The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa.

8. What are some places you'd like to visit before you die?

Hawaii! I'd really like to do what Cory Matthews did on Boy Meets World and run a business with my husband on the beach, carving celebrity faces out of coconuts. I think it's a GREAT plan. I'd also love to visit England in hopes of perfecting my accent. It's seriously inadequate and I'd like to change that. And BEA, but that goes without saying.

9. What are some things you just LOVE to receive for presents? :)

I'm going to go with the obligatory "books," because it's true. And also, clothes, because I don't shop for myself. I'm a horrible dresser and honestly, I spend all my money on books, so there's nothing left for things like clothing or hair dye. My roots are looking pretty bad, so if anyone would like to donate to the "Make Jen's Hair More Aesthetically Pleasing" fund, please let me know.

10. And finally, tell us two interesting things about yourself that can spark conversation.

a. I have to shake out my shoes before putting them on. Even if they're just slip-ons. I had an unfortunate experience a couple years ago where I put on a pair of flats (no socks, mind you) and felt a little something in them. I ignored this, thinking it's probably a rock or something. My husband and I walked around the mall and went out to eat, spanning a little over a few hours. When we got back in the car, I said to him "I have to take my shoe off, there's something rolling around in it. I hope it's not a spider! HA! HA! HA!" I kid you not, as soon as I took off that shoe, a medium-sized brown spider came crawling out onto my hand. It had been alive the entire time I had my shoe on. Hyperventilation and blood-curdling screams occured. Surprisngly, it didn't bite me. I didn't take this into consideration when I killed it.

b. I'm a hypochondriac. Every headache equals a brain tumor. Every heart palpitation is an impending heartattack. I've been told on several occasions that I'm completely healthy, but I'm still convinced there's something wrong with me. I don't think nursing school is going to help me get over that. Whoops?

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Come on. You can't read that interview and NOT want to immediate hop on over to Jen's blog and be her best friend, can you? Thank you so much, Jen! Be sure to stop by Makeshift Bookmark and maybe even put it on your blogroll, because she is one lady whom I think is here to stay. :)

Friday Featured Blogger (26): Brent from Naughty Book Kitties!

Brent of Naughty Book Kitties is a new but powerful voice in the YA blogosphere. His reviews are distinctive and always fun to read, and he's so passionate about the things he cares about. I'm honored that he's agreed to answer a few of my questions. Welcome, Brent, to Steph Su Reads!

1. Tell us about yourself in a few short sentences.

I’m Brent, and I’m a cheerleader (no really), gay boy, avid glitter-user, reader, blogger, and aspiring publishing aficionado. I’m fifteen and in Kentucky. Uh, I killed my goldfish two years ago, and am terribly devastated.

2. Tell us about your blog. When did you start it and why? Where did the name come from? What interesting things can visitors expect?

My blog! Yes, I’m married to Naughty Book Kitties. I started in March with my best friend Emily, just because we needed somewhere to talk about our crazy addiction to YA. Now it’s just me, as Emily got caught up in school (Hi, Em! You thought we forgot about you, huh?). The name? Dude, I will never be able to answer that question. I think I was high when I came up with the name “Naughty Book Kitties.” No, really.

3. What's the most memorable book event you've attended so far?

….I actually have never attended a book event. I know, my life is over, right?

4. You should try to soon! Can you name 3 favorite books and why you think everyone should read them?

The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd, because it is my bible.

Tricks by Ellen Hopkins, because it will both disgust you and make you see the beauty of the world.

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, because it will teach you the value of a second, day, week, and year.

5. Besides reading and blogging, what other activities are you passionate about, that take up a lot of your time?

Shopping. I pretty much own Hollister, Borders, and Abercrombie.

6. One thing I really like about your blog is your distinct voice. What is some advice you'd give to new bloggers who want to stand out in the YA blogosphere?

Don’t be scared, and be original. I don’t know about you, but I’m a TEENAGER, and I really don’t want to hear “this novel was beautiful and poetic, the writer’s use of adjectives and pronouns is one of the best I‘ve seen in American contemporary literature” and I don’t want to read a literary analysis. Have fun with your blog, and don’t censor yourself. Speak out about books and topics that are important to you, and be original with your writing and voice.

7. Favorite junk foods?

Doritos! My god, I am a Dorito addict.

8. If you could change places with someone for one day, who would you be and why?

Danielle Steel. We’ve all set ourselves up to believe that she lives the perfect life of every person who reads/writes/loves books. And she’s written like five billion books!

9. What are some things you just LOVE to receive for presents? :)

Books and clothes! Books and clothes. :)

10. And finally, tell us 2 interesting things about yourself that can spark conversation.

I’m gay. Oh, it sure does spark conversation. :)
I’ve always wanted to be a writer, yet I’ve never gotten more than four-thousand words in a story. That’s like a fashion designer who’s scared of making clothes, right?

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Hey, maybe you're cut out to be a short story writer, Brent. :) Well, whatever you end up do, I'm sure you'll do it splendidly with your passion and fun-loving personality. Thanks, Brent! Readers, be sure to stop over at Naughty Book Kitties if you haven't yet already.


Friday Featured Bloggers is an occasional feature on my blog in which I interview a blogger whom I respect and admire. To check out other bloggers who have been featured, click here.