Interview with Today's Adventure blogger NotNessie

Today I have the pleasure of posting my first official interview. My guest of honor is the lovely Vanessa aka NotNessie who writes Today's Adventure. Vanessa writes a wonderful review blog and as part of Book Blogger Appreciation Week, we swapped interviews. She also provided this great picture of herself with one of her daughters.


Here are some things you may not know about Vanessa:

So tell me more about you and life in Ontario.

Life in Ontario is good, if hotter than I'm used to. I grew up in Yellowknife, NWT and moved to eastern Ontario after I got married. I'm married to the best guy in the world, and currently I'm a stay at home mom of two little girls and a 4-month old labradoodle, Indy (and one more baby on the way).

What was the first book you remember reading?

Go Dogs Go by PD Eastman. Now I have it for my little girls. After that, I was a big fan of the Nancy Drew books and the Black Stallion series.

What started your love of reading?books?

My mom has always been a big reader, although I think she's a little busy for too much reading these days. I remember her spending hours reading to my siblings and I when we were little, and I'm sure that's what got me started on the reading path.

Has your taste in reading changed since you had your two girls?

Maybe a little. I think I have a less patience with "heavy" reading now (though I did read The Pillars of the Earth and it's sequel last year, so that's obviously not always true). My reading these days is mostly all about fun.

Have your daughters inherited your love of reading?

Well, they're not able to read by themselves yet, since the oldest is only just 4. But they definitely love being read to, and that makes me hope they will love to read for themselves. Because, let's face it, I can only read "Calliou Says No" so many times before I start killing my brain cells.

How did you get started blogging?

My story is similar to a lot of people's, I think. I found a few bloggers through Shelfari, and as I started reading their blogs, I found I had something of my own to say. So of course, I had to create myself a venue to say it in. Because who doesn't want to have their very own "all me, all the time" channel? lol.

In all seriousness, though, blogging has been an incredible gift to me. Firstly because, as a mom, it's great to have something that's just mine. And secondly, because I now realize there are other people out there who are as addicted to books as I am and love to talk about them.

What is your favorite thing about blogging? least favorite thing?

I am a comment junkie. My very favorite thing is reading and responding to the comments on my posts. The interaction with other readers is fabulous!

My least favorite thing... well, I guess sometimes I have commitments that were made a while ago and suddenly are inconvenient to fill. Like, back in June I committed to several blog tours for late August and early September, not knowing that I was going to have horrible morning sickness during that time. Oops.

How many books have you read this year and how do you find time to read & blog with your busy life?

As of right now, my count stands at 168 books read this year. This is the first year that I've actually kept track.

Finding time can be tricky, but reading/blogging is my sanity time, so I make the effort. Right now I'm filling out this interview while my girls watch their one TV show for the day (Little Einsteins... it has to be good for them, right?). Mostly I read and write when they're sleeping. I don't watch much TV and I have what you could call a "flexible" attitude towards home tidyness, so that frees up some time, too.

If you were reading a book and fell asleep only to awaken inside the book, what book would you want to wake up in and why?

I actually had a dream a few nights ago that I was Katsa from Graceling and I have to say that was fairly awesome.

If you were shipwrecked on a deserted island, what five books would you want to have with you?

Robinson Crusoe, The Swiss Family Robinson, The SAS Survival Guide, Tropical Fish and How to Cook Them, and The Idiot's Guide to Raft Building.

You may ask any three people from history (alive or dead) one question each and they must answer you truthfully and completely. Whom do you choose and what is your question for each person?

You history buffs and your impossible questions! I am completely drawing a blank on this one.

You have a job interview with a cosmetics company and on your way it starts to rain. A man on the train overhears your plight, that you have to walk nine blocks. He hands you his umbrella and tells you to "pay it forward." How do you?

After totally flubbing my interview (apparently they expect you to know the difference between highlight powder and bronzer) I start walking back to the train station. I notice an elderly woman carrying a squirming puppy walking along getting soaked by the rain. I offer her the umbrella, but she can't carry it with the puppy in her arms, so I escort her to her home, which is 6 blocks out of my way. When we get there, the door is opened by her grandson, who is none other than... the extremely good looking stranger from the train (I'm single in this scenario, so it's ok for me to say that) who is delighted to see me and asks me out for coffee. His name is Joe. We live happily ever after.

Awwww...

You can influence any one thing in the entire history of the world, past, present or future (what has occurred, how something works, etc.) What would you choose to change and why?

I know that it can be argued that the world has learned many lessons as a result of Nazi Germany and the resulting World War, but I still would pick the assassination of Adolf Hitler as the one thing I would like to have brought to fruition...before he attacked Poland if possible. There were just so many innocent lives lost that could have been saved.

Wow, that sounds good, eh? OK, I cheated and got my husband to answer that one. I confess.

Who are some of your favorite authors? If you could spend the afternoon with one of them, which one would you choose?

Stephenie Meyer, Orson Scott Card, CS Lewis, Meg Cabot, Kristen Cashore, JK Rowling, Janet Evanovich, Tamora Pierce. If I could spend the afternoon with one of them, I would choose CS Lewis (assuming I can pick him even though he's dead). His work is incredible. Actually, if I met him, I don't think I would know what to say. I would probably just stare at him all afternoon, but it would be worth it.

Not sure if you get the same commercials up in Canada that we do down here, but here is a silly question for you (from a commercial a decade or so ago): What sensation do you get when you eat a York Peppermint Patty?

We mostly get the same commercials up here, but I don't think I've ever seen that one. I grew up without access to TV pretty much until I left university.

YPPs give me a sensation of pure bliss. LOVE them.

Be sure to go to Today's Adventure to read Vanessa's interview of me and check out her fabulous blog.